A British report recently found that the UK media's disproportionate attention to Israel is having a bad effect on fund-raising efforts for developing countries. When a mere three countries account for half the foreign news coverage, you know donations will be effected:
. . . during the two weeks of the study, more than half of all international coverage on the main UK bulletins focused on the USA, Australia and Israel.
Oxfam's media director Sam Barratt groused that his organization "is adjusting to the decline by establishing media partnerships and longer-term projects that are better insulated from these pressures.”
But the NGO-Monitor blog blisteringly says Barratt's reaction is a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black:
Oxfam’s comments however, are ironic given the fact that Oxfam is itself a major part of the problem. Its own activities reflect a highly disproportionate focus on Israel and obsession with the Arab-Israeli conflict. Oxfam Great Britain alone put out 16 press releases on Israel between December 27, 2008 and January 30, 2009 – more than all of the press releases issued about the entire world in the month of June, 2009. Oxfam has also lobbied the EU, held press conferences and published reports [pdf format] on the situation in Gaza, promoting the Palestinian narrative and fueling the conflict. As part of the DEC, Oxfam attempted to televise an appeal for Gaza on the BBC and Sky News, not for any other crisis.
The report was commissioned by the UK Dept. for International Development. The full version's in pdf format.
(Hat tip: NGO-Monitor blog)
