Am ha-aretz-ut

There was a typically arrogant column in Ha’aretz earlier this week, Nimrodi’s Test by one Ehud Asheri. It’s about the change in leadership at the helm of the competing daily, Ma’ariv.

Ofer Nimrodi, owner of the mass-circulation daily newspaper Ma’ariv, has been experiencing something unfamiliar these days: rare esteem and praise is greeting the appointment of the editors-in-chief Doron Galezer and Ruthie Yuval, the likes of which the battered publisher has never enjoyed.Fifteen years after he bought the newspaper, there appears at long last the possibility that he will be extricated from his outsider position in print journalism and will earn equal status in the exclusive club of the veteran publishers who, unlike him, were born into the industry.

The change in the way the wind is blowing can be attributed first of all to what Galezer and Yuval represent: traditional, independent, investigative journalism that is not linked by umbilical cord to wealth, does not habitually hobnob socially with politicians in the places they frequent, and is not tainted by obsequious populism.

Both of them grew up in the solid school of the Haaretz group, and both have proven that it is possible to maintain the values of classical journalism even in the commercial environment of the mass circulation daily Yedioth Ahronoth, and television’s Channel 2.

Gee that’s subtle. Ha’aretz doesn’t stand for anything high minded. It is New York Times of Israel. For those who like Ha’aretz, that’s meant as a compliment, for those who don’t, well, I don’t need to spell it out.

The author then goes to dismiss outgoing Ma’ariv editor Amnon Dankner.

The departing editor, Amnon Dankner, was Nimrodi’s energetic defender in the criminal affairs in which the latter was embroiled, and Dankner’s appointment gave the signal for two main trends in the editorial line: the popular bordering on sensationalism, and a battle against “the rule of law and order gangs” (and the old elites in general).

One of Dankner’s sins was that he didn’t automatically assume that everyone involved in Israel’s legal system was above criticism as most folks at Ha’aretz assume. That’s why it’s implied that he was against the rule of law.

Until now, you could dismiss Yedioth Ahronot – too commercial and Ma’ariv – too sensational, but you could always rely on Ha’aretz. Yes, siree. As good as money in the bank.

Of course, maybe Mr. Asheri ought to be careful and not hurt his arm while he pats himself on his back. Michael Totten reports

The Syrian state-run propaganda organ Cham Press published a fake story about Lebanese Member of Parliament Walid Jumblatt’s supposed plan to meet Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak in the United States last weekend to coordinate a regime-change in Syria. No Western media organization I know of took this non-story seriously. Israeli media, though, scooped it right up. Haaretz, the Jerusalem Post, and Infolive TV published their own articles about the imaginary meeting between Jumblatt and Barak. None had a source for their story other than the Syrian government’s website.

And that led to

Cham Press now says Israel’s Omedia reported that Jumblatt met with Barak and U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney in Washington. Cham Press no longer quotes only itself; it quotes Israeli websites as backup. But the only reason Israeli media reported any of this in the first place is the initial false story appearing in Cham Press. Syrian media is still just quoting itself—only now it does so through Israel.

Credibility is an important asset for any news organization. I suspect that this wasn’t the first time Ha’aretz has been fooled. What that saying I’ve heard about pride?

Crossposted on Soccer Dad.