NBC’s Biased Use of AP’s Outdated Palestinian Fatalities Figures
In the last few months, numerous journalists have come under fire for depicting Palestinian assailants as victims.
NBC’s Cassandra Vinograd has a new twist on the old theme in her story today in which she selectively cites outdated Associated Press figures for Palestinians killed in recent months, most of them while attacking Israelis. Thus, in her article today on the second stabbing attack in two days on Israeli women, Vinograd writes:
Since late September, more than 20 Israelis have been killed in Palestinian attacks and at least 132 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire, according to the Associated Press.
AP’s latest statistics, published shortly before Vinograd’s report are as follows:
Monday’s attack was the latest in a four month-long wave of violence that shows no signs of abating. Palestinian attacks have killed 25 Israelis and an American student. At least 146 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire, of whom 101 are said to have been attackers. The rest have been in clashes with Israeli troops. (Emphasis added.)
Note that Vinograd ignored AP’s careful notation of the fact that more than 100 out of 146 Palestinian fatalities were attackers. Note also that the figures that Vinograd states for both Israeli and Palestinian dead are lower than the AP’s figures from today. Vinograd cited “more than 20 Israelis” and “at least 132 Palestinians” killed, attributing AP, while AP’s newest figures are “25 Israelis and an American student” and at least 146 Palestinians.
The last time Associated Press cited “at least 132 Palestinians” was on Jan. 6, nearly two weeks ago. So not only is Vinograd selective use of AP’s careful figures biased. It’s also embarrassingly outdated.
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