Lieutenant Colonel Sarit Zehavi served for 15 years in the Israeli Defense Forces, specializing in Military Intelligence
During November 2024, a number of Palestine solidarity organisations affiliated to the BDS, in particular, the Palestine Solidarity Alliance (PSA), South African Jews for a Free Palestine (SAJFP) the Media Review Network (MRN) and, on a supported mandate, Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC -Capetown) met with the leadership of 702. I was tasked to initiate this meeting and set out our concerns. We met Mzoxolo Jojwana and Alastair Teeling-Smith. Mzoxolo is in charge of all the primedia radio stations namely 702, Highveld, Kfm 94.5, Capetalk and EWNews, and Alastair is the 702 Programming Manager.
The email from me was the first time, these two gentlemen said, they heard of any displeasure by members of the public about the show. The subject matter read: Lieutenant General Sarit Zehavi on 702, 10 October 2024, Aubrey Masango show. A case of media bias and propaganda.
The letter detailed the concerns about the Aubrey Masango show, weekdays from 8pm to midnight. It is not contested that Lieutenant General Sarit Zehavi was brought onto the show, apparently as a reply or a response to Na’eem Jeenah who was invited on 3 October 2024 to give background to the developments that were breaking out in Lebanon. Topic: Understanding the situation in Lebanon – The Aubrey Masango Show – Omny.fm
The blurb of the Interview on their site read: In the wake of the recent escalation of violence following Israel’s attacks, Lebanon finds itself at the centre of a growing crisis, with increasing casualties and mass displacement. To help us understand the complex dynamics of this conflict and Lebanon’s current position, we’re joined by Naeem Jeenah, Executive Director of the Afro-Middle East Centre.
Lt General Sarit Zehavi was put on air on 10 October 2024: Current Affairs: The war between Israel and Palestine – The Aubrey Masango Show – Omny.fm
The publicity for the show was troubled, as it tried to sanitise their guest thus: There are so many versions of how the war in the middle east started and all parties concerned do not have a consensus of how this war started. This evening, we hear another opinion of what is happening there. Sarit Zehavi, founder & president of “Alma research & education center” in Israel joins us this evening to shine a light on the middle east war.
In my letter I wrote on behalf of BDS members and MRN to 702 and Primedia I argued that they “saw fit to provide space for Lieutenant General Sarit Zehavi, seemingly a right of reply for an earlier interview organised by the journalists of the radio station. The right of reply did not address what Mr Jeenah said. It was just an abuse of our airwaves. Some of the other points in the letter pointed out the following:
– no callers were permitted, as Aubrey Masango tried desperately to make this not a one way propaganda show;
– untruths and blatant lies – such as the beheaded babies, etc. – went uncontested (it was more an advertorial for zionism, it was implied, than news);
– the invited guest is a lieutenant general in the IDF reserve, served for 15 years in the military, specialising in intelligence and holds an MA in Middle East Studies from Ben-Gurion University, etc.;
– at the time of the interview, the kill and injury toll of Palestinians stood at: 42603 killed, 99795 wounded, and 10000 missing.
The Meeting
During the meeting, we all spoke and laid our position basically elaborating on the above. We also pointed out that they had bent to the pressure of the SAJBD. Their response was that it was not the case, that these decisions of whom to invite and redress, and on right to reply, all lay with the producer and the presenter of the respective shows. They presented no evidence nor policy statement to this incredulous statement. It was a devolved decision making.
We wondered about how, out of all those who wanted a right of reply, they would pick this Lt General. Yet they remained committed to the story they had come to tell us. Furthermore, one wonders why would the presenters, simply on their own volition and without pressure, decide that the person they had invited to give context (Jeenah) needed a reply or had to be undermined.
We added that, in the right of reply they granted, the presenter could not get the guest to answer any of his questions. Hear it for yourself. It was not a right of reply to the views expressed by Jeenah. It was pure spin, lies and distortions of facts. On this performance alone, one could only conclude that this guest must have come out of the battle shell-shocked and was definitely not invited by them!
At all times, we sought to protect the frontline workers for doing a good job but, at times, management simply overpowers them. This I believe was the case here.
They denied that they were put under pressure by the SA Jewish Board of Deputies whom we said in cases like these never fail to celebrate their victories.
This all they said with two straight faces.
In this case, the SAJBD posted on success on their website and tweeted it as well: Exceptional interview of Sarit Zehavi by Aubrey Masango @Radio702 https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/the-aubrey-masango-show/id1483443138…
Like in the case of Zweli Mbhele, the timing was obscenely calculated. Mbhele from 94.7 apologised for the truth he spoke to power, on 11 October 2023, which was followed by the statement on their pages and elsewhere of the SAJBD on 12 October 2023. This read: Following offensive comments made by 94.7 host Zweli Mbhele, we have engaged with Primedia Leadership. The apology came from the CEO of then Primedia group Mr Lindile Xoko. The full saga of how Zweli was lashed can be found on this website.
It is obvious that the management of 702 violated the broadcast code by hosting this guest in particular. Clause 13 deals with the reporting of Controversial Issues of Public Importance. It reads
(1) In presenting a programme in which a controversial issue of public importance is discussed, a broadcaster must make reasonable efforts to fairly present opposing points of view either in the same programme or in a subsequent programme forming part of the same series of programmes presented within a reasonable period of time of the original broadcast and within substantially the same time slot.
What is important to point out is that Aubrey Masango and his producer are not the ones accountable to the BCCSA for violations of the code, but it is management and the license holders.
When we ended the meeting, they were still smiling and amiable but it is clear that they took a bullet for those whom they are afraid to call out and, by doing so, let themselves down. They lied with straight faces and media justice was not served. If the station continues in this vein, they could easily stand accused on not only violating the broadcast code but will stand accused of complicity in the genocide and of refusing to act in the interest of a ceasefire and a just peace in the war on Gaza.
- USA lifts the blacklisting of cuba - January 18, 2025
- Did someone say ceasefire? A-POEM - January 16, 2025
- whose side are they on? A-Poem - January 12, 2025