UPDATE:
ESPN and Dr. Bonnie Bernstein acknowledged that a comment made referencing Palestinian suicide bombers (below) was inappropriate and they took immediate action to correct it by apologizing. I think the Arab American community has a right to protest such remarks, but we also have an obligation to acknowledge when someone in the media does the right thing and clearly both ESPN and Dr. Bonnie Bernstein have done the right thing in this instance and they deserve our respect.
Ray Hanania
NAAJA Coordinator
Email to ESPN Producer/Bernstein
Hi Scott
The National Arab American Journalists Association believes your apologya nd Dr. Bernstein's apology are genuine and sincere and we have immediately removed you from the Watch List and because of your prompt attention to incidents like this, we have placed both on our Honor List which reflects journalists or media who make an extra effort to clarify remarks and display sensitivity.
Thank you for your attention.
I know you recognize how painful these things can be but also how important it is to listen to your audience and respond to their concerns. I think your response and Dr. Bernstein's response were very responsive and respectful and complete.
Ray Hanania
on behalf of NAAJA
RESPONSE FROM ESPN MORNING SHOW PRODUCER
From: ESPN Morning Show [mailto:ESPN.MorningShow@espn.com] Sent: Wednesday, June 25, 2008 5:31 PM
The comments made this morning by Bonnie Bernstein were inappropriate. We expressed that to Bonnie who has since apologized for her remarks. Please feel free to click on the link below to access Ms. Bernstein's apology.
LINK TO BONNIE BERNSTEIN"S GENUINE EXPRESSION OF REMORSE
http://sports.espn.go.com/espnradio/player?context=audio&id=3460824 Scott Shapiro
Producer, "Mike & Mike in the Morning" ESPN Radio & ESPN 2 ESPN Plaza Bristol, CT 06010 860-884-5355 612-816-3057 (cell) Scott.A.Shapiro@espn.com
PAST COMMENTS AND NOTES
Link to full article:
http://arabjournalists.blogspot.com/2008/06/arab-american-protests-espn-chicago.html
NAAJA has acted on a complaint involving an ESPN radio show syndicated through Chicago called "Mike and Mike" in which a guest slammed Palestinians as raising their children to be suicide bombers.
I guess every Palestinian is in the same boat in the eyes of the guest, which is what racism and stereotyping is all about, generallizing in a derogatory manner against another people, especially if someone has an interest in such racism.
NAAJA issued a letter asking that the host acknowledge the racism. Below is the information including one of many protest emails from NAAJA members in Chicago, information about the show and hosts and guest and also the letter NAAJA sent by email several hours after the incident.
Thanks
Ray Hanania
http://www.naaja-us.com/
=============
Mike & Mike in the Morning
Host(s): Mike Golic and Mike Greenberg
Weekdays 5:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.E-mail: mikeandmike@espnradio.com
One of several email complaints received
This morning at 8:15 a.m. Chicago time, I was shocked to hear an analogy by Dr. Bonnie Bernstein on how NBA hopefuls are programmed to "just make it to the NBA." Her analogy pointed to how Palestinian children are programmed to be suicide bombers was disgusting!!!!
She claims she read it so I guess she expects that your listening audience will buy it. Dr. Bernstein seems to suggest that because people enjoy sports they are ignorant to the happenings in the world they live in. Her assumption does not give her the right to assume sports fans can be "programmed" to think that a people, namely in this case Palestinians, is synonymous with suicide bombing and terrorism. She is out of line. Does she even understand the situation in the Middle East? Mike and Mike's silence when she said it spoke volumes too. People listen and enjoy sports as an escape. That woman is a hatemongerer with a personal agenda. Had she have been talking about any other ethnicity, it would be equally shameful and ESPN should never have her on again and should make a public statement on the radio saying that her comment was inappropriate and apologize if it offended anyone!!!
I am personally offended as an American of Palestinian heritage that works with Jewish Americans and Israeli's to help foster peace and reconciliation between the two people, I am sickened. Mike and Mike should offer a comment immediately. I am not hopeful that Dr. Bernstein will retract her statement but it would be nice.
