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In a Horrid Week for the News Industry, Has the Washington Post Been the Most Horrendous?

Brad Slager
Brad Slager  |  Oct 20, 2023
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Townhall.com.

10.20.23

Artisanally-Crafted Narratives – WASHINGTON POST

  • This list of grievances is deeply disgusting.

This week has been a monumental failure for the journalism complex in this country. The completely unethical manner in which the Gaza hospital-bombing-that-wasn't was delivered, the repercussions those fraudulent reports generated, and the lack of any earnest corrections and admissions of wrongdoing have further impacted an already tarnished industry. While numerous major news outlets were culpable of the deeply flawed hospital reporting, the Washington Post exhibited a collection of reports this week, any of which are disqualifying in nature.

  • It was part of the flood of outlets delivering the error-ridden Hamas-fed report of Israel bombing a hospital.
  • The next day, there was a scathing article condemning misinformation, but pointing at social media helping Hamas, as it was ignoring its own actions of this nature. 
  • Even after it was shown that the hospital had not been directly hit and that the rocket originated from inside Gaza, hours later, WaPo filed a new report repeating the disproven claims.
  • Having learned nothing from this week's debacles, next was this report of a Greek Orthodox church in Gaza that has been struck by rocket fire. Daylight once again showed this claim to be patently false. The building is standing today. 
  • In a story of a mother with two kidnapped children, the outlet described the kidnapped youths as being "detained," as if arrested by authorities. After being called out, there was a stealth edit made, so now it accurately reads they have been "taken hostage by Hamas."

Matching Media Memorandum – VARIOUS OUTLETS

  • Collective guilt and shame is no less shameful, these outlets will learn.

On the topic of that church allegedly hit by rocket attacks, WaPo was joined, once again, by a collection of outlets repeating Hamas PR claims, which were proven false. Once daylight broke, it was found that the allegedly bombed-out church was, in fact, intact. The corrective changes after the fact have been taking place.

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Anti-Social Media – CNN

  • So again, we ask, you are supporting their cause…why?

In his column here at Townhall today, Tim Graham provided a quote from CNN's Jake Tapper regarding his network's initial coverage of the alleged hospital "rocket attack":

On TV, CNN's Jake Tapper claimed in those initial moments after the explosion that there was "no reason to doubt" the Hamas claims.

This illustrates a foundational issue leading to the problems that have shamed the news industry this week – the unquestioning approach to the claims made by a group recognized as a terror organization by our own state department, and that is well known to manipulate facts and reports for propaganda purposes. Why on Earth would you approach anything said by Hamas with anything less than skepticism?!

This reflects off the widespread support or sympathy seen in the press for Palestinians since the brutal attacks on Israelis, but an episode from a live report on CNN raises more questions. Correspondent Sara Sidner was giving a live field report from Gaza when she was confronted directly by a local who, in no uncertain terms, let it be known CNN was not wanted there.

So, explain what is motivating CNN to take these positions. They have displayed at least a level of understanding for the Palestinian condition, if not outright sympathy, yet have earned nothing but mockery from those stateside who see the lack of objectivity, criticism from Israel for lack of perspective on the conflict, and scorn from those they support.

Legalized Press-titution – DAILY BEAST

  • You know there are other ways to deliver this message, considering you are supposed to be a journalist.

The ever-imbalanced Wajahat Ali is looking across the reactions in the country and seeing all of the protests for Palestinians as an endearing sight.

Not only is Ali pleased with the result of the propaganda campaigns, but it sure sounds as if he is suggesting that 1,400 Israeli deaths were a justified act based on this becoming the result.

Reporting on the Mirror – GALLUP POLLING

  • The one poll the poll-loving press corps never wants to tout.

Every year, Gallup questions America on its opinion of the media complex, and for decades, the approval has been sliding. So, why is this year's results any different? They actually are not, just worse – as in, historically so.

Respondents are asked to rate their trust in the news media with one of four responses: Either a great deal, fair amount, not very much, or not at all. Combined, the two positive choices amounted to a record-low amount of only 32%. In just the "not at all" selection, it was another record, 39%. Overall, two-thirds of those answering gave a negative impression. 

Making this all the more dire is this poll was conducted during the first three weeks of September. Had they waited one more month and tabulated following the disasters we have seen from the media in October, who knows how low this would have reached!

"Riffed from the Headlines" is Townhall's daily VIP feature with coverage on the deeply flawed aspects of journalism in the nation, where Brad Slager looks to bring accountability to the mishaps, malaprops, misdeeds, manipulations, malpractice, and manufactured narratives in mainstream media.