‘Offers no proof’: New York Times rejects ‘mediacide’ allegations from UN’s Albanese

The New York Times rejected a report by UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese that accused the newspaper of biased coverage of Israel and Gaza, calling the allegations baseless and lacking proof. A spokesperson said the report was not impartial and defended the newspaper's coverage of safe zones and sexual violence.

The New York Times on Monday rejected a report from UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese that accused the newspaper of biased coverage of Israel and Gaza, calling the allegations baseless, misleading and biased. Albanese's report, titled "Truth under the rubble: media in the time of genocide," alleged killings of Palestinian journalists, media restrictions by Israel, and collusion by "influential international media" to "legitimize atrocities." Albanese dubbed the assault on truth a "mediacide." The report accused the New York Times of advising editorial caution when using terms such as "genocide," providing "humanitarian camouflage" to Israel via coverage of "safe zones" in Gaza, and mentioning sexual violence against Israelis too often. Albanese also criticized the newspaper for referring to Hamas's use of human shields and alleged that the newspaper "downplayed Israeli responsibility" in 65 percent of "relevant headlines," citing an analysis by an activist group. A New York Times spokesperson said Albanese "offers no proof" for her assertions and that the report "is not impartial, nor are the sources she relies on." The spokesperson defended the newspaper's coverage, saying that in the majority of cases, coverage of safe zones referred pointedly to "so-called" safe zones and often questioned whether the areas were actually safe. The spokesperson also said Albanese's claims about coverage of sexual assault "ignores our repeated investigations on sexual violence against Palestinians." Albanese presented the findings to the United Nations General Assembly later on Monday. The article notes that Albanese has a history of antisemitism and extremist rhetoric against Israel, according to her critics, while she says she is a champion for Palestinian rights.