Rich Noyes writes at Newsbusters that CNN's Nic Robertson admitted that his anti-Israel hit piece of last week was propaganda for Hezbollah. In fact, Hezbollah members maintained tight control on what Robertson video taped and reported:
Back on July 18, Hezbollah took Robertson and his crew on a tour of a heavily damaged south Beirut neighborhood. The Hezbollah "press officer" even instructed the CNN camera: "Just look. Shoot. Look at this building. Is it a military base? Is it a military base, or just civilians living in this building?"
In his original story, Robertson had no complaints about the journalistic limitations of a story put together under such tight controls, and Robertson himself at one point seemed to agree with the Hezbollah propaganda claim that Israeli jets had targeted a civilian area: "As we run past the rubble, we see much that points to civilian life, no evidence apparent of military equipment."Challenged by Reliable Sources host (and Washington Post media writer) Howard Kurtz on Sunday, Robertson suggested Hezbollah has "very, very sophisticated and slick media operations," that the terrorist group "had control of the situation. They designated the places that we went to, and we certainly didn't have time to go into the houses or lift up the rubble to see what was underneath," and he even contradicted Hezbollah's self-serving spin: "There's no doubt that the [Israeli] bombs there are hitting Hezbollah facilities."
But the closest Robertson came to making any of these points in the taped package that aired last week was admitting that "we [he and his CNN crew] didn't go burrowing into all the houses," after pointing out (for the second time) that "we didn't see any military type of equipment" in the area Hezbollah chose to let them tour.
CNN again sold whatever integrity it had left for an exclusive from a Hezbollah propagandist. Robertson learned much at the Eason Jordon School of Journalism.



Comments (9)
This makes me sick. "The m... (Below threshold)1. Posted by goddessoftheclassroom | July 24, 2006 9:41 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
This makes me sick. "The most trusted source in new," indeed!
1. Posted by goddessoftheclassroom | July 24, 2006 9:41 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 24, 2006 21:41
2. Posted by Mitchell | July 24, 2006 9:47 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
The media have sunk about as low as one could have imagined. I think it will get worse, before it gets better. There is no sense of decency, or proportion among the "Chattering" class of journalists.
Maybe we can get Lou Dobbs to investigate, or Keith Olbermann, or Dan Rather, or for real unbiased reporting, maybe Katie Couric, or Helen Thomas.
What a Zoo full of wacky animals.
2. Posted by Mitchell | July 24, 2006 9:47 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 24, 2006 21:47
3. Posted by Chris is Bliss | July 24, 2006 9:51 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Saying CNN did a propaganda piece for some terrorist organization is like saying Peter Pan Peanut Butter tastes like Peanuts.
CNN basic tenant is to look at the position of the Bush Administration, and promote the opposite position. Question, why would anyone care to do a puff piece on Hezbollah? Oh wait, for the same reason CNN did not report on Sadaam's playful dictator antics: FOR THE ACCESS BABY, FOR THE ACCESS
I believe CNN was the first place I heard quagmire for the war in Iraq. This was 4 days after the war started. Here is the funny thing. The only reason his infidel throat was not slit was because he was there to do a puff piece. And people lauded his courage. Priceless
I believe Mike Wallace gave the statement "I'm a journalist first". Because totalitarian, terrorist, or dictator run countries don't have journalist, I thought that would mean he was an AMERICAN journalist by default.
Final thought: Didn't Eason Jordan have an affair with Daniel Perle's wife (Guy whose throat was slit by Islamic terrorists)
3. Posted by Chris is Bliss | July 24, 2006 9:51 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 24, 2006 21:51
4. Posted by serfer | July 24, 2006 10:10 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Obviously they are not Americans nor are they journalists. Their cause to to disrupt America which makes them traitors
4. Posted by serfer | July 24, 2006 10:10 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 24, 2006 22:10
5. Posted by barrydauphin | July 24, 2006 11:01 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Of course, the supposed point of gaining access is to do an accurate and unbiased story. Obviously gaining access has become a journalistic end instead of a means. Probably goes down well at various DC watering holes.
5. Posted by barrydauphin | July 24, 2006 11:01 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 24, 2006 23:01
6. Posted by epador | July 25, 2006 12:35 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I wonder what kind of access CNN has in Israel right now, after openly collaborating with their enemy.
6. Posted by epador | July 25, 2006 12:35 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 25, 2006 00:35
7. Posted by 914 | July 25, 2006 12:37 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
The disgusting S.O.Bs. rotting in hell cant come quick enough!!
7. Posted by 914 | July 25, 2006 12:37 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 25, 2006 00:37
8. Posted by mesablue | July 25, 2006 1:05 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I heard that report from beginning to end when it was first aired. The reporter seemed to be in such awe of the fact that he was brave enough to wander into an area where the "bombs could come at any time".
Not once did he ask about where the Hizbollah fighters actually were or where the rockets had been fired from. Or, why does Hizbollah hide rockets and supplies in civilian areas.
The fact that CNN would send a reporter out with a Hizbollah propagandist says all that is necessary.
What did they think Hizbollah was going to show them?
I don't think CNN or the NYT realize how far they've drifted away from the American people's interests. It's gonna be a rough wake up call.
8. Posted by mesablue | July 25, 2006 1:05 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 25, 2006 01:05
9. Posted by Scrapiron | July 25, 2006 1:44 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
CNN reached the bottom of the barrel years ago. They were taking their stories streight from Saddam and they appear to have been on Saddam's payroll just like the phony U.N. inspectors.
New documents from Iraq have been translated that show not only indirect contact between Saddam and Osama but actual meetings in Iraq. I still say 9-11 was paid for and ordered by Saddam and as the previous documents says, Saddam ordered attacks on America world wide six months prior to 9-11.
9. Posted by Scrapiron | July 25, 2006 1:44 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 25, 2006 01:44