Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Flotilla Groupie Flunks

Flotilla Journalism - that sinking feeling.

Jamie Hyams of the Australia Israel Review puts Fairfax flotilla groupie Paul McGeough under the MEDIA MICROSCOPE and guess what?

Under examination, McGeough fails every test of journalistic excellence which leads us to one question. Who nominated him for a Walkely?

"... the flotilla was attempting to breach the partial blockade Israel had legally imposed on Gaza in response to the terrorism, rockets and recalcitrance of its Hamas rulers. However, not only does McGeough neglect to mention the legal basis or the terrorism, in his 4,300 word feature, he didn’t find room to mention Hamas even once. It was simply “an Israeli-imposed blockade that effectively makes 1.5 million people prisoners in their own homes.” No-one is confined to their homes. McGeough gave absolutely no explanation of Israel’s reasons for the blockade..."

Hyams concludes that this "was simply a public relations piece for the Free Gaza Movement, and both McGeough and Fairfax should be condemned for trying to pass it off as journalism."

Indeed.

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