Thread by @marcowenjones

[Thread] This article should is an exemplar of bad journalism:
1) JOURNALIST BACKGROUND - the writer Ben Weinthal works for a think tank that has hosted an anti-Qatar conference and whose senior members are chummy with the UAE Ambassador in the US.

foxnews.com/world/qatar-co…

The same journalist routinely harasses academics and journalists on Twitter who live in Qatar
2) SOURCING - It cites a report by the firm Cornerstone Global's whose director, Ghanem Nuseibeh is related to the UAE's Ambassador to the UN, and who previously offered to do PR for

Qatar. A previous Cornerstone report initially cited uncritically by the BBC was softened after Cornerstone's credibility on the Gulf Crisis and World Cup was called into question
3 ) VERIFICATION. No attempts are made to verify the claims of the report,it's accepted uncritically

Specifically, it accepts Cornerstone's 'health experts' at face value, on the basis Cornerstone have a 'health portfolio'. FIFA were not shown the Cornerstone Report and therefore could not comment
4) LOBBYING - The piece essentially advertises Cornerstone Global services, while

-also promoting the entirely unrelated and irrelevant ideas of Cornerstone's Director Nuseibeh - namely that the World Cup should relocate to England (not UK - England) (WTF! 😂 )
5) MISUSE OF VOX POPS - It cites a SUN newspaper poll about 58% of Britons wanting to host

the World Cup. (Like wut, how is this even relevant?)
5) STRUCTURE - it really is all over the place, mixing public health issues, human rights and with world cup lobbying. It's mostly an excuse to rehash legitimate work by the likes of Amnesty. Was this piece even edited?

6) to be clear, leaked Cornerstone Global documents seen by @nytimes outlined ;a plan to produce a report linking Qatar to the Muslim Brotherhood, and several others discuss efforts to place articles in the British news media that would damage Qatar’s reputation'