Israel’s Hasbara: A Principled, Competent Gov’t with Integrity Dumps MSM, Utilizes Blogosphere

Circumvent Old Media-Go for the Blogosphere, by Michael Freund (Jerusalem Post)

Commentary;

But who said that the government of Israel is at all principled or competent — at any level? Instead of repeatedly being made to look like bumbling fools with face in hand for shame over false accusations made by MSM (mainstream media), Israel’s friends in blogosphere root out and expose the truth.

Below Michael Freund’s article are just a few cases where blogosphere beat msm to a pulp in getting at the truth. A government truly interested in Hasbara; in national security and unity, rather than preoccupied with the promotion and exploitation of prejudice, hate and divisiveness between population sectors in order to solidify and perpetuate their agenda and their hold on power; such a truly hasbara-oriented government would rely heavily on blogosphere in the media war for perception. This media war appears every bit as important as the physical battlefield. MB

“If there is a lesson to be learned from this sorry state of affairs, it is that Israel needs to begin utilizing alternative means to circumvent the mainstream media and spread its own message…”

Excerpts;

“As archeologists continue to excavate the site of the Mughrabi Gate alongside the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City, it remains anybody’s guess what they might just find underneath the mounds of soil, rock and debris.

But one item already unearthed by this dig should have us all deeply concerned, and that is the mainstream media’s disgraceful habit of parroting Arab propaganda.

It was just a few weeks ago that a shocking array of prominent media outlets, in their coverage of this non-event, went about spreading one irresponsible and malicious lie after another about the Mughrabi Gate dig, tarnishing Israel’s image and inflaming public opinion against the Jewish state.

A headline in The Australian screamed “Palestinians unite to fight Temple Mount dig,” as if the bulldozers were actually tearing up the mount itself. Across the globe, France 24, the international French news channel, declared: “Palestinians protest over Jerusalem mosque works,” falsely implying that Israel was ripping apart a Muslim house of prayer. Similarly, China’s official Xinhua news agency reported: “Arab League urges international response to Israel’s dig at al-Aqsa Mosque,” as though the earthmovers were displacing the mosque itself.

Perhaps the most egregious example was provided by Time magazine, whose editors could not resist taking a swipe at Israel by running the headline: “Raiders of the Temple Mount.” It’s hard to remember the last time so many falsehoods were spread so extensively in such a short period of time.

If there is a lesson to be learned from this sorry state of affairs, it is that Israel needs to begin utilizing alternative means to circumvent the mainstream media and spread its own message far and wide.

The Jewish state should actively reach out to its many supporters in cyberspace, and especially in the blogosphere, for help in disseminating the truth.

Blogs, or weblogs, are basically on-line journals where individuals or groups can posture, pontificate or simply share their thoughts by posting them on the Internet. There are literally millions of blogs out there, covering just about every subject you can imagine. Their reach is enormous, and their influence is growing rapidly.

According to a July 2006 study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 39 percent of US Internet users, or about 57 million American adults, read blogs. This is nearly double the amount of just three years ago.

In recent years, blogs have come to play a key role not only in shaping the news, but in making it as well.

“It is… crucial that Israeli spokesmen and leaders take the blogosphere into account when formulating their media strategies and messaging tactics, both by sending them relevant information and making sure to keep them in the loop.”

In September 2004, just two months before the last US presidential election, a team of determined bloggers debunked the authenticity of documents presented by CBS News which claimed that George W. Bush had dodged the draft.

THE FACT IS that blogs are a vibrant source of energetic and independent thinking, often providing readers with a fresh way of looking at things that is unencumbered by bureaucratic blinders or organizational self-interest.

It is… crucial that Israeli spokesmen and leaders take the blogosphere into account when formulating their media strategies and messaging tactics, both by sending them relevant information and making sure to keep them in the loop.

the battle for public opinion is far from being a lost cause. Israel just needs to start thinking a little more creatively about how to wage the battle. By working with our allies in the blogosphere, Israel can begin to turn the tide in its favor and chip away at the falsehoods being spread by the press.

If we can’t beat the media, let’s circumvent it. Reaching out to bloggers seems like a good place to start.

Click the links below to view a few examples of how blogoshere has distinguished fact and truth from fiction as well as exploded false rumors, distortions and outright lies spread by msm;

Balloons Released in Israeli Promotion Sow Panic in South Lebanon

The Qana Dead Baby: Who is This Man? (Faked Staged Rescue Worker At Qana???)