Editors note: The German media is between a rock and hard place. That it seems to be infiltrated by US and German intelligence services which enforce a rigid, propagandistic line, is widely recognized and openly discussed.
But it has little room for manoeuvre. Either it continues to push propaganda, and discredit itself, or it starts to be more objective, and risk swinging public opinion against US interests. The stakes couldn’t be higher, because Germany’s position on the Ukraine crisis is the deciding factor in EU policy on this crucial issue.
A recent poll by one of Germany’s top TV stations showed that 63% of Germans do not believe what the media is telling them about Ukraine. This has spawned a cottage industry of German blogs, citizen initiatives, satirists, and alternative media who ridicule the almost comical propaganda coming from mainstream journalists. “Liars-media” has become a household term widely used to describe the phenomenon, and its usage has provoked heated discussion in the mainstream.
Here is another report from one of the most popular and incisive blogs, The Propaganda Show, showing how top German media parrot obviously untrue US government propaganda as if it were real news. See for yourself, it’s quite astounding. Translated by Anita Zalaldinova.
One of the central German broadcasters ZDF has recently been targeted by public complaints regarding the credibility of their reporting about the conflict in Ukraine. But it seems that no one has taken this appeal seriously: A number of German media announced allegations of yet another Russian supply convoy in Eastern Ukraine after this had been falsely and groundlessly claimed by the US Department of State.
The US State Department asserted once again to have observed a “new column of Russian military equipment” on the way to Debaltseve. There is no evidence. No images. No proof. As always, just idle reports and therefore pure war propaganda.
For German media there is no reason to question this “information”. We have learned nothing from the recent history of the State Department stoking tall tales, and do not want to learn anything. So it creates this clear propaganda in the German liars-media once again in order to preserve the myth of “Russian aggression”.
Here is one from SPIEGEL: (Germany’s largest and most “authoritative” news weekly)
“Fragile Ceasefire in Ukraine: US Discovers Supply Convoy for Separatists”
Here is on from the Frankfurter Algemeine, one of Germany’s 3 top daily newspapers: (article has been changed by now)
“America Accuses Russia of Ongoing Aggression”
“Withdrawal of heavy weapons from the front should have started at midnight in Ukraine. Instead,a column of Russian military equipment is on the way to the embattled area around Debaltseve, according to the US State Department.”
Here is one from Süddeutsche Zeitung: (One of Germany’s top 3 daily papers)
“The US accuses Russia of reportedly sending supply convoys for the separatists to the embattled area around Debaltseve”
Here is another one from the Süddeutsche Zeitung:
“According to Jen Psaki, the spokesperson of the US Department of State, a new column of Russian military equipment is on the way to the region (Debaltseve). Such aggressive actions of separatists, supported by Russia, threaten the ceasefire. Russia and rebels must stop any offence immediately. Psaki did not respond to the accusations of the Ukrainian troops also infringing the ceasefire agreement.”
This US propaganda is also being spread on the radio without clarifying that once again there is no the slightest evidence.
These smearing, war mongering journalists have absolutely nothing to do with the German press’ Editors’ Code of Practice that requires a test for truth. The following is unequivocally required:
1. Truthfulness and respect for human dignity
Respect for the truth, protection of human dignity and true information to the public are the first precepts of the press. On this basis each person working in the press maintains the reputation and credibility of the media.
2. Accuracy
Research is an indispensable instrument of journalistic diligence. Information, intended for publication in words, pictures and video, must be examined with all due care for its truthfulness and be reproduced faithfully. Its meaning must not be distorted nor falsified by editing, specific headlines or image annotations. Unconfirmed reports, rumours and conjecture must be designated as such. Symbol photos must be identified as such or be made recognizable.