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Networks Are Fooled By Hamas Crisis Actor

Brad Slager
Brad Slager  |  Nov 13, 2023
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Townhall.com.

11.13.23

Artisanally-Crafted Narratives – THE HILL

  • Are they incapable of learning or simply refusing to learn?

In keeping with the current practice of not vetting news items fully, we have The Hill joining in the fray, and it is just perplexing. After the fiasco created by the false reports of Israel bombing a hospital, you would think any approach to a story involving hospital violence allegedly made by Israel would be made with caution. Nope, not at The Hill. 

The outlet runs with a report, based on Doctors Without Borders, that Israeli troops opened fire on residents in a hospital attempting to flee the facility. First problem: DWB never stated Israel was doing the shooting. 

Second problem: There was no mention of Hamas having a headquarters at this facility, that IDF soldiers had worked to evacuate the location, nor that it was either possible Hamas was doing the shooting or that they were the focus of the shots fired. Just a mess all around.

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Hoax & Change – VARIOUS OUTLETS

  • How did the experts miss out on this guy trolling them for weeks?!

While you probably do not know him by name, you likely have seen his work. Saleh Aljafarawi has become known on social media for appearing in a number of videos in the past few weeks, posing in various tableaus; he has been an oppressed citizen, a journalist, an injured bombing victim, and even a doctor. His attempts at delivering propaganda clips have become the stuff of comedy on Xitter and elsewhere. 

Yet, somehow, the networks have not been clued in on his false presentations. Not only did MSNBC fall prey to his fakery, but his video was shown on all three major networks as well. The shame and embarrassment continue across the media landscape…

Anti-Social Media – NEWSWEEK

Joining in on the reporting of fake accounts is Newsweek, which did a glowing piece on infamous influencer Dylan Mulvaney. There was an awards presentation in Britain, and Mulvaney was a recipient. In its report, the news magazine included a pull quote from the humorous parody account Anne Lesby PhD. As fitting a tribute as one might find if we are being honest.

Legalized Press-titution – WASHINGTON POST

Here, we have a piece that typifies the practice of activist journalism. This lengthy feature article from Ruby Cramer is a prime example of covering an agenda item, not reporting on the news. Cramer wanted to cast the newer Florida school policy instituted by Governor Ron DeSantis in the worst light possible, so she details at length the travails of Tania Galiñanes, a school librarian quitting as a result of the supposedly intolerable conditions under the new book policies in the state.

Tania suffered physical reactions to the stress of her job and the intolerable new standards preventing this lover of books from doing her job and educating children. Then come the details.

She was asked to remove all of FOUR books from her entire library. She had to take a training seminar – that lasted one hour. All of this springs out of a school board meeting in April 2022. One librarian quitting is deemed a national story. In that time of one and a half years since the policies were instituted, Cramer managed to find ONE librarian quitting. 

Both Kinds of Standards – MSNBC

  • The dangers in possibly enacting the policies Biden is enacting…

Jen Psaki reveals what happens when you get too close to your partisanship. She delivers a nightmare scenario of what we might expect if Donald Trump were to return to the White House, but in so doing, completely condemns her former boss.

The message: It would be unacceptable if Donald Trump were permitted to do the things Joe Biden is currently doing.

Pulitzer Prize Nomination (Photojournalism) – THE DAILY MAIL

  • Keep this photo handy to help identify wild threats!

It is impressive how much is in error in this brief post from the paper. Being killed after dying is bad enough, but at the hands (antlers) of this "elk" is just plain unsettling!

"Riffed from the Headlines" is Townhall's daily VIP feature with coverage of 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.