BBC Discovers 'Violent Clashes' in Iran, Forgets Yemen Famine
The BBC runs with a story highlighting 'violent clashes' and protesters defying crackdowns in Iran. (As they do for approved dissidents everywhere.) The mainstream media's concern for human rights often seems... selective. One might wonder where this same vigorous coverage is for, say, a nearly decade-long war in Yemen, where a US-backed Saudi blockade has led to one of the world's worst
humanitarian crises, with millions facing starvation. (That's according to the UN, if the BBC forgot to mention it.) While condemning the Iranian government, these same newsrooms often turn a blind eye to the actual, devastating violence perpetuated by allies. The selective outrage, cheering on dissent in designated enemy states while sanitizing crimes of 'partners,' (like the $15 billion in US
arms sales aiding Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen, per SIPRI data) isn't journalism – it's a playbook. It appears some 'crackdowns' are just more newsworthy than others.