NEW YORK: Sarah Palin portrayed herself as a dedicated public servant in testimony in her defamation case against the New York Times, after a former editor who oversaw the 2017 editorial underlying her lawsuit on Wednesday denied trying to blame the prominent Republican for a 2011 mass shooting.
Palin, the former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican US vice presidential candidate, appeared only briefly on the witness stand in Manhattan federal court, and is expected to return on Thursday.
James Bennet, a former Times editorial page editor, earlier testified that changes he made to a draft of the editorial, which the Times later corrected, were not meant to hold Palin or her political action committee responsible for the 2011 shooting.
“Did you intend to cause Ms. Palin any harm through any of your edits to the draft?” the Times’ lawyer David Axelrod asked Bennet during the trial’s fifth day in Manhattan federal court.
“No, I didn’t,” Bennet responded.
Bennet also said “no” when asked if he tried to blame Palin or the political action committee. Bennet said he moved quickly to correct the editorial as criticism mounted that its wording suggested they were to blame.
“We don’t promise to be perfect, we promise to try our damnedest to be perfect, and when we’re not we try to fix it,” Bennet testified.
On the witness stand, Palin, 57, discussed her family, her background and being chosen by 2008 Republican presidential nominee John McCain as his running mate.
“I don’t think they were prepared for me, necessarily, because I was new to the national stage,” Palin said.
“But it was an amazing experience ... to travel around the country and meet so many amazing people, and to see the beauty of America and offer myself up in the name of public service at that level,” Palin added.
The trial is a test of longstanding legal protections for US media against defamation claims by public figures.
To win, Palin must prove that Bennet and the Times acted with “actual malice,” meaning they knew the editorial was false or had reckless disregard for the truth.
Palin sued over a June 14, 2017, editorial, headlined “America’s Lethal Politics,” that addressed gun control and lamented the deterioration of political discourse.
It was written after a shooting at a Virginia baseball field where congressman Steve Scalize, a Louisiana Republican, was wounded.
The editorial referred to the January 2011 shooting in an Arizona parking lot by gunman Jared Lee Loughner where six people died and Gabrielle Giffords, then a Democratic congresswoman, was among those wounded.
It referred to Palin’s political action committee having earlier circulated a map that put Giffords and 19 other Democrats under cross hairs.
Bennet added incorrect language that said “the link to political incitement was clear” between the map and the Giffords shooting. The editorial was corrected the next day.
In Wednesday’s testimony, Bennet maintained that he added the language while under deadline pressure, thinking that the growth of “highly charged political rhetoric” could prompt such incidents.
Bennet denied adding the language in order to suggest Loughner used the cross hairs map.
“If I thought it caused the violence, I would have used the word ‘cause,’” Bennet said.
Bennet said he was “alarmed” when conservative Times columnist Ross Douthat emailed less than an hour after the editorial ran that it appeared to incorrectly link Palin to the Giffords shooting. Some readers also complained.
“We were really, really harshly criticized for muddying the record,” Bennet said, “I thought it was urgent to correct the piece as forthrightly as possible, to acknowledge our mistake. This is basic practice. It’s the right thing to do.”
Lawyers for Palin have tried to show that the correction was too slow, and noted several times that it did not mention her.
Palin’s lawyer Shane Vogt questioned Bennet about why the correction omitted his role in crafting the editorial.
Douthat subsequently testified that he thought his inference of a link between Palin and the Giffords shooting was “the natural one,” and which even some liberals shared.
“It was something that was being discussed a lot online,” he said. “If there was a correction that needed to be made, the sooner the better.”
Palin has signaled that if she loses at trial, she will on appeal challenge a landmark 1964 US Supreme Court decision, New York Times v Sullivan, that established the actual malice standard.
Sarah Palin testifies against New York Times in defamation trial
https://arab.news/ctbwe
Sarah Palin testifies against New York Times in defamation trial
- Palin, the former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican US vice presidential candidate, appeared only briefly on the witness stand in Manhattan federal court
Dubai ‘most reputable city’ as Middle East shows strong progress in Brand Finance Global City Index
- Emirati city moves up 4 places to 5th in overall global rankings, based on all measured attributes, behind London, New York, Paris, and Tokyo
- Riyadh and Jeddah climb 4 and 6 places respectively to rank 75th and 79th on the overall global list
LONDON: Dubai claimed the title of most reputable city in the world in the 2024 Brand Finance Global City Index, which revealed notable improvements across the region.
The brand valuation and strategy consultancy firm’s second annual global survey on city perceptions, the results of which were released on Thursday, placed Dubai fifth in the overall global rankings, which are based on all measured attributes, behind London, New York, Paris and Tokyo.
Last year, the Emirati city ranked ninth. This time, the survey found it had made substantial gains in terms of investment appeal and reputation, bolstered by strong governance and strategic investments.
