Associated Press will not distribute photos of burning Qurans

No Choice now everybody should at least symbolically burn a Quran ! Islam will go from strength to strength if nothing happens. Yamit

By Michael Calderone

In recent days, the national media has exhaustively covered a fringe Florida pastor’s decision to burn Qurans on Sept. 11. The frenzy has raised questions about news organizations’ responsibilities to cover the news while possibly giving unwarranted publicity to an anti-Islamic stunt. Some network spokespeople told The Upshot earlier that it's too early to decide on which images would not be broadcast, given that the actual event is two days away. But the Associated Press has now decided to "not distribute images or audio that specifically show Qurans being burned, and will not provide detailed text descriptions of the burning." (The memo was first posted on the media industry news site Romenesko).

Tom Kent, the AP's deputy managing editor for standards and production, told staffers Thursday that although the AP will cover the event organized by Pastor Terry Jones in Gainesville, Fla., it's important to place "the actions of this group of about 50 people in a clear and balanced context."

For that reason, the AP is planning just one main story Saturday, which will fold in any comments from public figures — many of them the subjects individual articles and extensive cable coverage in recent days.

"AP policy is not to provide coverage of events that are gratuitously manufactured to provoke and offend," Kent wrote. "In the past, AP has declined to provide images of cartoons mocking Islam and Jews."

Kent continued: "AP has often declined to provide images, audio or detailed descriptions of particularly bloody or grisly scenes, such as the sounds and moments of beheadings and shootings, displays of severed heads on pikes and images of hostages who are displayed by hostage-holders in an effort to intimidate their adversaries and advance their cause. Decisions are made on a case-by-case basis."