CNN Falls Victim to Internet Smear
February 13, 2012 12:18 by Simon Plosker
CNN itself responded to the allegations with a boiler plate denial, later updated with more details, possibly as a result of HonestReporting’s questions:
To counter misinformation reported on various websites, the company has confirmed:
“CNN currently has seven employees working in CNN’s Jerusalem bureau, four of whom are Jewish. There is no basis in fact for these reports.”
“Some website reports also state that CNN’s Jerusalem bureau chief is Arab, which is also untrue.”
“CNN strongly rejects any suggestion that the reorganization in the Jerusalem bureau is in any way based on the small number of contract employees concerned being Israeli, particularly given CNN’s long history of working with locals in the region.”
Indeed, anyone with any cursory knowledge of media operations in Israel would know that Kevin Flower, whom we personally contacted concerning this story, is the CNN bureau chief.
In addition, we spoke directly with representatives of CNN who told us:
There is further incorrect speculation that the Jewish employees we have are in low level positions. The highest level positions after the bureau chief are our two producers, one of whom is an Israeli Jew.
This obviously contradicts the Internet rumor that only Arab staff remained after the downsizing.
We do know that at least one of CNN’s former employees has taken legal counsel, which would imply that someone believes that CNN may have wrongly dismissed some of its staff.
You may also like: Exposed: How Palestinian Fixers Manipulate Their Media Bosses
This, however, raises a possibility that some bloggers have failed to consider. In Israel, the rights of contract workers (or lack of) have recently come to the fore. In any downsizing of an organization or company, it is the higher paid workers who may be most at risk. It is entirely possible that CNN’s Jewish employees were on higher salaries than their Arab co-workers.
This raises other issues of inequality within Israel, which is a genuine problem – but not the one that CNN is accused of.
HonestReporting holds the media to account when it promotes stories based on hearsay, speculation or faulty analysis that fits a preconceived framework. Faced with the evidence that we have seen and our own conversations with media professionals based in Jerusalem, we have concluded that the charges laid at CNN’s door are speculative at best.
This doesn’t mean that we are giving CNN a free pass. As always, we will continue to shine a spotlight on any journalistic indiscretions committed by CNN and others. We will, however, do so by sticking to our own guiding principles and values and the same high standards that we hold the media to.
Update: Making sense of the numbers
A number of readers have raised valid points concerning the balance of the CNN bureau following the downsizing so, based on CNN’s information, we’ve done the math.
- There were originally 11 members of staff, 8 of whom were Israeli Jews.
- There are now 4 Israeli Jews left in addition to the non-Jewish bureau chief Kevin Flower out of a total staff of 7.
- Based on these numbers there are potentially only two Arab members of staff – the same number that existed before the downsizing.
We have previously called out CNN for hiring unreliable Palestinian activists as freelancers and stringers who would not be considered as permanent bureau staff. This, rather than the ethnic makeup of the bureau may explain issues with CNN’s reporting that evidently existed even when the majority of the bureau staff were Jewish.
It may very well be that CNN was reluctant to openly state in its defense that only two employees at the bureau were Arabs as this would have left the organization open to accusations of bias or racism from the other side.
It may be that CNN’s reporting will be unchanged by recent staff turnover. If there are cases of bias against Israel, HonestReporting will make sure CNN is held to account.
Please consider clicking +1, Tweet, Like or linking to this article on your blog or website. This article is only effective when it reaches a large readership, especially through the Google search engine. Creating a link to this page with the text “CNN fires Jewish employees” helps this article reach the first page search results for the term and ensures that HonestReporting’s voice on this issue is heard online.
Image: CC BY-SA HonestReporting.com, flickr/aplumb, flickr/carlislehvac.
Albert Reingewirtz
11:35 pm
Feb 13, 2012
Who are you writing about? You make no sense except if you write about CNN. In fact this is why people watch CNN, for the show. They imagine stuff or relay stuff made up by terror groups as news. It is easy to bring to court recordings of CNN so called news and prove the point that is a renaissance of Yellow Journalism personified. Is this what you meant?
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david marriott
9:15 am
Feb 15, 2012
CNN has fallen victim to its own bad or biased reporting and really has noone to blame other than its self! It’s obvious that they not only reflect the sentiments of the current administration toward Isreal, but they’ll do anything to get Obama reelected which has cost him support from an otherwise predominantly liberal Jewish population here in the states. I still have not seen a real journalistic piece from CNN on the $5 trillion that Obama added to our national debt in less than 3 years or the 3 million people that have dropped off of the unemployment ranks by either giving up looking for work or their benefits have run out, which is giving him positive numbers in job growth that CNN has pathetically reported! Journalism is truely a thing of the past at CNN and that is why their circulation and ratings continue to decline! …CNN is synonomous with ‘propaganda” or the old soviet “polit bureau” type of reporting!
