Don’t Believe Alseyassah

Why did a key witness in the Hariri trial call a Kuwaiti tabloid to tell us that he’s safe and sound?

I don’t mind tabloid newspapers, really. Rags build their credibility with time and people are free to choose the sensationalist outlet of their taste to fulfill their biases.

What really bothers me is how acceptable it has become for our mainstream media to rely on such discredited sources like Alseyassah to break sensitive and important stories, and the unquestioning cheerleading otherwise sensible people indulge in.

Take for example today’s Naharnet story about Mr. Zouheir Al Siddik, the “king witness” of the Hariri trial who disappeared into thin air in France. If you are such an important person and you had the opportunity to call any media outlet you wish to break the news that you’re safe and sound. Why would you settle for Alseyassa? Why not call Annahar? LBC? Aljazeera or Alarabiya? 

Can’t find an answer? It’s simple. It’s because Alseyassah made the story up. 

Even if we support March 14, it is our duty as discerning citizens not to take for granted all the news their media feeds us. We are not sheep, remember?