Riyadh and Jeddah also improved, climbing four and six places respectively to rank 75th and 79th on the overall global list.
Riyadh enjoyed some impressive gains in specific attributes, moving up 37 places in the rankings in recognition of its high-profile sports teams and clubs, 24 places for its private schools, and 20 places for its shopping, dining and nightlife options, making it one of the fastest-growing cities by these measures.
Andrew Campbell, managing director of Brand Finance Middle East, attributed the rapid improvements in the regional rankings, particularly the success of Dubai, to strategic investments by governments in infrastructure, tourism and the business sector.
“The substantial improvements in Dubai’s consideration metrics further highlight the city’s increasing allure as a premier destination for visitors, residents, businesses and global investors,” he said.
Dubai’s appeal in terms of business and innovation, along with a stable economy and favorable corporate tax policies, were credited with moving it four spots higher in the overall rankings than a year ago. It also achieved significant improvements in its rankings for local working (from 16th to 8th) and remote working (from 24th to 4th).
The index is based on a survey of more than 15,000 respondents. It measures factors related to familiarity, reputation and consideration to assess how desirable a city is viewed for living, working, studying, visiting, retiring and investing.
Abu Dhabi ranked 30th on the overall global list, the same as last year, but improved in terms of science, technology and economic appeal.
Other cities in the Middle East and North Africa that appear on the list include Cairo (63rd place in the overall rankings), Doha (69th), Casablanca (73rd) and Tel Aviv (83rd), which dropped six places amid ongoing conflicts.
Saudi stories pique audience interest, says Bloomberg Media MD
- Visiting the Athar Festival of Creativity in Riyadh, Amit Nayak told Arab News: “We’ve seen a real appetite from our global audiences for content from here”
RIYADH: Stories and articles about Saudi Arabia and the region are among the most widely read by audiences, according to Bloomberg Media’s managing director in the Middle East and Africa.
Visiting the Athar Festival of Creativity in Riyadh, Amit Nayak told Arab News: “We’ve seen a real appetite from our global audiences for content from here.”
He said that with such a large and diverse team based in the Middle East, Bloomberg Media was able to bring local insights and perspectives to provide content based on what audiences wanted.
“We remain focused on deeply understanding our Middle Eastern audience, fostering direct relationships, and delivering trusted news and insights tailored to their needs,” he said.
“We work with leading entities across the region, such as Saudi Tourism Authority and Red Sea Global, using custom content across different platforms to help tell their stories to regional and global audiences.”
The use of smart technology has been big part of Bloomberg’s strategy for over a decade, with The Bulletin being a predominant feature on the app. Launched by Bloomberg’s Media Innovation Lab in 2018, it provides single-sentence summaries of the top three stories.
“We leverage first-party subscriber data through our AI-powered Audience Accelerator platform,” added Nayak. “This allows us to precisely target key demographics to inform machine learning models that predict the population of users on the site, enhancing campaign performance and building brand credibility.”
In 2022, Bloomberg Media Studios opened a regional studio in Dubai and earlier this year launched “Bloomberg Horizons: Middle East & Africa,” a flagship morning program.
Bloomberg News also launched the Mideast Money newsletter, which focuses on “the intersection of wealth and power, and the impact of regional sovereign investors and dealmakers in global finance.”
Evolving as a commercial team that, 10 years ago, predominantly sold advertising, Nayak said that as clients became more sophisticated and keener to reach global audiences, Bloomberg Middle East was fostering internal talent to better collaborate with them.
“We were well placed because we have invested heavily in our teams on the ground here — whether that’s expanding sales, building a client marketing team, or hosting events on the ground in the region,” he said.
Tunisia influencers sentenced to jail over content: media
- Some Internet users condemned the spread of crude language and obscene images on social media, while others saw the move as a new restriction on freedoms
TUNIS: Four influencers on Instagram and TikTok have been sentenced to jail in Tunisia for content authorities deemed immoral, local media reported Wednesday.
The Business News outlet said an Instagrammer known as Lady Samara, with about one million followers, was sentenced to three years and two months in prison on Tuesday.
TikToker Khoubaib received four years and six months, while Instagrammer Afifa was sentenced to a year and six months and her husband Ramzi to three years and six months.
On October 31, as part of the same investigation, an Instagrammer known as Choumoukh was sentenced to four and a half years’ jail on similar charges.
The private radio station Mosaique FM also reported a series of sentences ranging from 18 months to four and a half years, without identifying those being sent to prison.
It said they were being prosecuted for “public indecency, dissemination of content contrary to good morals or adopting immoral positions, using inappropriate language or adopting inappropriate behavior that undermines moral and social values and risks negatively influencing the behavior of young users of these platforms.”
The investigation was opened after the justice ministry on October 27 urged prosecutors to “take necessary judicial measures and launch investigations against anyone producing, displaying or publishing data, images, and video clips with content that undermines moral values.”
