# Media, Power, and the Gaza Narrative

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/new-books-in-communications-408774/media-power-and-the-gaza-narrative
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/new-books-in-communications-408774/media-power-and-the-gaza-narrative.md
Podcast: [New Books in Communications](https://stenobird.com/podcast/new-books-in-communications-408774)
Published: 2026-05-29T08:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://pdst.fm/e/traffic.megaphone.fm/NBNK5115603910.mp3
Audio file: https://pdst.fm/e/traffic.megaphone.fm/NBNK5115603910.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/new-books-in-communications-408774/episodes/media-power-and-the-gaza-narrative
Duration seconds: 1229

## Resource

How Western media shapes public understanding of Gaza, Palestine, and conflict through language, political narratives, and global power structures. In this Nordic Asia Podcast episode, Khaled Ezzelarab, Director of the Middle East Institute Program at the American University in Cairo and a former journalist, discusses how Western media narratives shape public understanding of the Gaza war and the broader Israeli–Palestinian conflict. He argues that mainstream Western outlets such as the BBC, CNN, and The New York Times have gradually changed their coverage over time, although dominant narratives still frame the conflict primarily as a cycle of “mutual violence” rather than addressing the deeper realities of occupation and structural inequality faced by Palestinians. Ezzelarab explains that media language plays a crucial role in shaping public perception. Terms such as “genocide,” despite being used by international experts and human rights organisations, are often avoided by major Western media outlets. At the same time, emotionally charged language is more frequently used when describing Israeli suffering than Palestinian suffering. According to Ezzelarab, these editorial choices significantly influence how audiences interpret violence and responsibility in the conflict. The discussion also explores the relationship between journalism, audience expectations, and political power. Media organisations tend to follow dominant political narratives, especially in foreign affairs, while also responding to pressure from audiences and social movements. Ezzelarab notes that pro-Palestinian activism, especially among younger generations and on social media platforms such as TikTok, has increasingly challenged traditional media framing and forced mainstream outlets to adapt. Fina…

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## Transcript

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