ZDF presenter settles accounts with “Tagesschau” editorial team
Andrea Kiewel in a broadcast on ZDF TV Garden
Source: picture alliance/Eibner press photo/Neis
Andrea Kiewel is an advocate of public broadcasting, but the “Tagesschau’s” handling of Hamas propaganda infuriates her. Kiewel, who lives in Tel Aviv, sharply criticizes the ARD show. “Those responsible were deaf to everyone’s ears.”
EThis is clear criticism from within our own ranks: Andrea Kiewel, presenter of the ZDF TV Garden, sharply criticized the ARD “Tagesschau” for spreading Hamas propaganda. In the “Jewish General” Kiewel published a guest article with the title: “Dear Tagesschau colleagues, don’t fall for Hamas’ propaganda!”
Background: After an explosion at Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza on Wednesday, the “Tagesschau” and “Tagesthemen” reported that an Israeli rocket had killed 500 people. The only source for this was claims from the Ministry of Health in Gaza, which is under Hamas. The ARD-aktuell editorial team in Hamburg, which claims to have around 150 editors, is responsible for the programs.
“HOW on earth can the editorial team of the most important and best-known news programs on German television use terrorist propaganda as a source?” Kiewel wrote about the process. And further: “HOW on earth can anyone take even one letter from the mouth of a beastly terrorist organization at face value?”
At the time the programs were broadcast, there had long been voices from experts, secret services and independent sources who questioned the terrorist organization’s claims and its images, said Kiewel. The Israeli military released footage on Wednesday suggesting that a misguided Hamas rocket hit the hospital – also with fewer casualties. “Those responsible for ARD’s main news programs were deaf to everyone’s ears,” says Kiewel.
“I cannot use the word ‘colleagues’ in this context,” Kiewel wrote. She is an “ardent advocate of the necessity of public television,” said Kiewel. The 58-year-old lives in Tel Aviv and was also in Israel during the Hamas attack on October 7th.
She doesn’t want to accuse anyone of bad intentions or naivety. The “crème de la crème of political journalists” work at the “Tagesschau” and “Tagesthemen”. If that is the case, then the editors should “once and for all write the following behind their ears, in the palms of their hands and stick post-its to their computer screens with exactly the following sentence: ‘Terrorists, butchers, murderers, beasts, hostage takers are not a source . Never!'”
“That’s not a request. That’s an attitude. A creed. That’s exactly what it’s all about now. NOW!”, Kiewel ended her guest article.