CNN staffers get instruction to blame Taliban

[sassa]

NEW YORK: In an effort to balance reports of significant civilian casualties in Afghanistan, CNN began emphasising to viewers on Wednesday that the Taliban leadership is to blame for the situation.

An internal memo from the network's standards and practices department was issued to all CNN staffers on Tuesday suggesting "we must remain careful not to focus excessively on the casualties and hardships in Afghanistan that will inevitably be a part of this war, or to forget that it is the Taliban leadership that is responsible for the situation Afghanistan is now in."

The memo -- which was circulated after CNN News Group chairman/CEO Walter Isaacson raised the issue of editorial balance -- said that since it could be difficult for correspondents inside dangerous areas in Afghanistan to make these points, anchors should be sure to follow each of the reports with a comment.

Standards and practices suggested that while reporters should put the commentary in their own words, they might want to note that "these US military actions are in response to a terrorist attack that killed close to 5,000 innocent people in the US."

On CNN's website, transcripts of reports from Nic Robertson in Kandahar, Afghanistan, and Bill Delaney in Islamabad, Pakistan, both had a new editor's note at the bottom, which read:

"The Pentagon has stressed that it is trying to minimise civilian casualties in Afghanistan. The US-led coalition launched its offensive on Oct. 7 after Afghanistan's ruling Taliban refused to hand over members of the Al Qaeda terror network, which is suspected of orchestrating attacks in the United States that killed close to 5,000 people."

After Robertson's report was aired, CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer instructed viewers that the Taliban restricted Robertson's access.

A CNN spokeswoman noted that "this is certainly something we were doing even before the memo," adding that the memo served as a reminder to staffers since Robertson was going to be in Kandahar when the U.S. was likely going to increase collateral damage.

In recent days, US media have begun to put increased pressure on the Bush administration to explain civilian deaths and injuries in Afghanistan. The administration has, no doubt, noted that worldwide support for the US-led military action has been eroding as international TV channels carry images of relentless bombing raids in Afghanistan.

One Capitol Hill insider says the Bush administration is especially skittish about CNN, since journalists around the globe rely on the 24-hour channel as a source for breaking news. CNN has been carrying footage provided by the Arab satellite news channel Al-Jazeera, which is one of the few networks up and running in Afghanistan.

TV media have been on the frontlines in the propaganda wars, with the Bush administration asking news executives to think twice before airing Taliban or Al Qaida statements.


( REUTERS )

[Spragga]

I don't trust Reuters one bit..

[deanna11]

i don't trust spragga one bit

[Spragga]

You too...hell, I don't trust me either!!

[karch]

Nice article Sassa, shows that the media is biased.

[sassa]

Originally posted by karch
Nice article Sassa, shows that the media is biased.

Well, is this hardly a surprise to anyone...of course the media here is biased.

[crobra]

You knew the media was going to starting spinning, what are you going to do?

[igloo]

Just wondering Sassa.....can you share more of your intellectual greatness and let us know exactly what your point is?

I mean, since you are so full of worldly insightfullness, I am very excited to hear more about this "media is biased" revelation here....

[flying_high]

Oh Igloo please...don't start that whole drama again.

[phuturephunk]

Originally posted by spragga25
I don't trust Reuters one bit..

. . . Actually (dontcha just hate that word . . .) . . Reuters is a British newswire, kinda like the AP of Great Britain (although I think the AP is an international org. . I'm not sure). . We need organizations like that so that we don't get TOO involved with our own spin, which domestic networks LOVE to apply to every bit of news out there . . . I'm jaded to the whole journalistic process in general. . .

[Spragga]

Actually, Sassa started it by posting this thread....and I looking forward to hear her facts and reliable sources!!

[phuturephunk]

Originally posted by igloo
Just wondering Sassa.....can you share more of your intellectual greatness and let us know exactly what your point is?

I mean, since you are so full of worldly insightfullness, I am very excited to hear more about this "media is biased" revelation here....

You must be a young . . Blind. . republican . . . .

[Xpander]

Originally posted by phuturephunk



You must be a young . . Blind. . republican . . . .

[igloo]

Originally posted by flying_high
Oh Igloo please...don't start that whole drama again.

My mistake...I actually thought Sassa was the first to post. I must be a blind Republican.

Then again, on second look, she did post first. I guess you didn;t notice because you must be part of Sassa's High IQ brigade....

phuturepunk...I apologize to you too. I am sometimes sooo blinded by the brainwashing of the US govt puppets at CNN that I fail to see the underlying hypocrisy in it all...

Do you think if I take a diplomacy class, or watch Al-Jazeera that I can become as astute as yourself and Sassa.

Luckily, I have access to clubplanet.com and the views of the almighty Sassa to help remove my republican blindfold....

Schmuck

[bxbomb]

spot on IGLOO ...sassa has some kind of agenda in every one of her frikkin threads ANti arab this and that ..GO BACK TO THE DESERT IF YOU DONT LIKE IT HERE SASSA!!! Do you think the Taliban puts out biased reports in Afghanistan??