The decision sparked widespread debate, both on social media and in the media.
Some Internet users condemned the spread of crude language and obscene images on social media, while others saw the move as a new restriction on freedoms.
Online magazine Nawaat, which frequently criticizes the Tunisian government, said the arrests come amid “a climate marked by repressive restrictions on freedoms.”
“Following the systematic dismantling of judicial power, the prosecution of opponents and journalists, and the repression of civil society, social media influencers — regardless of the quality of their content — are now in the regime’s crosshairs,” said an article.
Tunisia’s opposition and civil society have condemned what they call an “authoritarian drift” by President Kais Saied, who was re-elected on October 6 with a sweeping majority but low turnout.
Trump Media reports $19 million loss in third quarter on TV streaming costs
- Trump Media & Technology Group said the figure includes $12.1 million in legal fees
- It also reported $3.9 million in research and development spend
Former US President Donald Trump’s media company reported a net loss of $19.2 million in the third quarter, due to legal fees and costs tied to its TV streaming deal.
Trump Media & Technology Group said the figure includes $12.1 million in legal fees in the quarter, stemming from its acquisition of TV streaming technology in August and residual fees related to its SPAC deal in March.
It also reported $3.9 million in research and development spend.
Shares of the company reversed earlier losses in extended trading and were last trading about 2 percent higher.
The report comes as the US presidential election is in the final stretch, with polls showing Trump and current vice president Kamala Harris running neck and neck, as the world awaits the results of one of the most unusual elections in modern US history.
Shares of Trump Media, which operates the Truth Social media platform, have seen wild swings in recent days with the stock serving as something of a proxy for Trump’s chances of election.
Trump Media said its revenue was $1 million for the quarter ended September and had cash and cash equivalents of $672.9 million, including short-term investments, with no debt.
BBC staff in open letter accuse broadcaster of pro-Israel bias
- Over 100 employees demand corporation ‘recommit to fairness, accuracy and impartiality’
- Letter signed by more than 230 figures in UK’s media industry, other sectors
LONDON: More than 100 BBC employees have accused the British broadcaster of pro-Israel bias in its coverage of the Gaza war.
The claim was made in an open letter signed by more than 230 figures in the UK’s media industry and other sectors, who said the public broadcaster has failed to provide “fair and accurate” coverage of the conflict. It was sent to Tim Davie, director general of the BBC.
The letter, first seen by The Independent, said the BBC must “recommit to fairness, accuracy and impartiality.”
The BBC employees who signed the letter did so anonymously, with one telling The Independent that “so many of us feel paralysed by levels of fear.”
They added: “Colleagues have left the BBC in recent months because they just don’t believe our reporting on Israel and Palestine is honest.”
Prominent members of Britain’s political, media and academic class signed the letter, including Sayeeda Warsi, a Muslim member of the House of Lords; historian William Dalrymple; actress Juliet Stevenson; Dr. Catherine Happer, a senior lecturer in sociology and director of media at the University of Glasgow; Rizwana Hamid, director at the Centre for Media Monitoring; broadcaster John Nicolson; and columnist Owen Jones.
The BBC must “robustly challenge Israeli government and military representatives in all interviews,” the signatories said.
In September, BBC Chairman Samir Shah said the board would “seriously consider” a review into the broadcaster’s Middle East coverage.
It followed claims by Jewish groups that the BBC is suffering from an “extreme” anti-Israel bias and that it is failing to properly manage complaints.
The open letter calls on the BBC to make new editorial commitments, including “reiterating that Israel does not give external journalists access to Gaza; making it clear when there is insufficient evidence to back up Israeli claims; making clear where Israel is the perpetrator in article headlines; and including regular historical context predating October 2023.”
One example of a “dehumanizing and misleading headline” cited by signatories related to Israel’s killing of 6-year-old Hind Rajab in January this year. The BBC headline read: “Hind Rajab, 6, found dead in Gaza days after phone calls for help.”
The letter to the BBC said: “This was not an act of God. The perpetrator, Israel, should have been in the headline, and it should have been clear that she was killed.”
Another anonymous BBC employee told The Independent: “Palestinians are always treated as an unreliable source and we constantly give Israel’s version of events primacy despite the IDF’s (Israel Defense Forces) well-documented track record of lying.
“We often seem to prefer to leave Israel out of the headline if at all possible or cast doubt on who could be to blame for airstrikes.
“The verification level expected for anything related to Gaza hugely outweighs what is the norm for other countries.”
In response to the letter, a BBC spokesperson said the broadcaster holds itself “to very high standards,” adding: “This conflict is one of the most polarising stories to report on, and we know people feel very strongly about how this is being reported.
“The BBC receives almost equal measure of complaints asserting that we are biased towards Israel, as we do asserting we are biased against it.
“This does not mean we assume we are doing something right, and we continue to listen to all criticism — from inside and outside the BBC — and reflect on what we can do better.”
