People are starting to ask questions about the relatively scant coverage given to the kidnapping in Gaza last week of two Fox News journalists, Steve Centanni and Olaf Wiig. Vaughn Ververs at CBS Public Eye wonders if it’s because attacks on journalists are becoming routine and less newsworthy. Joel Mowbray argues that Palestinian thuggery has intimidated the press into downplaying negative stories like this. And Mediacrity suggests that mainstream media outlets are simply revealing their pro-Palestinian bias by ignoring the kidnapping.
These are all good points, but I think each overlooks the eerie absence of any demands or claims of responsibility from the kidnappers. Without any videos or other newsmaking statements from the thugs who abducted Centanni and Wiig, the media have little to go on. The AP reported on Saturday that according to a senior Palestinian official, “This is the first time kidnappers haven’t identified themselves or their demands.”
Sadly, there just hasn’t been much news to report. But TVNewser has been linking the few updates that have come out, and one would expect Fox News to break the story if the men are returned, as we all hope they will be.
UPDATE: More here.