Data Proves CNN and MSNBC Humanize Victims Based on Geopolitics

A 2024 analysis of CNN and MSNBC transcripts has uncovered a staggering disparity in the language used to describe civilian deaths in Ukraine versus those in Gaza. During the first six months of each conflict, the word 'slaughter' was used 60 times more frequently to describe Ukrainian deaths than Palestinian deaths. This linguistic engineering persists despite UN OCHA reporting over 30,000 civilian deaths in Gaza within its first six months—a rate of killing that exceeds any single month of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The data suggests a two-tier system of victimhood where the intensity of reporting is determined by the identity of the perpetrator rather than the scale of the suffering.

The humanization gap is most visible in the coverage of specific mass casualty events. In analysis of segments covering the Bucha massacre in Ukraine, the term 'horrific' appeared in 42% of coverage. Conversely, when covering the Jabalia refugee camp strikes in Gaza, which resulted in hundreds of casualties, the term 'horrific' appeared in less than 3% of segments. Instead of emotive descriptors, Gaza casualties are routinely described in the passive voice—'civilians died' or 'explosions occurred'—whereas Ukrainian casualties are attributed to an active agent: 'Russia killed civilians.'

[Linguistic Engineering] is the deliberate use of specific terminology and grammar to influence public perception and emotional response toward a political or social issue.

Behind these editorial choices sit structural mandates. Internal CNN memos from late 2023, overseen by Chairman and CEO Mark Thompson, directed staff to ensure all Gaza-related stories were cleared by the Jerusalem bureau. This bureau operates under IDF military censorship guidelines, a requirement that does not apply to the network's reporting on Russian war crimes. This creates a filter where civilian harm caused by a U.S. ally is clinicalized and vetted, while harm caused by a U.S. adversary is reported with raw, immediate emotion.

At MSNBC, President Rashida Jones oversaw a significant programming shift following the October 7 attacks. Three prominent Muslim anchors—Mehdi Hasan, Ayman Mohyeldin, and Ali Velshi—were sidelined or had their shows cancelled shortly after providing critical coverage of civilian casualties in Gaza. The cancellation of 'The Mehdi Hasan Show' removed one of the few prime-time voices willing to challenge the 'counter-terrorism' narrative with historical context, such as the 17-year blockade of the Gaza Strip.

[Regulatory Capture] occurs when a government regulatory agency, created to act in the public interest, instead advances the commercial or political concerns of special interest groups that dominate the industry it is charged with regulating.

The money trail explains why these narratives rarely deviate from U.S. State Department priorities. CNN’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, and MSNBC’s parent, Comcast, are heavily influenced by institutional shareholders like BlackRock and Vanguard. These same investment firms hold massive stakes in defense contractors including Lockheed Martin and Raytheon. According to OpenSecrets data, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon spent a combined $25.2M on lobbying in 2023 alone. These companies profit directly from the $61B aid package for Ukraine and the $14B in unconditional support for Israel's military operations.

This reporting bias has direct consequences for the American taxpayer. By framing the Ukraine conflict as a 'clear-cut war of aggression' and the Gaza bombardment as a 'complex counter-terrorism operation,' media outlets provide the moral cover necessary for Congress to bypass public debate. According to TrackAIPAC records, members of the House and Senate who received significant donations from pro-Israel lobbying groups were statistically more likely to use the same clinical language found in CNN and MSNBC scripts when defending the continued shipment of 2,000-pound bombs used in refugee camps.

[Manufacturing Consent] is the process by which corporate media outlets select and frame information to align public opinion with the goals of the government and dominant economic interests.

For the ordinary citizen, this gap in reporting means their empathy is being rationed by a corporate filter. When media outlets use emotive language for one conflict but clinical language for another, they are making a political choice about whose life matters. This selective empathy determines how tax dollars are allocated, whose war crimes are prosecuted, and whose suffering is ignored. It narrows the public's understanding of international law, making it increasingly difficult for voters to hold their government accountable for complicity in civilian deaths.

At Gen Us, we believe in radical transparency. You can use our Politician Tracker to see exactly how much money your representative took from the defense contractors and lobbying groups mentioned in this story. Cross-reference their voting records on the latest aid packages with our database of media donor influence to see the dots connected in real-time.