Octavia Nasr
Octavia Nasr (Arabic: اوكتافيا نصر) is a journalist on Middle East affairs. She served as CNN’s Senior Editor of Mideast affairs until her dismissal in July 2010 for her public statement of respect for the influential late Lebanese cleric Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah, considered an inspirational spiritual force for Hezbollah, which is regarded in the United States as a terrorist organization.[1][2]
Biography
Nasr was born in Beirut, Lebanon to Lebanese Orthodox Christian parents.[citation needed] Octavia Nasr studied in Beirut between 1968 and 1978; primary and middle school at the Sœurs des Saints Cœurs in Beirut. She completed her high school studies at the Collège des Pères Antonins in Baabda, Lebanon. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Lebanese American University (LAU). She has started her graduate studies in Middle Eastern affairs at Georgia State University (GSU), in Atlanta, Georgia.
Nasr is married and has two daughters. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia, and is fluent in Arabic, French and English.[3]
Career
Nasr worked at CNN from 1990 until her dismissal in 2010. Most recently, she served as the Senior Editor for Arab affairs across all of CNN’s platforms. In this capacity she appeared on CNN shows to discuss breaking news in the Middle East and how they pertain to the US and the world.
Nasr is the recipient of many prestigious awards including: Edward R. Murrow for Continuing Coverage: CNN, Coverage of the Middle East Conflict; the 2006 Golden Cedar Award for Excellence in Journalism from the Lebanese-American Chamber of Commerce as well as CNN World Report’s Achievement Award.[3]
Fadlallah comments and CNN dismissal
Following the death of Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah on July 4, 2010, Nasr tweeted on the same day that she was "Sad to hear of the passing of Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah.. One of Hezbollah's giants I respect a lot..."[4]
Nasr was criticized for this perceived show of sympathy and support for Hezbollah, an organization designated by the U.S. government as a terrorist group, amid claims that her stated position was incompatible with her role at CNN as editor of news on the Middle East.[5][6][7] The pro-Israel media watchdog group Honest Reporting, one of the first organizations to respond to her tweet, noted Fadlallah's controversial praise for the Mercaz HaRav massacre, the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing, the Iran hostage crisis and Iran's efforts to build long-range ballistic missiles. Fadlallah also made statements supporting Holocaust denial and suicide bombing attacks against Israel.[8][9][10][11]
In response to reactions on her comment, Nasr wrote on July 6 that the tweet was "an error of judgment." She concluded her statement by saying that Fadlallah was "revered across borders yet designated a terrorist. Not the kind of life to be commenting about in a brief tweet. It's something I deeply regret."[12] A CNN spokesman responded saying that "CNN regrets any offense her Twitter message caused. It did not meet CNN’s editorial standards."[8] The following day, on July 7, CNN fired Nasr. In an internal CNN memo announcing Nasr's departure, CNN International’s senior vice president for newsgathering Parisa Khosravi wrote, "We believe that her credibility in her position as senior editor for Middle Eastern affairs has been compromised going forward."[1]
See also
References
- ^ a b Matea Gold (7 July 2010). "CNN Mideast Affairs editor loses post after tweeting her respect for militant cleric". The Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "CNN fires ME editor over tweet". The Jerusalem Post. Associated Press. 8 July 2010.
- ^ a b Octavia Nasr, official CNN profile.
- ^ Octavia Nasr (4 July 2010). "July 4 Twitter Post". Twitter. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
- ^ Yaakov Lappin (6 July 2010). "CNN editor sad over ayatollah's death". The Jerusalem Post.
- ^ "Simon Wiesenthal Center Denounces CNN Editor for Mideast Affairs' Remarks". Simon Wiesenthal Center. 6 July 2010. Retrieved 7 July 2010.
- ^ "Apology Demanded Over CNN Fadlallah Comments". American Jewish Committee. 6 July 2010. Retrieved 7 July 2010.
- ^ a b Brian Stelter (7 July 2010). "CNN Drops Editor After Hezbollah Comments". The New York Times.
- ^ "CNN's Cheerleader for Hezbollah". HonestReporting. 5 July 2010. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
- ^ Fadlallah explains religious basis for suicide attacks by Ibrahim Mousawi, June 8, 2002
- ^ Lebanese Shiite Leader Ayatollah Muhammad Hussein Fadhlallah: Jews Extort Germany, Inflating Number of Holocaust Victims, MEMRI, Clip No. 1748, March 21, 2008
- ^ Octavia Nasr (6 July 2010). "Nasr explains controversial tweet on Lebanese cleric". CNN.
External links