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Bill Kelly
12:30 am
Feb 14, 2012
I am sorry, but since, at least on my computer, the main part of the story was on the next page, and I did not see that, but seeing comments already displayed at the bottom of the first page, I assumed that was the end of the article. I wrote Albert a response, as he asked for one. Even though my previous posts were less informed that they should have been, they had no errors, nor were they inflammatory in any sense against Israel, of who I am a staunch supporter, or against HR. I am sorry for any misunderstanding. But that is what this article is about. And is my strong desire that you do not remove this post as well for the previous sentence. It would be sad to see supporters of Israel feel like they running into a brick wall because of fear fullness, or snobbery. Yes HR you are human. I suppose you should delete, this, or I may get a few ‘”how dare you”s. I ‘m a little miffed myself right now.
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Albert Reingewirtz
12:35 am
Feb 14, 2012
It is so pleasurable to read someone who obviously love language yet writing total non-sense. We still do not know what you really want to say. Can you please try it again?
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Avi
2:42 am
Feb 14, 2012
Share ideas about European collapse
Feb2012 HR:
“… phony reports about alleged Israeli crimes spread like wildfire through the Internet. Before anyone has the chance to correct the record, the public has already been irrevocably exposed to the false report”.
I dare ask why?
I would like to share some ideas that have lately come to my mind. The question is why Europe and the “Christian World” seems to be loosing their identity, and willingly subside to Laws of International Terror, Slavery, and Group Cultural Suicide, as is exemplified in Norway, Sweden, and Even England and America?
Here I pose a few “tails”, on which every one is invited to criticizes, shout, curse, or praise at will:
1) There seems to be a Universal Transcendental sense of historic justice: Those nations/Cultures which pose immoral activities and offence on other nations, are let to lead themselves to self-destruction! (Please recall e.g. Crusaders, Inquisitionist’s, Colonialists, Pro Nazis,…). Time of self destruction of European Culture is showing up. Should we praise Allah who has sent Moslem Martyrs to help this historic trend? Western News-Media seem to be doing that every minute every day! Some European Politicians join in every day, praising the terrorists and victimize the victims of terror! But then who will lead these new offenders of human rights to their Universal Transcendental sense of historic justice?
more to come
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Bill Kelly
12:47 am
Feb 14, 2012
I wrote a reply, It was not permitted for some reason. i really don’t want to try again. I see more of an attitude of an English professor who would rather be critiquing someone. My first post was fairly plain, my second, which had my explanation, was deleted by HR. Do you want me to try again? perhaps it was a computer glitch. It isn’t worth it to me . I gave a credible explanation, and it was censored. My attitude is now, figure it out yourself, unless you are just having fun trying to goad me. I hope not.
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Albert Reingewirtz
12:54 am
Feb 14, 2012
No, actually I am already bored. Forget it.
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Morning links | ISRAEL TRIBUNE
3:09 am
Feb 14, 2012
[...] Reporting also debunks a rumor that CNN had let go of all its Jewish staff in Israel. (People had sent me that story for a few [...]
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Stan Lee
3:37 am
Feb 14, 2012
From my vantage point as a Conservative American, there can be no doubt that most of the present American journalist corps is left-wing. CNN is the largest of the left-wingers, but it has the company of many more. The universities that graduated Socialist journalists must have infected American journalism to the point that it can no longer be considered respectable to tell news impartially. I’m sure you can name many more non-American sources which are questionable.
The strategy of turning rumors/half-truths into news is exactly what Bill Kelly has called it…”Yellow Journalism.”
The leftist journalists exercise their agenda without regard to slander. They gamble that even the most untruthful news they can conjure up will be injurious enough to make it worthwhile for broadcasting. Once the lie has been told and repeated often enough, the ignoramuses at the listening end will repeat it for the desired effect. That’s news, folks, in 2012!
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steve mann
12:50 pm
Feb 14, 2012
Stan- The problem being that eventually the one perpetrating the lie- starts to believe it themselves!
Hence the twisted half truths that have been expounded by the likes of certain journalists over the last 30 years have lingered in their heads- So by now the whole truth is but a shadow in their inner psychic mind. Rendering them incapable of saying- “I was wrong”.
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Albert Reingewirtz
4:08 am
Feb 14, 2012
The reason for what you observe is that the Western world grew to look at the world needing to accept others that are different than us. That is almost the core of Western culture. In comes the culture of extreme Islamism that look at the world divided in two: Dar el Islam vs. Dar el harb. Once side Islam and the other to be destroyed and replaced by Islam. The West is invested in this morality of acceptance of the other that even though witnessing 9/11, Imam preaching Jihad openly against Jews and Christians, seeing Christians fleeing the Islamic world for their life… They still repeat as to reassure themselves “Islam is a religion of peace. I love the idea that the West is so accepting today unlike when 6,000,000 Jews went up in smoke and the world did nothing or rather closed the doors of escape if not participating actively in the extermination of our nation. I do not know how it is going to change for the better without giving up some our cherished acceptance of others. That is the big dilemma of the 21st century.
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Middle East Media Sampler for February 13, 2012
12:16 pm
Feb 14, 2012
[...] on the internet accused CNN of firing its Jewish employees. Honest Reporting believes there's less to this report than meets the [...]
