By Berl Falbaum
Journalists are often accused of “sensationalism” and CNN News recently gave the word an entirely new meaning.
It is not an overstatement to say that CNN sensationalized sensationalism.
At issue here is a CNN story, which garnered significant attention, on alleged torture and abuse at Sde Teiman, the Israeli detention center about 20 miles from the Gaza border in the Negev. This column is based on
the story online which was attributed to “international investigations and visual teams” while the TV version was reported by Matthew Chance, CNN’s chief global affairs correspondent.
In this piece, I am not addressing the charges of abuse allegedly practiced at Sde Teiman, just CNN’s reporting on the allegations.
In the interviews, several prisoners and former prisoners relate to Chance alleged torture and mistreatment suffered by inmates.
All well and good; investigative reporting is to be welcomed and endorsed. The trouble? None of the charges were verified and Chance doesn’t even include in his story the standard disclaimer that “CNN could not independently check the claims.”
Let’s examine just a few of the problems with Chance’s exposé. In one paragraph, he reports:
“... [D]octors sometimes amputated prisoners’ limbs due to injuries sustained from constant handcuffing; of medical procedures some performed by underqualified medical medics ... where the air is filled with the smell of neglected wounds left to rot.”
That’s it. No proof. No evidence. No backup. Just charges.
Chance tells us that two Palestinian associations claimed that in one week 18 prisoners died while in custody.
Let’s assume that’s true which, of course, may not be the case. What did they die of? Were they sick? Old? Killed by other prisoners? Were guards responsible? We don’t know and Chance does not enlighten us. He lets stand the implication they died from IDF’s abusive tactics.
Chance also “uncovers,” using satellite images, that Sde Teiman has expanded dramatically since October 7. “More than 100 new structures, including large tents and hangers, have been built at the desert camp,” he reports. Why that should be a newsworthy “revelation” is not quite clear, given that Israel would need more detention space given the war.
Here is another classic Chanceism: “Several [alleged prisoners] had a glassy look in their eyes and were seemingly emaciated.” They weren’t emaciated; they just seemed to be, and who knows why they were “glassy” eyed. Perhaps they had the flu or a drink or two. (My apologies for being snide.)
Or consider the following: Some alleged former prisoners told him that they did not know where they were held because they were blindfolded but “appeared to have been released by the camps.”
“Appeared?” Where does one begin to analyze that?
“One elderly man breathed through an oxygen machine as he lay on a stretcher,” is another salient fact reported. What we don’t learn is how he got sick or when or whether his illness was caused by factors not related to his imprisonment. It’s even possible that Israel provided the oxygen for the man.
Being an intrepid, fearless, courageous reporter, Chance decided to visit the facility and, with cameras rolling, approached the guard who, as Chance surely expected, refused entrance.
Chance knew full well that he would not be permitted into the facility, that he would need approval from the top, but the argument at the gate made for “good video tape.” This reportorial practice is called, in the industry, “ambush journalism,” a practice long abandoned by most media institutions.
Coincidentally, The New York Times did get access to Sde Teiman. Its story, setting aside a few questionable details, was much more responsible.
Indeed, the IDF, at this writing, has detained nine reservists on suspicion of severely abusing Palestinian detainees.
As he left, Chance got into an argument with a few soldiers which he made sure his camera crew filmed.
But what caught my attention to the story in the first place was Chance discussing how hospitalized prisoners were handcuffed to beds and wore diapers
As to handcuffing, generally all prisoners, civilian or military, are handcuffed in hospitals for obvious reasons although the reasons are not obvious to Chance. He doesn’t inform us on the diapers.
As Chance spoke, he showed a photo of the medical ward. I wondered how he had it since he never gained entry to the prison. I got my answer very quickly
As the camera focused closer on the beds, it turned out that the “prisoners” were dummies handcuffed to beds. Yes, dummies. As I looked at the photo on my TV screen, I noticed there was no medical equipment, no electrical cords, nothing. Just beds with handcuffed dummies.
Then I found the following note in the online version: “See the model CNN has recreated based on eyewitness accounts showing inside Sde Teiman.” Translated: CNN faked the photo. And what was the point of showing dummies handcuffed to beds?
I emailed CNN requesting an interview with Chance or someone else. I am confident you will not be surprised when I tell you I did not hear back.
Investigative journalism is an invaluable component of a free press and essential to a vibrant democracy. It should be encouraged but, sadly, given the dire economics in the industry, it is dying. Few can afford to finance it anymore.
What we don’t need is the kind of journalism practiced by CNN in this story. It taints the entire media and undermines the work of responsible journalists.
If the IDF engaged in questionable practices at Sde Teiman or elsewhere (present charges need to be investigated) journalists should work hard and use all their professional skills to hold it responsible.
The problem, in this case, is that Chance will not only escape accountability, but he will probably get a raise.
————————
Berl Falbaum is a veteran journalist and author of 12 books.
