ABC News faces criticism for its language choice in reporting on Israeli hostage deaths.
What were they thinking?
At a Glance
- ABC News used the term “deceased” to describe Israeli hostages killed by Hamas
- Critics, including Nikki Haley, argue the wording downplays the brutality of the events
- The controversy highlights the impact of language in reporting on sensitive conflicts
- Hamas plans to release more hostages and bodies as part of ongoing negotiations
- The incident raises questions about media’s role in shaping public understanding of conflicts
ABC News Under Fire for Hostage Reporting
ABC News has found itself at the center of a heated debate over its choice of words in reporting on Israeli hostages killed during the recent Hamas attack. The network’s use of the term “deceased” to describe the young victims has drawn sharp criticism from sane people everywhere, including political figures and media observers. Critics argue that such language fails to capture the true nature of the events and potentially minimizes the tragedy.
“Hamas will release six more hostages on Saturday and the bodies of four deceased hostages on Thursday, Hamas and Israel confirmed,” ABC News reported.
Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley was among those who voiced strong disapproval of ABC’s reporting.
“Shame on any media outlet that can’t call this what it is, murder,” Haley said.
Hey, she can make sense sometimes.
The controversy surrounding ABC News’ reporting highlights the significant impact that word choice can have when covering sensitive international conflicts.
The hostages are not deceased. They were murdered.
“Do you mean ‘murdered,’ @ABC?” Sen. Mike Lee said in response to the network’s coverage.
This incident has reignited discussions about the responsibility of media outlets in accurately portraying the realities of conflict zones and raises questions about ABC’s intentions.
Seriously, what were they thinking?
While that debate rages, the situation on the ground remains complex. Hamas has announced plans to release more hostages and bodies as part of ongoing negotiations.
Hamas is expected to release a further six hostages imminently, including the bodies of four murdered hostages.
