SVT's “Arab in the box” creates confusion

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Published 3 April 2024 at 07.12

Media. In a feature from Gaza that was broadcast in “Rapport” in SVT, a man suddenly materialized from nowhere in the background. The whole thing has caused an uproar and created debate on social media.

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The feature from Monday's 7.30pm broadcast of Rapport was about the large Gaza hospital al- Shifa, which was completely destroyed by Israel.

When the paramedic Hussein Muhaisen is interviewed outside the ruins of the hospital, the background suddenly changes so that several people disappear while others appear.

On social media there has been lively speculation about the matter, and SVT has, among other things, been accused of manipulation.

Either Arabs have learned teleportation or SVT has sent someone form of manipulated material. Don't know what's worse.

— JensGanman (@JensGanman) April 2, 2024

The explanation: Foul cutting
According to Rapport editor Roland Zuiderveld, however, the explanation is as simple as that the interview is cut .

However, this was done in a manipulative way, apparently with the help of AI, so that it would look “prettier”.

“Instead of making a straight and uglier clips, the reporter chose to add an effect. This made the image transition look strange,” writes Roland Zuiderveld in a comment to Expressen.

The interview was also broadcast in “Aktuellt” at 9 p.m., and then the effect had been removed away and it was a so-called “jump cut” instead.

Roland Zuiderveld admits to Expressen that there can be “points in clearly reporting the cut rather than making a feature more stylish”.