Subtle Editorializing by AP
Fri June 13th, 2003 10:31 MSTOld news for sure, but it is interesting how frequently and subtly editorializing creeps into the “straight news.”
Consider this AP story from today:
JERUSALEM — Israel has decided to target top Hamas leaders, including founder Sheik Ahmed Yassin, Israeli officials and media said Friday, confirming a policy change likely to speed up an attack-revenge cycle that has already claimed 46 lives in four days.
The violence is jeopardizing a U.S.-backed plan, launched just last week, that calls for Mideast peace and Palestinian statehood by 2005.
…
The second paragraph is not news. It is not fact. It is simply opinion. It may be true. It may in fact be the opposite of true. The Israeli attacks on Hamas could jeopardize peace, or they might enhance peace. Certainly the reporter doesn’t know. Nobody could know at this time!
The first paragraph likewise carries opinion in addition to fact.
Hidden editorializing is endemic in today’s news, produced by supposedly objective reporters supposedly trained in journalism. A “trained, objective” reporter wrote this, and at least one “trained, objective, experienced” editor approved it.
Is it any wonder that Americans are more frequently turning to alternative news sources?
Shame on AP.