This post is part of our special coverage Yemen Protests 2011 [1].
[2]A screen shot of the Shame on Reuters Facebook page
Many people were shocked to find out that the reputable and trusted source of news Reuters has employed Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh's personal translator and secretary since 2009, Mohammed Sudam, as its manager in Yemen and head correspondent.
Yemeni tweeps were outraged with the discovery, questioning Reuters’ integrity and saying that this explained the distorted and inaccurate reports about Yemen which were spread by the news agency, since media outlets were dependent on it's reports and were simply quoting it. Many Yemenis have been puzzled by the agency's reports but with the recent discovery it was understood why.
@NajlaMo states:
@NajlaMo [3]: Mohammed Suddam: A Secretary& translator for #Saleh who works also as a reporter for @Reuters! #ShameonReuters! Never trust it!
@crazyyafai [4] demands an explanation:
We want #Reuters to explain why they hire Someone who works in the dictator's palace & rely on him for reports. #ShameOnReuters @AJStream
And Dima Khatib, Arab journalist, commented:
@Dima_Khatib: [5] How could a president's translator be a reliable source of information for an international agency like @Reuters ? If true, scandalous!
And so did Emirati commentator @SultanAlQassemi [6], who also asked Reuters Gulf for an explanation:
Apparently respected newswire @Reuters employs President Saleh's personal translator in Yemen as its correspondent. Can @ReutersGulf comment
@Dory_Eryani [7] provided an Arabic source which backs that claim:
@blakehounshell @SultanAlQassemi @Reuters not just that he is his secretary since 2009 marebpress.net/news_details.p… [8]
And so did journalist Gregg Carlstrom @glcarlstrom [9], who provided one in English:
@blakehounshell @SultanAlQassemi Yep. Mohammad Sudam: j.mp/sk2Hmk [10]
To express their shock at the revelation, Twitter users tweeted their reactions under the hashtag #ShameonReuters.
Yemeni Marwan Almuraisy greeted Reuters this morning with the following tweet:
@almuraisy [11]: Good morning @Reuters :) Did you think that #Yemen(i) tweeps stopped tweeting about #ShameOnReuters? Not yet.
And he also @almuraisy [12] announced the creation of a #ShameonReuters Facebook page [2], which was set up by @TahaAbdoh [13]:
#ShameOnReuters Now Is a page on Facebook facebook.com/#!/pages/Shame… cc : ——-> @Reuters #Yemen
Yemeni bloggers @NajlaMo [14] and @Doryaleryani wrote posts in both English and Arabic to expose Reuters.
@NajlaMo tweeted:
wanna know why we can no longer trust @Reuters? http://arabiyamuslimah.blogspot.com/2011/11/reuters-can-no-longer-be-trusted.html #shameonReuters #yemen #supportyemen #yf
Her post is available here [15].
And @Dory_Eryani [16] wondered (in Arabic):
ولما تكون رويترز في جيب الحكومة..نكلم احنا مين يا شعب بلادي المسكين ؟
She also wrote an Arabic blog post here [17], expressing her shock at the situation, and her disappointment in news coverage on Yemen.
Dory asks:
Twitter users have also gone back to Reuters reports on Yemen to pick up on discrepancies.
Reuters report about the tragic events in Taiz on Friday mentioned that “At least 17 people were killed in heavy clashes in the Yemeni city of Taiz Friday.” Twitter users say this is in contrast to what the world saw in YouTube videos which showed the shelling by the regime forces on residential areas and on Freedom Square during Friday prayers, killing women, men and children.
@crazyyafai [13] tweeted in dismay:
#Reuters says it's clashes while the world said its murder in #Taiz, why? Because their reporter works for #Saleh. #ShameOnReuters @Reuters
@Dima_Khatib [5] questioned Reuters objectivity:
How could a president's translator be a reliable source of information for an international agency like @Reuters ? If true, scandalous !
And @samwaddah [18] sarcastically tweeted:
How lucky is Reuters reporter in #Yemen 2 get paid twice! Once by #Saleh 4 faking news & another by Reuters 4 publishing it! #ShameOnReuters
This post is part of our special coverage Yemen Protests 2011 [1].