SS
Chicago
=================== ===========
CONTACT INFO ON ESPN
ESPN Radio Network
545 Middle St
Bristol, CT 06010
Roberts, Jim Affiliate Relations Executive Director (972) 776-4613 (860) 766-2213
mailto:jim.roberts@espnradio.disney.comWalsh, John Executive Vice President (860) 766-2323 (860) 766-2213
mailto:john.walsh@espn.comGoralski, Keith Operations Director (860) 766-2000 (860) 766-2213
mailto:keith.goralski@espn.comGeneric email: radio@espn.com
Background on the GUEST Bonnie Bernstein
BonnieBernstein.com
ABC Sports
c/o Bonnie Bernstein
47 W. 66th Street, 12th Floor
New York, NY 10023
With 15 years in broadcasting, Bonnie Bernstein is one of the most recognizable and highly respected journalists in her field. As a reporter and host for ABC Sports and ESPN, she has a wide range of responsibilities. During the college football season, she serves as the sideline reporter for the Brad Nessler/Bob Griese/Paul McGuire announce team on ABC and hosts "Countdown to the Heisman". She is also part of the hosting rotation for "NFL Live" and "Jim Rome is Burning" and has covered Major League Baseball for the Network. Additionally, Bernstein covers the NFL for CBS/Westwood One Radio.
NAAJA Letter sent Wednesday 10:32 AM by email
Hi Mike Golic and Mike Greenberg:
This morning, Dr. Bonnie Bernstein, a veteran sports reporter and radio reporter, made a very racist comparison between NBA players and Palestinians who raise their children to become suicide bombers. I am writing on behalf of the National Arab American Journalists Association asking that you address the issue.I think it was very inappropriate for Bonnie to use that racial stereotype of Palestinians as an example to back up her comments that NBA hopefuls "are programmed" to make it in the NBA the way Palestinian children are "programmed" to become suicide bombers ...
I don't need to explain that suicide bombers are not a race or ethnicity, or that there are 7 million Palestinians and have been only 50 suicide bombers over the past 15 years, or that suicide bombers come from all walks of life (in the film Pearl Harbor, the character of Jimmy Doolitle said that if his plane ran out of gas while bombing Tokyo and couldn't make it back to the states during World War II, he would simply crash his plane into a Japanese building -- making him, a typical American, a suicide bomber, too) ...
It is not about being politically correct. If you wanted to have a discussion about suicide bombers in the Middle East and Iraq and their ethnicity and the act of terrorism, you could probably fill five hours easily on radio. But that wasn't the point of Bonnie's comments, but rather a gratuitous slam against Palestinians.I know you guys are pros when it comes to sports and I would hope you might make mention that the comparison was inappropriate and in fact is racist.
In this day and age of understanding how easily minorities and ethnic groups are defamed by casual racist comments and especially how easily it happens on radio -- Don Imus is a good example -- we should try our best to be respectful.I think Bonnie should address the issue also.
Thanks and best regards
Ray Hanania
http://www.naaja-us.com/
rayhanania@comcast.net
NAAJA
PO Box 2127
Orland Park, IL., 60462
cc: Jim Roberts, ESPN, Affiliates Relations Exec. Dir
John Walsh, ESPN Exec. VP
Keith Goralski, ESPN, Operations Manager
Ray Hanania
rayhanania@comcast.net
http://www.TheMediaOasis.com
Showing posts with label NAAJA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NAAJA. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Monday, April 21, 2008
Arab American journalists criticize mainstream American media for selective coverage
Arab American journalists criticize mainstream American media for selective coverage
Group launches new Resource Web Site helps media reporting
PRESS RELEASE/FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 21, 2008
Ray Hanania, rayhanania@comcast.net
Chicago – The National Arab American Journalists Association (NAAJA) has launched "Arab American Resource Web Page" to help mainstream journalists improve coverage of Arab American related issues.
Saying mainstream American news media have failed to adequately cover the Arab American community – contributing to American public confusion on important issues such as Arabs, Islam and terrorism –NAAJA identified the top five (5) topics Arab American journalists believe need more detailed attention.