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eva salem
3:28 pm
Feb 14, 2012
I have stopped watching CNN long ago as their reporting is now just propaganda. There are many more stations that broadcast news and by watching several, you finally get a truer picture…
Shame on you CNN who sold your ass to arab money. You’ve lost credibility in more ways than you can begin to realize. E>S>
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Harvey Rogers
9:31 pm
Feb 14, 2012
CNN has repeatedly shown itself to be biased and often plainly dishonest in its anti-israel writing, I won’t acll it reporting because it isn’t. I wonder what their motivation is?
Are they bribed by Arab money? Do they have a fanatical anti-Semite in charge?
I haven’t watched CNN in quite a while so I don’t know if Wolf Blitzer still works there. I used to Daven with Wolf Blitzer’s father. He lived through Auschwitz-Birkenau although he told me he weighed 65 pounds when he was liberated. It would seem that Wolf wouldn’t work for an employer like CNN.
Harvey Rogers
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Albert Reingewirtz
9:38 pm
Feb 14, 2012
I remember Wolf Blitzer broadcasting in Jerusalem long before he started working for CNN. He is now a House Jew at CNN. He has no shame because money talks.
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blucorsair
9:33 am
Feb 15, 2012
Does any body really believe that CNN or the mainstream media not having the resources to check credibility and information sources of a storie, before they print it? …kinda reminds of the good ole days with “Dan Rather”, only worse! …LOL
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Al Neuman
8:21 pm
Feb 16, 2012
Good that Honest Reporting is indeed “honest”, fleshing out what’s legitimate news and what’s not such as the lack of truth to these reports about CNN.
However the truth of the matter is that CNN’s ongoing and easily recognized antiIsrael bias in most of its reports about the Mideast provides fertile soil to sow such rumors and have them grow–they’ve provided a credible backdrop for rumors about antiIsrael actions by their own biased reporting!
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Employment Practices at CNN: You Jewish? - ScrollPost.com
10:24 pm
Feb 22, 2012
[...] Practices at CNN: You Jewish? Remember the story of CNN firing its Jewish employees?HonestReporting came out defending CNN:-CNN was victim of an internet smear after downsizing its Jerusalem bureau. HonestReporting clears [...]
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J brown
3:11 am
Feb 28, 2012
J brown
February 27, 2012
8:05 pm
The issue was made By the French journalist grumberg
Which was what the journalist staffing numbers remaining in the Israel bureau may mean to reporting. THAT
1) CNN evaded the question and did Not answer questions that would illuminate
2) that it appears despite the 7 staff there are not journalists among the remaining Jewish Israelis working there.
If grumbergs report is an accurate representation of his conversation with CNN
Then
4)” honest reporting “- no offence to their hopefull sincere moniker of intent; has only further obfuscated and confused what Grumberg’s account makes obvious
CNN feels it is a proxy for the news that should be obeyed, without questioning.
There are no Jewish reporters likely representing the CNN Israel Bureau
Yes it is apparent a literal employee number error was made. It. Was/ is not the point.
Excerpted below
To the question: “How many Jewish journalists and how many arab journalists are left in the bureau now? Are you going to replace the four israelis that were fired by four arabs, or by no one? An Arab and an Israeli used to work with each other on subjects, is this still going to be the case? How will you achieve that without Jewish journalists?”
CNN’s response was: “There are 4 Jewish employees out of 7. One bureau chief. This information should be reflected in your piece. And we repeat that there is no basis for your question below about “no Jewish journalists”. Please amend your piece accordingly.”
I restated my question -again-: “Again, out of the 4 Jewish employes now, how many are journalists?”
That was three days ago, and guess what: she never got back to me. And if I did not get an answer, it is because the answer would have unmasked CNN manipulative narrative, and confirm my first article.
Now here is the new scoop. I found the answers that CNN hid, and I give them to you as an exclusive.
True, there still are four Jewish employees at CNN after they expelled four prominent Jewish journalists.
There is one Field producer, full-time.
The second person is an engineer, he deals with computers, satellites, and live broadcasts transmission.
The other two are eight hours per week desk employes, ie answering the phone, and typing cables.
The outcome of this story is that CNN PR, and CNN Spokesperson lied to me, playing with words to make me believe that Jerusalem bureau has four Jewish journalists, and they tried to apply pressure with this deception so that I would censor my article.
CNN: In which closet are you hiding Israeli journalists to ensure honest reporting on the Arab-Palestinian conflict? Who is delivering the propaganda packaged now?
Reproduction is authorized,
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Jack
8:35 am
Jul 27, 2012
You HR guys are hilarious. “If CNN really had deliberately targeted Jewish employees based solely on their ethnicity, surely this would have been a scandal that would have made far bigger waves in the Israeli press at the time as well as beyond?”
It’s YOUR job to expose this stuff. And you’re basing proof that it’s not true b/c you lazy bums aren’t doing your job?!?
Let me ask you: Did you even bother to speak to any of the fired CNN employees? If you had, you’d have known that this story is TRUE.
But no, you HR bums are more interested in covering up for CNN than in exposing them. I’m cancelling my subscription.
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masajes reductivos
5:57 pm
Oct 24, 2012
Buen Post
Me agradó la manera en que relata sobre el tema.
Continuaré regresando esta página para continuar estimulándome sobre el rubro.
Gracias
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