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Omissions of the “Times”
- Abstract
In his 2006 commencement address at Tufts University, Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, Jr., the publisher of The New York Times, praised his newspaper for adopting a journalism reflecting the “courage of our own convictions.” He meant it as a compliment, but his words had a different meaning to those who have had occasion to suspect that the news coverage of the Times is not infrequently driven by an agenda—its “own convictions”—rather than objectivity.
Did the Times practice agenda journalism in its coverage of the recent fighting in Gaza? Many readers apparently thought so, and the Times made repeated attempts to rebut their adverse comments. The paper’s managing editor, the chief of its Jerusalem bureau, and its public editor all published articles or interviews seeking to absolve themselves, or the Times, from the charge that its published reportage had tilted toward the side of the Palestinians.
About the Author
Rick Richman edits Jewish Current Issues and is a frequent contributot to COMMENTARY’s blog CONTENTIONS.
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