"The mainstream American news media is selective about what it covers in the Arab American community, feeding confusion about facts and events that directly impact this country," said NAAJA coordinator and syndicated columnist Ray Hanania.
Hanania said topics will change periodically as the media improves its coverage.
The NAAJA web site is www.NAAJA-US.com. There is a link to the Resource Page on the upper left-hand corner of the web site.
Among the top issues, according to the web site, are:
1 - Celebrations on Israel’s 60th Anniversary miss or exclude Palestinian commemorations.
2 - Bigotry, racism and discrimination against Arab Americans. Every day, Arab Americans face discrimination but very few instances receive detailed media coverage.
3 – Inadequate coverage on Middle East Christians, especially since this week is celebrated by Orthodox Christians throughout the world and the Middle East as Easter.
4 – TBA (Still being decided)
5 - TBA (Still being decided)
"We are not asking the mainstream media to be pro-Arab. We are demanding that they be objective and fair in coverage of issues where we, as professional journalists, are more knowledgeable," Hanania said.
"We are asking mainstream newspapers, radio and TV news operations to be more professional by covering topics more comprehensively. We believe the media must give Arab Americans a voice and in doing so, help make American journalism more professional."
NAAJA is a partner of the Society of Professional Journalists and abides by the SPJ’s Code of Conduct. There are more than 250 Arab Americans working in mainstream journalism jobs or for the Arab ethnic media. There are 82 Arab American newspapers and magazines, 12 Arab American radio programs, and a dozen Arab American cable TV shows.
End
Group launches new Resource Web Site helps media reporting
PRESS RELEASE/FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 21, 2008
Ray Hanania, rayhanania@comcast.net
Chicago – The National Arab American Journalists Association (NAAJA) has launched "Arab American Resource Web Page" to help mainstream journalists improve coverage of Arab American related issues.
Saying mainstream American news media have failed to adequately cover the Arab American community – contributing to American public confusion on important issues such as Arabs, Islam and terrorism –NAAJA identified the top five (5) topics Arab American journalists believe need more detailed attention.
"The mainstream American news media is selective about what it covers in the Arab American community, feeding confusion about facts and events that directly impact this country," said NAAJA coordinator and syndicated columnist Ray Hanania.
Hanania said topics will change periodically as the media improves its coverage.
The NAAJA web site is www.NAAJA-US.com. There is a link to the Resource Page on the upper left-hand corner of the web site.
Among the top issues, according to the web site, are:
1 - Celebrations on Israel’s 60th Anniversary miss or exclude Palestinian commemorations.
2 - Bigotry, racism and discrimination against Arab Americans. Every day, Arab Americans face discrimination but very few instances receive detailed media coverage.
3 – Inadequate coverage on Middle East Christians, especially since this week is celebrated by Orthodox Christians throughout the world and the Middle East as Easter.
4 – TBA (Still being decided)
5 - TBA (Still being decided)
"We are not asking the mainstream media to be pro-Arab. We are demanding that they be objective and fair in coverage of issues where we, as professional journalists, are more knowledgeable," Hanania said.
"We are asking mainstream newspapers, radio and TV news operations to be more professional by covering topics more comprehensively. We believe the media must give Arab Americans a voice and in doing so, help make American journalism more professional."
NAAJA is a partner of the Society of Professional Journalists and abides by the SPJ’s Code of Conduct. There are more than 250 Arab Americans working in mainstream journalism jobs or for the Arab ethnic media. There are 82 Arab American newspapers and magazines, 12 Arab American radio programs, and a dozen Arab American cable TV shows.
End
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Society of Professional Journalists National Arab American Journalists Association join forces
Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2007
Contact:
Clint Brewer, President. (615) 301-9229, cbrewer@spj.org
Beth King, Communications Manager, (317) 927-8000, ext. 211, bking@spj.org
For Immediate Release:
Society of Professional Journalists,
National Arab American Journalists Association join forces
INDIANAPOLIS – One of the nation’s oldest journalism-advocacy organizations and the country’s largest professional association for Arab-American journalists have joined to form a special membership group within the Society of Professional Journalists.
