8 Aug 2008
CNN offering totally pro-Georgian coverage of conflict
While various news agencies are covering the Georgian conflict with reports from people on the ground, CNN is going totally on its single interview with the Georgian president where he makes several unconfirmed charges against Russia including that Russian troops are deliberately targeting civilians.
The headline on cnn.com: “Russia invades Georgia.” The caption:
Georgia’s president said today that his country is under attack by Russian tanks and warplanes, and he accused Russia of targeting civilians as tensions over the breakaway Georgian region of South Ossetia appeared to boil over into full-blown conflict. The United States is calling for an immediate cease-fire. developing story
Nevermind that the Russians already had peacekeeping troops in the area they are now “invading” and those troops came under attack from the Georgian army which broke the U.N. approved peacekeeping charter and ceasefire.
Nevermind that American, European and Russian news agencies are all saying that the Russian troops are merely reacting and aiding their troops already under attack.
No, all of that would require reporting. Reporting is hard. Especially for the world’s largest media organization.