Most Media Coverage Of Anti-Semitism Focuses On The Left, Study Finds
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(JTA) — The majority of news coverage of anti-Semitism during the past year has spotlighted left-wing rhetoric as opposed to right-wing actions, according to a survey by Media Matters.
The study found that 56 percent of news coverage of anti-Semitism in the 11 months following the October 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue shooting focused on anti-Semitism coming from the political left compared to 44 percent coming from the political right.
Media Matters, a watchdog that largely monitors right-wing media, released the study on Wednesday.
Its study also found that most media coverage of anti-Semitism focused on anti-Semitic rhetoric rather than anti-Semitic actions.
According to the study, the media focused more on perceived anti-Semitic statements by Democratic Reps. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib than on the synagogue shootings in Pittsburgh and Poway, California, in April.
“Media not only referenced perceived anti-Semitism on the left more often than anti-Semitism on the right, they specifically mentioned rhetoric from the left, such as comments from freshmen Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) that were characterized as anti-Semitic, more often than they did anti-Semitic acts of violence and other actions from the right, such as the shootings at the Pittsburgh and Poway synagogues,” the study said.
The study also found that “References to ‘anti-Semitic’ comments from Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) outnumbered references to ‘anti-Semitic’ comments from President Donald Trump.”
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