Media resources for fighting dis/mis/mal/in/formation about Israel
TL:DR: Don't "silo" with outlets that you happen to agree with or ones that flatter your ego.
Way back in November, over at our Life on the Border Facebook group, someone asked what a good source of news in the States about the conflict would be. My expanded reply:
"A broad range of the political and non-political spectrum. Don't "silo" with outlets that you happen to agree with or ones that flatter your ego.
“Unfortunately, far too many Americans are happily and proudly siloed in and wear their news coverage preferences on their sleeves like their fave sports team jackets at the bar on Saturday night. Far too many are lazy and coddled and would prefer to be spoon-fed dumbed-down coverage that - back in the day, sonny boy - wouldn't make the Weekly Reader or Highlights editorial cut; not/sorry for stating a hard truth.
“The media everywhere (NOT just in the States - don't think the BBC accents make them an iota smarter than the average bear) are hyper-polarized and, yes, it's a struggle for even experienced journos to parse news from cant and spin - let alone political clerisies and heresies from the "chattering class."
“Be a thoughtful, discerning news consumer and don't just glance at scare headlines or go down conspiratorial rabbit holes - there really ARE conspiracies, but commonly - not in the place you're expecting, and almost never on, say, YouTube or Reels - let alone the black hole of Tik-Tok...
"Try using news aggregators that aren't linked to Google or Microsoft (which are heavily influenced by algorithms and political slant - in assorted directions).
"One of many, many that I regularly check, is LiveMap:
https://usa.liveuamap.com/, It's not perfect (none of them are), but you can see their sources, and judge the politio/ideological angle they're coming at the item from by their terminology - ie: "resistance" vs "terrorist."
"https://ground.news/timeline/israel-palestine-war is also pretty good, and they are upfront about the sourcing slants.
This is a very brief list, but - who has time? There are a couple other - but if you want to know more - well, you’ll have to do your own homework.
Official statements from across the spectrum - but you'll have to be cautious about the point when, "Who, What, Why, When Where, How," elides into spin-e-ganda - it's not what more average folk are familiar with.
Also, many, many Telegram and WhatsApp channels - but those are mostly in Hebrew and Arabic; that's more granular "heavy lifting," and I wouldn't expect someone not in the news media to put in that kind of effort.
Full disclosure: I worked for The JPost and other Israeli news outlets across the political and ideological spectrum for years in both reporting and editing, including China's Xinhua News Agency and RTHK, Hong Kong (politically polar opposites) and Breitbart (sometimes, literally on the same day), Arutz 7, and as a freelancer for many more worldwide, including several BBC channels, and the States for TV, Radio, Magazines and Print.
In the States I was an NPR bureau chief and reporter for Georgia Public Broadcasting (WJSP, Columbus) and WABE, ATL as a reporter. Many radio breaking news spots for stations and networks, besides.
So, yeah - I know exactly how the news media sausage is made and delivered.
For those who care, my poorly-tended Substack is here:
"An AP-award-winning "ever-recovering" radio reporter, multimedia producer, photo/videographer, and pro beekeeper, Dave is happily settled with his wife and family in Israel for 4 decades. My articles, features, photos, ruminations, and rants follow: https://substack.com/@davebender
My own curated page is here: https://www.davidbrianbender.com/basic-01
Join the Journey - Subscribe for Unfiltered Narratives & Timeless Photography:
Substack’s Stripe payment system isn’t available in Israel, so I’ve arranged an alternative for you to support my work. If you’re feeling generous, you can make a donation or subscribe via PayPal (just click the “Coffee Fund” link or the photo). Not a fan of PayPal? No worries, shoot me a message, and I’ll provide another way.
My articles will remain accessible to everyone, but if you choose to contribute, know that it helps me keep doing what I love—bringing these stories to life. Your support means the world to me.
Cheers to the journey and every snapshot along the way. Keep the stories alive with your support, and let’s keep brewing the narrative together. Until next time, stay curious and connected.
Warm regards,
David Bender
Interesting. I never thought of using a news aggregator. Hopped over to the two you recommended here and it was definitely worth doing. Funnily, I think, the sources I checked for articles related to our part of the world on liveuamap were from "X". But those three were "X" accounts I have not been following myself.
Dave, I was going to edit my email to you for this comment, but I meant every word I said, so here’s the whole diatribe.
Sincerely,
A fed up observer of the insanity:
Dave,
Thanks for sending this along to me.
I remember the very exchange to which you referred occurring on LOTB.
I think I was one of the foremost commenters and sparked numerous responses.
