| Obama can't turn the US into a fair mediator in the Middle East as long as US media remains heavily biased. Help fund Avaaz's effort to reach top US media decisionmakers with balanced perspectives for peace: Help Now |
One of the greatest hopes for peace is for the US under Obama to play an impartial and responsible mediation role. But the biggest obstacle to this is the strong bias of the US media. Only 4% of related US media stories even mention that Palestinians are under military occupation, and less than 25% of Americans say they can sympathize with both sides. Given domestic pressure, even Obama will find it difficult to be fair.
We urgently need to meet this challenge as Obama makes historic choices on Israel-Palestine. The winds of change are blowing through American media -- media experts tell us the best way to seize this opportunity is to fund a small number of highly respected individuals to engage top journalists and editors on this issue - providing facts, information and opportunities to hear sensible voices for peace from both Palestinians and Israelis. As a start, $40,000 would be enough to hire a respected advocate; $15,000 will pay for an opinion poll in Gaza and Israel that challenges prejudices and is released to US media; $50,000 will build a "peace wall" in Gaza, Jerusalem and Washington DC for citizens in each place to post messages to each other and the media.
If each one of us who signed the petition gives just $2 (1.50 euro) each, we'll raise $1 million -- enough to launch a highly effective effort. The Obama presidency is an opportunity to end this festering conflict, but he can't do it without us. It's time for all of us to get serious about this, here's the link to get started:
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/gaza_media_balance
The more we raise the more compelling public actions we will take that convey sensible, ordinary voices for peace from both Palestinians and Israelis to the US media. Far from taking sides, our effort will show that a pro-peace voice is both pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian, because it advocates for lasting security and justice for both peoples.
For years a balanced perspective has been largely absent from US media. Palestinian kids throwing rocks were seen as dangerous rioters, rather than token resistance to an illegal and repressive military occupation. The crushing nature of the Israeli occupation, the numbers of Palestinians beaten or killed, the way that Palestinians live in a type of giant prison with even the smallest movements or actions tightly controlled, are almost never covered by US media. The same media however often create great empathy among Americans for innocent Israeli victims of violence, telling their personal stories in depth. See links below for a number of studies that have showed the overwhelming bias of American media in this conflict. Until the American media can tell both heart-rending sides of the story, no US president will be able to broker a fair peace.
The opportunity is there. After the trauma of the Bush years there is a fresh wind blowing through American democracy and media. A new emphasis on responsible, tough journalism, and a genuine desire among media professionals to be more balanced. On the other hand, a massive PR infrastructure established by a few powerful organizations puts tens of millions of dollars a year into conveying a pro-war perspective to US media. This is tough competition, but our effort will have a much easier job รข€“ we'll be pushing balance, not bias, helping journalists to do their job, not shirk it. Obama has promised "fairness" in his approach to this region, let's help make it politically possible for him to deliver. Click below:
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/gaza_media_balance
With hope,
Ricken, Graziela, Alice, Luis, Paul, Brett, Milena, Paula, Pascal, Iain and the whole Avaaz team.
PS: For more information about bias in the US media and on coverage of the recent war in Gaza:
The Blame Game in Gaza - Erasing Israeli actions to fault only Hamas:
http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=3667
Video - Peace, Propaganda and the Promised Land:
http://br.youtube.com/watch?v=eCL6WdnuNp4
Jon Stewart's critique of media bias on Gaza conflict:
http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=213380&title=Strip-Maul
International Law Seldom Newsworthy in Gaza War - Israeli justifications often cited uncritically:
http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=3672
For a recent US poll which shows the impact of the media bias:
http://www.ipsos-na.com/news/client/act_dsp_pdf.cfm?name=mr090114-2a.pdf&id=4236
Palestine Media Watch report on op-eds:
http://www.pmwatch.org/pmw/mediocrity/displayCall.asp?essayID=336
Newsworthy and unnewsworthy deaths:
http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=3057
Video - Media bias about the Israeli - Palestine conflict exposed:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kiyyp9cZdY0&NR=1
Video - Biased media reports on the Israeli-Palestinian:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOC1RReb6gc
If Americans Knew - A US project helping to convey alternative perspectives to Americans:
www.ifamericansknew.org
PPS: Please click on this link for an award winning video made by Avaaz which is the kind of material that we will use to encourage more balanced understanding of the Middle East: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWyJJQbFago
ABOUT AVAAZ Avaaz.org is an independent, not-for-profit global campaigning organization that works to ensure that the views and values of the world's people inform global decision-making. (Avaaz means "voice" in many languages.) Avaaz receives no money from governments or corporations, and is staffed by a global team based in Ottawa, London, Rio de Janeiro, New York, Buenos Aires, and Geneva. Call us at: +1 888 922 8229 or +55 21 2509 0368 Click here to learn more about our largest campaigns. Don't forget to check out our Facebook and Myspace and Bebo pages!
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