Inside Al Jazeera’s Style Guide, Which Forbids Reporters From Calling ISIS a ‘Terrorist’ Organization

 Al Jazeera's style guide, highlighted in a report by the Washington Free Beacon, imposes strict guidelines on how its journalists should refer to various entities, particularly regarding sensitive topics like terrorism and international conflicts. This guide emphasizes neutrality and avoids terms deemed politically charged or judgmental.

1. Terminology for Terrorist Groups:

• Al Jazeera prohibits using the terms "terrorist," "Islamist," or "extremist" without attribution, instead favoring terms like "armed groups" or "fighters. "

• For example, ISIS is referred to as the "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" and described as an "armed group" rather than a terrorist organization.

2. Historical Events:

• The guide directs reporters to avoid the term "genocide" when discussing the mass killings of Armenians at the end of World War I, instead referring to them as "mass killings. "

• Conversely, for the killings in Srebrenica, the term "genocide" is used due to the ruling from the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia.

3. Jihad and Islamic Terms:

• The term "jihad" is not utilized as it implies a negative connotation. Al Jazeera prefers explanations over labels.

• The guide advises against using "Islamist" for describing groups; instead, action-based descriptions are preferred.

4. Israeli-Palestinian Conflict:

• Al Jazeera refers to Israel as the "state of Israel" and avoids calling it the "Jewish state" unless discussing its religious aspects.

• The term "occupied" is used to describe East Jerusalem but not West Jerusalem. Israeli settlements are referred to as illegal on the first mention.

• The Israeli army is not referred to as the "Israeli Defense Forces" (IDF) but simply as the Israeli army.

5. Other International References:

• Taiwan is described as an "island" and not a country, adhering to the Chinese government's perspective that it is part of its territory.

• Press TV, an Iranian state-funded media outlet, is intricately detailed but not labeled explicitly as "state TV," setting it apart from Al Jazeera's classification.

6. Censorship and Reporting Standards:

• Al Jazeera emphasizes a robust approach towards reporting on the Israeli military's actions, allowing for the publication of Israeli soldier deaths should facts be established, without naming victims first.

• Conveying events in Gaza mandates clarity about ongoing Israeli control despite the lack of a military presence following the 2005 disengagement.

Al Jazeera's style guide demonstrates its commitment to specific linguistic choices that reflect its editorial stance. By avoiding charged labels and opting for a neutral vocabulary, Al Jazeera aims to present a simplified, possibly sanitized view of complex geopolitical issues while upholding certain narratives and avoiding terms that could be politically contentious.

https://freebeacon.com/media/inside-al-jazeeras-style-guide-which-forbids-reporters-from-calling-isis-a-terrorist-organization/