Why do reputable news agencies insist on publicising obvious lies as “just the other side of the story”? Some examples:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7972702.stm
“The spokesman of the Chinese embassy in London said that there was no evidence to show Beijing was involved.
He suggested the findings were part of a “propaganda campaign” by the Tibetan government in exile. ”
“BEIJING, April 9 (Xinhua) — Chinese officials on Wednesday denied a so-called “media war” over the March 14 riot in Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, saying that the majority of foreign journalists were covering the issue fairly.”
http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/zt/zgxz/t423192.htm (OK that one is from the Chinese embassy but I bet it was reported verbatim elsewhere)
President Robert Mugabe has said Zimbabwe has contained cholera – as the UN and a UK charity warned the deadly outbreak was getting worse.
Save the Children said: “If anything is certain in the chaos of Zimbabwe today it is that the cholera outbreak is not under control.”
Mr Mugabe also said Western powers were plotting to use cholera as an excuse to invade and overthrow him.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7777178.stm
“The Zimbabwean Government has rejected widespread criticism of a new media law passed by parliament on Thursday.
Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa told the BBC there was nothing in the legislation which was intended to stifle dissent. ”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/1795125.stm