by Harvey Oberfeld
February 4, 2022
Mazel Tov (Congratulations) to HonestReporting Canada and all those Canadians who … like me … have noticed how biased/false CBC’s reporting of Israel/Palestinians can be … and filed complaints!
DISGRACEFUL!!!
Here’s the entire release from HonestReporting Canada (EVERY Canadian should read it!):
“HonestReporting Canada is pleased to share that subsequent to a number of problematic reports broadcast on various CBC News programs last Spring during Hamas’ war against Israel, and thanks to direct action taken by HRC, our subscribers, and the public at large, our public broadcaster’s ombudsman has upheld our concerns in a number of areas.
“In a review dated January 28, 2022, CBC Ombudsman Jack Nagler responded to a complaint about a May 11, 2021 broadcast on The National (watch by clicking below), where reporter Saša Petricic described the Hamas-Israel rocket exchange by suggesting that it was Israel who fired first, whereas in truth, it was the Islamist terrorist group. This misrepresentation was pointed out at the time by HonestReporting Canada who filed a complaint directly with CBC News and mobilized our subscribers and Canadians from coast to coast to take action.
“In his report, Nagler denied there was any bias on the part of Petricic, but acknowledged that viewers would have been given a false impression of the chronology of events.
“Nagler wrote (emphasis added) “It would have been wiser to choose between reporting explicitly on the chronology, or avoiding it altogether. Instead, there was only the passing reference, which left a sliver of ambiguity – just enough that its meaning could be misinterpreted. In that sense, the report failed to live up to the JSP (Journalistic Standards and Practices); the language used was not precise enough to ensure that the report was faithful and easy to understand… There was a violation of policy.”
“In his second review covering complaints related to the 2021 Hamas-Israel war, Nagler discussed the May 18 edition of the CBC Radio program “As It Happens” hosted by Carol Off.
“In response to an HonestReporting Canada alert, our subscribers wrote to CBC complaining about the aggressiveness and confrontational approach of Carol Off in her interview with Michael Freeman, a policy advisor to Israel’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, particularly in contrast to her less combative interview with Hamas representative, Basem Naim.
“While Nagler defended Off’s track record, he does acknowledge how her interview with Freeman was markedly different from her discussion with Hamas’ Naim.
“I agree with you that the tone of this conversation was different from the tone of the Freeman interview,” Nagler wrote, later adding how listeners were not unreasonable in their complaint. “In the end, I found myself left with this: yes, the two interviews had a different feel, and I understand why you and others might react negatively to that. It would have been ideal if, in questioning Hamas, Ms. Off had made specific mention of the deaths of children, as she had in the interview with Mr. Freeman,” Nagler observed in his report.
“This is a significant acknowledgement on the part of CBC. For many years, Carol Off has shown a tendency to give softer interviews to pro-Palestinian voices, while aggressively badgering pro-Israel representatives who join her program as guests.
“Though Carol Off recently announced that she’s stepping down as host of As It Happens and will continue to develop new projects for CBC, this recognition may help to hold future CBC radio hosts to develop new projects for CBC, this recognition may help to hold future CBC radio hosts to account, should they follow in her footsteps of producing antagonistic interviews of pro-Israel guests.
“In his third review on the Israel-Hamas war, the CBC Ombudsman discussed a May 11, 2021 radio report on The World at Six, again by Saša Petricic, who covered Palestinian claims of alleged illegal evictions in the eastern Jerusalem neighbourhood of Shimon HaTzaddik (often referred to in the media as Sheikh Jarrah).
“In his radio broadcast, Petricic said “Israelis are trying to evict Palestinian homeowners” from the homes where they were living, suggesting that the Palestinians were in ownership of the homes in question. In response, HonestReporting Canada filed a complaint and issued an alert mobilizing our subscribers.
“While stating that the issues surrounding the claims of Shimon HaTzaddik/Sheikh Jarrah are “immensely complicated,” Nagler acknowledged that Petricic’s report was indeed a violation of the CBC’s Journalistic Standards & Practices.
“Nagler wrote (emphasis added): “In order to be seen as impartial, CBC needed to avoid using language that appeared to take sides on that question. By using “Palestinian homeowners” rather than any number of other possible phrases, it appeared in this instance that CBC had accepted the legitimacy of the claim from the Palestinian side. I highly doubt that this was an attempt to sway anybody on anything, but it doesn’t matter. This was a violation of the JSP.”
