Several media outlets now say they will not air footage of the Quran burning if it takes place tomorrow on the 9th anniversary of the September 11th attacks. The Associated Press has issued a statement saying, if the book burning takes place, it will not distribute pictures of the event. A memo issued to staff cites AP policy not to "provide coverage of events that are gratuitously manufactured to provoke and offend." Read the full AP memorandum here.
CNN and Fox News Channel have also agreed not to show any images of a Quran being burned. The New York Times released a statement saying the newspaper has "no policy against publishing things that might offend someone - lots of people are offended by lots of things - but we try to refrain from giving widespread offense unless there is some offsetting journalistic purpose. A picture of a burning book contributes nothing substantial to a story about book-burning, so the offense seems entirely gratuitous. The freedom to publish includes the freedom not to publish."
It is a story that has sparked discussions in newsrooms across the country including our own. "CNY Central has decided it will not show any video or images of the burning of the Quran or any holy book during our coverage of this current controversy," said Chris Geiger, CNY Central President and CEO. "We feel we can properly tell these stories without utilizing imagery that could be considered offensive or incendiary to members of our community."
This may all be a moot point anyway. The pastor who sparked the controversy says he will not follow through with the plan to burn copies of Islam's holy book, but only if he's able to meet Saturday with the organizers behind a mosque and Islamic Center planned near ground zero. It isn't clear if the Rev. Terry Jones means the burning will be halted indefinitely or just for tomorrow. The imam leading the effort to build the Islamic center says he has no plans to meet with Jones.
The very thought of a mass Quran burning has sparked protests in Afghanistan, where at least 11 people were injured in clashes today. Protesters also burned an American flag at a mosque after prayers.
The violence in Afghanistan comes as city leaders thousands of miles away in Gainesville, Florida plan to beef up security no matter what the pastor decides. At least two dozen Christian churches, Jewish synagogues and Muslim organizations in the city were planning inclusive events to counteract Jones' protest.
Rev. Terry Jones is the leader of a tiny church in Gainesville, Florida. In recent weeks, he's gained the world's attention, ignited protests in Afghanistan and become the topic of conversation not only at family dinner tables across the country, but among world leaders from President Barack Obama to the Pope. So how is it that a small-town Florida pastor, unknown to much of the country let alone the world, has been able to garner international attention? Many say the media is to blame for giving him a voice.
Jones started causing problems in the summer of 2009, when he posted a sign outside his church that read "Islam is the devil." But it wasn't until recently that he started capturing the nation's attention. Of course, the planned mosque and Islamic Center has been stirring up controversy as we approach the anniversary of 9/11, which may have added fuel to the fire.
So how did this story start making headlines? The New York Times says it was first picked up by a website called Religion News Service when Jones announced he was planning to hold a "Burn a Koran" day to mark the anniversary of September 11th. It then got picked up by bigger media outlets like CNN, and by last week, it was the number one story on cable news.
An article published in today's New York Times examines the media's role in the Quran controversy. It notes that a similar protest two years ago was completely ignored. In 2008, members of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas set fire to a Quran on a street corner. No one paid any attention. Now, the very threat of that happening has captured the world's attention and led major U.S. leaders to speak out against it. President Obama condemned the plan this week and Gen. David Petraeus, the ground commander in Afghanistan, warned it could endanger the lives of U.S. troops overseas.
That's when David Rubin, Syracuse University professor and former dean of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, says this started becoming a story. "At that point, you can't not cover it," Rubin said in a phone interview with CNY Central today. But he blames the media for giving this small-town pastor a voice. "To me, Terry Jones is entirely a product of the mass media. Here's a guy with essentially no congregation to speak of, no prominence of any sort. Because he's at the far fringe of activity, he gains media attention," Rubin said. "As a result, instead of him burning his Quran in private, which is where he should be left, he becomes a news story. He is entirely a product of the modern era of how we define news."
Pick up any newspaper and this story is now splattered across the headlines from coast to coast. It's been the lead on network broadcasts and is one of the most talked about stories online. So why this time is everyone paying attention? Was Jones able to capitalize on slow news period? Have we become victim to the vicious 24-hour news cycle, which demands constant feeding every day? To what extent is the media to blame for giving legs to this story? Was the situation made even worse because we perpetuated it? Or is it our duty as journalists to keep the public informed with current events, no matter how offensive they may be to some?
It has undoubtedly forced many of us in the media to look in the mirror, self-examine and wonder what role, if any, we have played in all of this. Chris Cuomo, an ABC News anchor, wrote Thursday afternoon on Twitter "I am in the media, but think media gave life to this Florida burning ... and that was reckless."
Ask just about anyone and they have an opinion about this. One New York Times reader posted this comment, "Indeed today the media must take a step back and see how it has on its own fanned these controversies."
Another applauds the media saying, "I think the media did the right thing. These people may want attention, and may be doing it for attention, but in the end it may not be the attention they intended. If everyone can learn something from this, and if something truly horrific can be prevented, then it was worth it. I'd rather be over-informed about these fringe groups than let them act freely without someone watching."
What role do you think the media played in making this story what it is? Do you think we were irresponsible, giving rise to a religious fanatic? Or do you think the media has a responsibility to keep the public informed, no matter how offensive a story might be? Do you think media outlets should publish pictures if the Quran burning takes place? Leave your comments below.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this article.
