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Just Journalism Newsletter 17 July 2009

In the Newsletter This edition brings you details of our latest work, all of which can be viewed on our website. Read about:  - Misquotes contained in the coverage of the 'Breaking The Silence' report  - The reliance on doctors and human rights organisations as sources  - The role of 'human interest' stories in war reporting Also, if you haven't read Just Journalism's latest Briefing, 'Israel and Sri Lanka: a media analysis of war crimes allegations' you can read it here.                           TOP Breaking The Silence and quoting Israeli soldiers On Wednesday, Israeli NGO 'Breaking The Silence' released the testimonies of approximately 30 soldiers who participated in Operation Cast Lead. Their words were instantly quoted in print, broadcast and online media across the globe. Just Journalism found that a number of quotes published in The Independent and on BBC Online had been edited in a misleading way. Click here to read Just Journalism's analysis.   Civilian casualty figures Monday's announcement by the Foreign Office that it would not be renewing five military contracts with Israel in light of Operation Cast Lead received prominent coverage in Tuesday's newspapers. Just Journalism reviewed the newspapers' use of civilian casualty figures and found that there was a proclivity to rely on non-Israeli sources, particularly in favour of human rights organisations such as Amnesty International. Click here to read the analysis.   Doctors as sources in combat zones In cases of restricted media access to conflict zones, medical professionals are often relied upon by journalists as a source of information. But how do audiences know whether or not doctors are acting under duress? Questions have been raised as to the accuracy of statements made by Sri Lankan doctors operating in Tamil Tiger-dominated areas. What implications does this have for the veracity of information fed to the press by Palestinian doctors operating in Hamas-run Gaza? Read the analysis here.   The place for context in 'human interest' stories Human interest stories are a common way of communicating the personal side of a current event. A recent Observer Magazine cover story followed the experiences of Gazans six months after the conflict. The human element of Peter Beaumont's feature invokes sympathy for  Palestinian victims of war but fails to append concrete facts to Israel's decision to enter into the conflict with Hamas. What implications does this format have for the facts, circumstances and contexts of the conflicts being depicted? Click here to read our analysis.   For more information or to contact us, please visit www.justjournalism.com Just Journalism does not endorse the views and opinions presented in the articles, documentaries and programmes referred to above.