Although Regine Schlesinger, Medill ’73 and a reporter for WBBM radio, was set to speak about whether or not there is an anti-Israel bias in the media, her opinion immediately was clear.
Speaking to a group of about 40 people in the Tannenbaum Chabad House, Schlesinger delved into the specific problems that have led to anti-Israel bias in many media outlets.
Schlesinger said when she was growing up, Israel was viewed as “heroic.” But in 1967, when the Israelis moved into the West Bank, the coverage shifted.
“Suddenly it was strong mighty Israel versus the Palestinians,” she said. “The media favors the underdog and Israel was seen as the one with all the power.”
Schlesinger cited three factors that contribute to the anti-Israel bend in the media.
First, she cited the inability of Israelis to communicate their stance. And Schlesinger also said that democracy in Israel allowed room for dissent, while in Arab countries such freedoms do not exist.
“Journalists like drama, they like tension, so there is more emphasis on (Israeli) soldiers refusing to do something rather than the vast majority that are good soldiers following orders,” she said.
By contrast, reporters are strained in Arab countries.
“People don’t report stories (in Arab countries),” she said. “They are afraid of their sources being killed.”
Schlesinger also pointed out that many Middle East correspondents are not familiar with the history and issues of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While journalists’ breadth of knowledge is quite extensive, Schlesinger said, they don’t necessarily have the depth and understanding of a particular area’s history.
Schlesinger said it would help if journalists had an academic background in the areas they reported.
“It’s surprising to hear how little people know when reporting,” said Chicago resident Sarah Goldsmith, 24. “I would have thought they would know the history.”
Of specific media outlets, Schlesinger praised the Wall Street Journal for its evenhanded coverage of the situation and pointed out CNN and the Chicago Tribune for their anti-Israel stance. She praised the Chicago Sun-Times for its pro-Israel editorial page.
She said President Bush took the right track by not inviting Yasser Arafatto the White House. Bush’s exclusion, she said, shows the Palestinians have nothing to gain from terrorism.
Schlesinger, the daughter of Holocaust survivors, said she grew up learning that Judaism always comes first. She refuses to work on Jewish holidays, and even refused to write a story about a crash of a Chicago Transit Authority train early in her career to observe the Sabbath.
Despite continuing violence in the Middle East, Schlesinger said she always has hope that a solution can be found.
“I hope there can be no more war,” Schlesinger said. “I assume the Palestinians want peace.”
Deepa Seetharaman can be reached at [email protected].
