Where’s the media frenzy about Centanni and Wiig?
CJR Daily’s Felix Gillette writes about the blogosphere noticing the subdued media reaction to the Centanni/Wiig kidnapping…
It’s been a week now since kidnappers seized Fox News correspondent Steve Centanni and cameraman Olaf Wiig off the streets of Gaza City. And, in recent days, many bloggers have started to wonder why there hasn’t been more media attention surrounding the kidnappings.
There’s a good reason. For one thing, FoxNews is not saying much (and they shouldn’t) for the wellbeing of their captive employees. And other journalists have a feeling of solidarity, since it could easily have been any of them. So why do anything to jeopardise any chance of a negotiated release? Why broadcast things that may panic the captors into doing something rash? Very different from the CSM kidnapping in Iraq, as the corps of foreign correspondents for US-centric media is very small, and there is great, genuine concern that anything that could affect their friends’ release would be avoided. For once, sense over ratings for everyone.
Comment by anon — August 21, 2006 @ 3:56 pm
I agree with Anon. FOX, with help from others including Palestinian authorities, is quietly negotiating for the release of the two journalists. We don’t even know who kidnapped them; they may not be terrorists since no ransom demands have been made of FOX. Let’s hope, amid all the anxieties, that the two will return safely. If we learn any lesson from these kidnappings, it’s that reporting in distant places, particularly in that boiling cauldron that is the Middle East, is still pretty dangerous.
Comment by RGL — August 21, 2006 @ 4:41 pm
Why don’t you both get real. We all know why there’s not more media attention on these journalists, and it disgusts me. Say what you want, the media feels a certain way about Fox, and it can’t be denied.
Comment by ROC — August 21, 2006 @ 4:54 pm
“Paranoia strikes deep Into your life it will creep It starts when you’re always afraid You step out of line, the man come and take you away ..”
Comment by Arthur — August 21, 2006 @ 8:03 pm
ROC, I think most of the other media outlets have been taking the lead of Fox News. The channel has been understandably quiet on the story.
I can’t see how you can accuse the other media outlets of not reporting the story because “they feel a certain way about Fox” when Fox itself is taking the same line.
Comment by F10 — August 21, 2006 @ 10:03 pm
ROC: I’ll come to your defense and add another reason why the media is relatively quiet:
Being kidnapped by Palestinians does not fit neatly into the media storyline of “Arabs good, Israel and US bad.”
If Centanni and Wiig were kidnapped by “insurgents” in Iraq, the story would get far more coverage.
Comment by Ira — August 22, 2006 @ 1:59 pm
Or maybe, just maybe,(if we try and avoid speculation and conspiracy theories) there’s just nothing to report.
Comment by Mr A — August 22, 2006 @ 2:02 pm
Ira - Are you saying that Fox News wants to make Arabs look good but not reporting much on the situation as well?
I can’t see how people can bag the “other” media on this particular issue when in most cases they’re just doing what Fox News is doing.
Comment by F10 — August 23, 2006 @ 4:11 am