“These three incidents are stark reminders of how critical it is for subscribers of HonestReporting Canada to take action to hold the CBC to account, not just for inaccuracies, unfairness and for spreading falsehoods, but also for problematic tones and phraseology. Taking even the smallest liberties with the truth can dramatically alter how millions of Canadians perceive Israel and understand the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. These examples clearly illustrate how YOU are making a difference in countering the CBC’s anti-Israel bias!”
Personally, as a reporter myself with 38 years’ experience and having won several awards, I don’t think the CBC Ombudsman was critical enough! (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvey_Oberfeld)
Nagler wrote Petricic’s “report failed to live up to the JSP; the language used was not precise enough to ensure that the report was faithful and easy to understand. But any suggestion that this reflected a bias against Israel seems entirely without merit. There was a violation of policy, but it was a misdemeanour, not an indictable offence against journalism.”
I disagree.
When you consider the number of Canadians who were misinformed, the anti-Israel sentiments that could have been engendered and the potential for contributing to the growth of anti-Semitic feelings among vulnerable Canadians, I see it as a BIG deal!!!
Canadians should be able to expect better of our national taxpayer-funded broadcaster.
And I find it interesting that the Ombudsman also found a second story by Petricic lacking … and CBC stalwart Caroll Off using “different tone” on CBC Radio, when interviewing pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian spokespersons.
I’ll be less delicate: from my reading of the Ombudsman’s report, Off was quite aggressive (nothing wrong with that) in her interview with an Israel supporter but softer in her discussions with her Palestinian guest (that I believe betrayed her bias).
You can read the Ombudsman’s FULL Reports here: https://cbc.radio-canada.ca/en/ombudsman.
I hope more Canadians will start to notice bias in what is dished out to us in Canada’s media.
It should not be too much to expect fairness and even-handedness … even when reporting on Israel.
As usual an opinion well thought out and presented by Harvey Oberfeld. If only today’s reporters had the same validity and common sense that Harvey had in his day.
Many thanks. It really should be quite simple… Reporters by nature should want to give both sides of the story and be just as hard on each side in questioning. What we seem to be suffering from these days in covering sensitive issues is advocacy journalism… Where too often weak/activist management and or producers decide which side they support, where the politically correct pressures are leaning and then the news coverage fits that agenda. And no tough questions posed.
Sad… But I know there are still a lot of good journalists and even solid management types out there… so I live in hope that real reporting will soon return.
Harvey quote:
“I hope more Canadians will start to notice bias in what is dished out to us in Canada’s media.”
What about all of the privately owned, vaccine pushing, crimes against humanity media, Harvey?
The truth will set you free…and has kept millions alive: vaccines work, the science clearly says so, the research clearly supports that, and the huge hospitalization rate and high death toll among the unvaccinated proves that.
Harvey is on here. That’s cool!
Loved you on BCTV with Tony Parsons, back when news was real and not propaganda.
“The truth will set you free…” I agree.
First, who is behind this worldwide vaccine campaign?
Bill Gates.
You can watch Bill Gates in a Ted Talk suggesting the world population could be reduced by 10 – 15% through vaccines.
After hearing this, why would anyone take a vaccine pushed by him?
These are not vaccines, they are experimental injections.
What are the ingredients in these experimental injections?
Does the science tell you?
In the data, when are people considered to be “vaccinated”, as soon as they receive the jab or 2+ weeks later?
Hearing a high number of side effects including deaths are occurring within the first 2 days of the jabs and around the 2 week mark. So, after all these “unvaccinated” people have died, the counter starts for the vaccinated.
The hospitals are filled with vaccinated people, especially following the 3rd jab.
There are whistleblowers talking about this. Unfortunately, today’s TV news will not cover this.
Hearing that these jabs are designed to destroy the immune system.
That would explain the sudden increase in aggressive cancers.
Plus heart attacks, strokes, hemorrhages, auto immune diseases.
Posted today. You NEED to watch this:
Reiner Fullmich: John O’ Looney Milton Keynes Funeral Director Interview
https://www.bitchute.com/video/5hN4eC1CkPXk/
And the Covid tests are a complete scam.
Proud to be Non-GMO!
Back to you Harvey…
Harvey,
Hope you read my post and watched the video.
It would be nice if you let your readers know about the video.