Accuracy and accountability are among the most important tenets of journalism. In combination, they mean media organizations are expected to publish or broadcast forthright corrections after sharing inaccurate information. The following corrections are among the many prompted by CAMERA’s communication with reporters and editors.
Though Agence France Presse's revision of an article yesterday was small — it involved just three letters — its significance was much greater. In response to communication from CAMERA, AFP clarifies that the Temple Mount is Judaism's holiest site. For the second time in five months, CAMERA prompts correction of a New York Times story which erroneously refers to Israel "illegally occupying" the West Bank. At best "highly debatable," that inaccurate language is flatly inappropriate for a news story. CAMERA prompts correction of a Los Angeles Times article which incorrectly reported that Friday's Gaza rocket attacks against Israel were the first since October. In fact, there were at least two monthly in November, December and January.
CAMERA prompts correction of a Haaretz English edition article which incorrectly reported that Prime Minister Netanyahu is seeking to limit only left-wing NGOs for involvement in elections. Haaretz, Lost in Translation strikes again. CAMERA prompts correction of an Agence France Presse wire service article which incorrectly identified Tel Aviv as a capital city. By correcting news agency errors the day they appear, CAMERA prevents misinformation from spreading to media outlets globally. CAMERA prompts correction of a Haaretz headline which wrongly stated that an American court overruled the conviction of Palestinian Rasmieh Odeh in an immigration fraud case. The court vacated, or voided, the conviction. Politico has yet to correct. In the latest "Haaretz, Lost in Translation," a Knesset session on media coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict becomes a session on coverage of "terrorism and occupation."
CAMERA prompts a critical New York Times editor's note today on Diaa Hadid's error-ridden Jan. 15 article about potential evictions in Jerusalem's Old City. Editors agreed that Hadid relied solely on false Palestinian claims. The Los Angeles Times takes a first, partial step towards clarifying Saree Makdisi's false claim that there are no high schools in Arab communities in Israel's south. Editors have yet to make clear, though, that more than 40 such schools exist.
We recently criticized a New York Times article by Diaa Hadid about evictions in Jerualem.We now have the details on the other two evictions Hadid focused on, which she alleged were based on "arcane violations" of lease agreements. Is non-payment of rent now "arcane?"