By providing tips, resources, training, mentoring and related discussion, SPJ and the National Arab American Journalists Association (NAAJA) will work together to develop a dialogue that is sure to encourage newsroom diversity, crossover memberships and a greater understanding of cultures within the profession.
“This is the first step in a renewed effort by SPJ to reach out to all journalists across different cultures and media,” SPJ National President Clint Brewer said. “SPJ wants to foster and atmosphere in the organization where all journalists are welcomed and find value in being a member.”
The concept of membership sections was introduced in 2006 by the Society’s national Board of Directors as a way of furthering member benefits in SPJ. With these special sections, members would be able to connect and interact regularly at professional levels, regardless of the medium in which they work. In early 2007, Ray Hanania, president of NAAJA, submitted a proposal for consideration to form the first membership section with the Society that would attract Arab Americans who work in journalism or who are journalism students. In May, the board voted to create the Arab American membership section within the Society. The blog "Al-Sahafiyeen," meaning “the journalists” was launched Oct. 15 on SPJ.org.
“Our goal in pursuing this is to provide a professional resource where Arab Americans can find guidance as they pursue careers in journalism,” Hanania said. “And when it comes to professional journalism, no other organization offers more resources and support than the SPJ. We also hope the new SPJ-Arab Journalism Section will serve as a resource for all journalists on issues related to Arab Americans and the Middle East.”
Membership into the Arab-American section is open to any SPJ member who pays an additional $10 per year to their national dues. The money raised will go toward grants for programs related to Arab-American journalism issues.
The NAAJA was launched in 1999 to help professional Arab-Americans journalists network. It has hosted four journalism conferences and has more than 150 members nationally.
Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, the Society of Professional Journalists promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. For further information about SPJ, please visit www.spj.org .
end
Contact:
Clint Brewer, President. (615) 301-9229, cbrewer@spj.org
Beth King, Communications Manager, (317) 927-8000, ext. 211, bking@spj.org
For Immediate Release:
Society of Professional Journalists,
National Arab American Journalists Association join forces
INDIANAPOLIS – One of the nation’s oldest journalism-advocacy organizations and the country’s largest professional association for Arab-American journalists have joined to form a special membership group within the Society of Professional Journalists.
By providing tips, resources, training, mentoring and related discussion, SPJ and the National Arab American Journalists Association (NAAJA) will work together to develop a dialogue that is sure to encourage newsroom diversity, crossover memberships and a greater understanding of cultures within the profession.
“This is the first step in a renewed effort by SPJ to reach out to all journalists across different cultures and media,” SPJ National President Clint Brewer said. “SPJ wants to foster and atmosphere in the organization where all journalists are welcomed and find value in being a member.”
The concept of membership sections was introduced in 2006 by the Society’s national Board of Directors as a way of furthering member benefits in SPJ. With these special sections, members would be able to connect and interact regularly at professional levels, regardless of the medium in which they work. In early 2007, Ray Hanania, president of NAAJA, submitted a proposal for consideration to form the first membership section with the Society that would attract Arab Americans who work in journalism or who are journalism students. In May, the board voted to create the Arab American membership section within the Society. The blog "Al-Sahafiyeen," meaning “the journalists” was launched Oct. 15 on SPJ.org.
“Our goal in pursuing this is to provide a professional resource where Arab Americans can find guidance as they pursue careers in journalism,” Hanania said. “And when it comes to professional journalism, no other organization offers more resources and support than the SPJ. We also hope the new SPJ-Arab Journalism Section will serve as a resource for all journalists on issues related to Arab Americans and the Middle East.”
Membership into the Arab-American section is open to any SPJ member who pays an additional $10 per year to their national dues. The money raised will go toward grants for programs related to Arab-American journalism issues.
The NAAJA was launched in 1999 to help professional Arab-Americans journalists network. It has hosted four journalism conferences and has more than 150 members nationally.
Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, the Society of Professional Journalists promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. For further information about SPJ, please visit www.spj.org .
end
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