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Montreal
Metro Issues Photo Gaffe Clarification |
May 7, 2009 |
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 Dear
HonestReporting Canada Subscriber,
In a Media Action Alert we released
yesterday, we informed you about how the Montreal Metro
had demonized Israel's 61st Independence Day, by featuring a
grossly inflammatory and misleading photograph (see below)
showing an
image of a blood-soaked Israeli and American handshake, all
while blood drips onto pictures of dead or wounded Palestinian
children as a Palestinian woman walks idly by. The message disseminated to Metro readers
was that of an American and Israeli policy to be complicit in the
murder of innocent Palestinian children.
 To recall, the Metro's photograph and caption were deceptive
as the
original AP photograph clearly stated in its caption
that the Palestinian woman "walks next to a poster... during
an event organized by Hamas culture ministry... to commemorate
Nakba day,"
(see picture right for an
additional photo). Instead, Metro's version didn't
inform its readers that the woman wasn't part of the poster in
the first place. Likewise, readers had no way of knowing who (Hamas - a
terrorist organization) had created the
dubious poster image in the
background. As the Metro didn't properly contextualize this
caption, it seemed as though they were almost promoting this Hamas propaganda piece.
Thanks
to scores of emails sent by HonestReporting Canada subscribers
to Metro Editor-in-Chief, Eric Aussant, the newspaper promptly issued the
following clarification on page 10 in today's edition:
Clarification Translation: "Under a photo entitled
"Middle East: Historic Week" published on page 12 of our April
27 edition, it should have read: A Palestinian woman walks in
front of a poster protesting against the Israeli operation in
December and January in the Gaza Strip during an event organized
by Hamas to commemorate the 61st anniversary of the Nakba."
 While we credit the Metro for clarifying its caption context
gaffe, notwithstanding, this clarification does not exonerate
the newspaper for its questionable editorial choice in selecting
this inflammatory photo when hundreds of different
photographs could have been used to show
regular Israelis celebrating this momentous and
"historic" event.
Most Metro readers who originally saw the photo in the first
place will not see the subsequent clarification, thus is the
importance of getting it right in the first place. However, we
trust that by sensitizing Metro editors to our concerns, they
will be more vigilant in the future.
How
You Can Make A Difference:
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combat anti-Israel media bias worldwide. The battle for public
opinion is key for Israel, and one in which HRC, working
hand-in-hand with informed, committed people like you, is making
a difference.
As you can see for yourself
— our efforts do make a
difference. Through your donations, you can help ensure
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