I was unequivocal in saying that, here in the United States, Fox News is THE ONE news source that is reporting the truth of what is going on, and, in the making, being a friend to Israel in its desperate time of need, and I definitely took the time to mention how right-winged-biased Fox is and has always been. That was true at that critical time, and in many ways, continues to be true. It just so happens that, in telling the truth, Fox planted its flag squarely in solidarity with Israel and the network’s coverage made that unmistakably clear. At the time, I appreciated that immeasurably, and I continue to appreciate Fox for it to this day.
I always have listened to and read from many different sources. Sometimes, I have to admit, it is to reinforce my strong convictions regarding how untrustworthy and dishonest, not to mention misguided, the “other side” will allow itself to be and still feel able to show its face in public.
Here’s something I am definitely guilty of:
I am unequivocally siloed with a proud, unwavering, sometimes unforgiving, conservative ideology. And that has a definite effect on the “news” sources I will allow to occupy my brain space.
A “source” with an unmistakable left wing ideology is automatically under suspicion with me, not as much because that “source” might prevaricate, because Fox lies also, but because I am inclined to distrust the basic sense of judgement and perspective from which the “reporting” originates.
This prejudice on my part stems from very diligent observation over several decades of the ways and means by which the left has puppeteered its constituency in order to affect its desired changes in the public’s collective consciousness. The left has been, at once, sneaky and brazen, loudly audacious and more quietly manipulative in order to advance its multi-item objectives. And the left has shown it will stop at absolutely nothing in order to do so. I am beyond certain that this is true.
I’ll just use one example, an extreme one, but a timely one because of the ridiculous level of importance placed upon it in this professional wrestling type of “reality” we are forced to live with now in so many areas of our absurd societal existence:
I have very strong convictions about how many sexes exist in the human race. There are two. The two can be separated into a total of 3 categories: 1. Female 2. Male 3. And those who wish that weren’t true.
No amount of fucking around medically with bodily parts and chemical therapies has any effect upon my strong opinion on this point.
So, if a “source” is identifiable to me as sympathetic, and even convinced, to the contrary, then I’m going to pretty much distrust that “source”’s entire point of reference as not credible because typically and predictably it indicates where its sympathies lie across a broad spectrum of topics (unfortunately) and therefore, I will avoid that “source” altogether.
In short, I am entirely convinced that I have, for several decades now, watched a ridiculous, reckless, naive, and misguided societal point of view genuinely degrade the collective public conversation AND SAFETY regarding just about every serious topic the human race has to ponder and govern.
I have no trust that the hard left is leading in a positive, not to mention safe, trajectory for society.
I have every conviction that the opposite is true- that the hard left is trying desperately to march us all, including themselves, to a mass failure, destruction, slaughter, and/or extinction by suicide.
And therefore, I naturally will continue to source from people and outlets whose basic set of presumptions I do not find just silly and/or suicidal.
In short, if I find the basic ideology and presumptions silly, then that “source” is not one I’m going to look to for guidance.
So, ideology absolutely has some effect on where I’m willing to look.
On CNN a couple of days ago, there was a Democrat guest in an interview who was unequivocal in calling out the double standard in relation to the fact that Israel is “just simply not allowed to defend itself” despite the countless examples, several of which he listed, reeling them off like there was no end to the list, such as the U.S. killing so many in Afghanistan, Iraq, and in other theaters historically in response to our being attacked. Predictably, Mika B and Joe Scarborough sat with uncomfortable smirks, exchanging codified eye-contact and they couldn’t go to commercial quickly enough. The guy was a Democrat- he was supposed to just fall into line apparently and talk about how purely evil Israel is. But he didn’t.
I don’t like CNN. I don’t trust CNN. I watch CNN to be re-convinced, and unfailingly I am, of their dishonesty and unreliability as a “source”. They are not a source. They are a corrupt joke.
So, yes, the ideology of my sources, if I have to tolerate and endure ANY ideology in my “sources”, will lean unmistakably to the right.
The left has done appreciable damage of late (decades).
Much of that damage is costing thousands of lives, in Israel, and here in America, and in other parts of the world also, in many important issues and conflicts of our dangerous present time.
I’m ready for the pendulum to swing appreciably to the right.
A comprehensive polling of power struggles worldwide-wide shows that many feel just the same as I do.
I hope the right prevails, at least for a while, until the hard-left-listing Mother-Ship rights itself before it capsizes altogether.
Always thinking of you and yours and praying fervently for favorable outcomes for us all.
Am Yisrael Chai.
Best,
Rob Morris