Journalists are often accused of “sensationalism” and CNN News recently gave the word an entirely new meaning.
It is not an overstatement to say that CNN sensationalized sensationalism.
At issue here is a CNN story, which garnered significant attention, on alleged torture and abuse at Sde Teiman, the Israeli detention center about 20 miles from the Gaza border in the Negev. This column is based on
the story online which was attributed to “international investigations and visual teams” while the TV version was reported by Matthew Chance, CNN’s chief global affairs correspondent.
In this piece, I am not addressing the charges of abuse allegedly practiced at Sde Teiman, just CNN’s reporting on the allegations.
In the interviews, several prisoners and former prisoners relate to Chance alleged torture and mistreatment suffered by inmates.
All well and good; investigative reporting is to be welcomed and endorsed. The trouble? None of the charges were verified and Chance doesn’t even include in his story the standard disclaimer that “CNN could not independently check the claims.”
Let’s examine just a few of the problems with Chance’s exposé. In one paragraph, he reports:
“... [D]octors sometimes amputated prisoners’ limbs due to injuries sustained from constant handcuffing; of medical procedures some performed by underqualified medical medics ... where the air is filled with the smell of neglected wounds left to rot.”
That’s it. No proof. No evidence. No backup. Just charges.
Chance tells us that two Palestinian associations claimed that in one week 18 prisoners died while in custody.
Let’s assume that’s true which, of course, may not be the case. What did they die of? Were they sick? Old? Killed by other prisoners? Were guards responsible? We don’t know and Chance does not enlighten us. He lets stand the implication they died from IDF’s abusive tactics.
Chance also “uncovers,” using satellite images, that Sde Teiman has expanded dramatically since October 7. “More than 100 new structures, including large tents and hangers, have been built at the desert camp,” he reports. Why that should be a newsworthy “revelation” is not quite clear, given that Israel would need more detention space given the war.
Here is another classic Chanceism: “Several [alleged prisoners] had a glassy look in their eyes and were seemingly emaciated.” They weren’t emaciated; they just seemed to be, and who knows why they were “glassy” eyed. Perhaps they had the flu or a drink or two. (My apologies for being snide.)
Or consider the following: Some alleged former prisoners told him that they did not know where they were held because they were blindfolded but “appeared to have been released by the camps.”
“Appeared?” Where does one begin to analyze that?
“One elderly man breathed through an oxygen machine as he lay on a stretcher,” is another salient fact reported. What we don’t learn is how he got sick or when or whether his illness was caused by factors not related to his imprisonment. It’s even possible that Israel provided the oxygen for the man.
Being an intrepid, fearless, courageous reporter, Chance decided to visit the facility and, with cameras rolling, approached the guard who, as Chance surely expected, refused entrance.
Chance knew full well that he would not be permitted into the facility, that he would need approval from the top, but the argument at the gate made for “good video tape.” This reportorial practice is called, in the industry, “ambush journalism,” a practice long abandoned by most media institutions.
Coincidentally, The New York Times did get access to Sde Teiman. Its story, setting aside a few questionable details, was much more responsible.
Indeed, the IDF, at this writing, has detained nine reservists on suspicion of severely abusing Palestinian detainees.
As he left, Chance got into an argument with a few soldiers which he made sure his camera crew filmed.
But what caught my attention to the story in the first place was Chance discussing how hospitalized prisoners were handcuffed to beds and wore diapers
As to handcuffing, generally all prisoners, civilian or military, are handcuffed in hospitals for obvious reasons although the reasons are not obvious to Chance. He doesn’t inform us on the diapers.
As Chance spoke, he showed a photo of the medical ward. I wondered how he had it since he never gained entry to the prison. I got my answer very quickly
As the camera focused closer on the beds, it turned out that the “prisoners” were dummies handcuffed to beds. Yes, dummies. As I looked at the photo on my TV screen, I noticed there was no medical equipment, no electrical cords, nothing. Just beds with handcuffed dummies.
Then I found the following note in the online version: “See the model CNN has recreated based on eyewitness accounts showing inside Sde Teiman.” Translated: CNN faked the photo. And what was the point of showing dummies handcuffed to beds?
I emailed CNN requesting an interview with Chance or someone else. I am confident you will not be surprised when I tell you I did not hear back.
Investigative journalism is an invaluable component of a free press and essential to a vibrant democracy. It should be encouraged but, sadly, given the dire economics in the industry, it is dying. Few can afford to finance it anymore.
What we don’t need is the kind of journalism practiced by CNN in this story. It taints the entire media and undermines the work of responsible journalists.
If the IDF engaged in questionable practices at Sde Teiman or elsewhere (present charges need to be investigated) journalists should work hard and use all their professional skills to hold it responsible.
The problem, in this case, is that Chance will not only escape accountability, but he will probably get a raise.
————————
Berl Falbaum is a veteran journalist and author of 12 books.
