FeedCurrent TV won’t talk and more evidence of site censorship
It’s been more than two weeks since Euna Lee and Laura Ling were detained by North Korea and it now appears that they will stand trial for a charge that faces up to a ten year sentence, but Al Gore’s cable network Current hasn’t said a word. Numerous journalists have called, myself included, but I haven’t even found a single recent report where Current has even responded with, “no comment.”
The network has also been censoring any posts in it’s online community that discuss the situation, as reported here:
http://joshwolf.net/blog/?p=399
http://tinyurl.com/cvxgfn
http://twitter.com/DeliaTheArtist/statuses/1366174843
That last link is a tweet from last Sunday, which would indicate Current has been scrubbing their site for more than a week.
I understand that it is a sensitive situation, made doubly so by the fact that a former Vice President is involved, but at this point any hopes Current may have had to resolve this before it became an “international incident,” have long since passed the point of reason, and their attempts to silence their own community about what’s going on with two of their reporters is appeasement to North Korea’s demands at best, and at worst, it’s 1984 playing out in real time — though admittedly current is a private news station and Al Gore isn’t a government official, anymore.
As the SF Weekly pointed out on a blog last week, typically when a reporter is kidnapped — arrested for committing journalism — or just finds themselves in a crisis situation while working, the news agency will immediately release a statement of some sort acknowledging the situation and often sending good wishes. In some cases, reporters will be dispatched to uncover why it happened and what is likely to happen in the future. Maybe even get reaction from it’s audience — we are talking web 2.0 after all.
But instead Current TV has remained silent leaving who knows how many phone calls unreturned while they work to erase any mention of the situation from their site.
There may be a good reason that Current hasn’t commented on the situation, perhaps some tentative secret agreement has been reached with North Korea, I don’t know.
At this point I have my doubts, but even still, the very least they can do is give me a call to tell me, “For reasons which cannot be addressed at this time, Current not have any comment regarding the question you have asked.”
To go just one small step further in the spirit of honest communication they can put a disclaimer on their site that says: “Some content on the site is being held due to concerns that we can’t talk about right now. Don’t worry, you’re stuff isn’t gone, and we’ll unhide as much of it as we can, just as soon as we can.”
They could also start returning media calls with a ‘no comment,’ and offer to send them an e-mail as soon as the company issues a statement or is ready to talk.
The last thing I want to do is jeopardize the safe and immediate return of Ling and Lee, but I feel that Current should be held accountable for their complete inability to address this pressing situation.
[...] first post and seem to have busted Current for actually censoring stories about the incident. The blackout of information has not gone [...]
I have been using Current for almost 4 years, since it began. And one of the things I absolutely loved is that I could hear any and every kind of story from everywhere in the world from anyone in the world. I am seriously disappointed in Current. If they believe it is going to jeopardize Laura and Euna then ok. But I am concerned too. Is the black out making it better? To me it is destroying Current’s reputation. I have to google Laura’s name everyday to check and see what is going on because my primary news source wont tell me. What kind of new is that? I love Current. But this is unacceptable. I am worried about the girls. I feel like I know most of the Current employees personally, especially when you talk to them on a weekly basis for years at a time. Theyre work is amazing, informative and rivals most major media outlets. Ignoring issues has never been the mission of Current and it shouldnt be now. Its not like the story isnt out there. Other media outlets are talking about it so if they think ignoring it makes it go away, that’s not happening. I hope they get home soon and safe.
[...] Lee; two American journalists detained in North Korea. At the time, it appeared that Current was eliminating any recognition of the situation. This may no longer be the case. A recent tweet made it’s way to [...]
[...] Current reporters to be tried in North Korea | Journalism.co.uk Editors’ Blog…Freedomedia » Current TV won’t talk and more evidence of site censorship…Sly Paradox » Blog Archive » Journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee detained…WMC Daily [...]
Josh, has Lisa Ling mentioned anything about her sister being detained in north Korea?
I agree, and think that the absolute best way to gain public support would have been to do exactly the opposite of what Current TV chose to do.
Josh
I couldn’t find another way to reach you but wanted to say that Len will sorely be missed. He was an amazing mind, writer and person.
My thoughts are with you and your family.
Trish Telesco
Here’s your left-wing media “fairness and accuracy” for ya…
[...] Freedomedia Current TV won 39 t talk and more evidence of site Posted by root 21 hours ago (http://joshwolf.net) They could also start returning media calls with a 39 no comment 39 and offer to send 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 josh wolf cub reporter middot stand off at berkeley tree sit continues icons by kevin potts powered by wordpress Discuss | Bury | News | Freedomedia Current TV won 39 t talk and more evidence of site [...]
[...] Freedomedia Current TV won 39 t talk and more evidence of site Posted by root 2 hours 2 minutes ago (http://joshwolf.net) They could also start returning media calls with a 39 no comment 39 and offer to send 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 josh wolf cub reporter middot stand off at berkeley tree sit continues icons by kevin potts powered by wordpress Discuss | Bury | News | Freedomedia Current TV won 39 t talk and more evidence of site [...]
GUTLESS! Current TV is just plain chickenshit! They do not want egg on there face is what it is. North Korea could careless about people posting there opinions. Current TV is censoring! they are doing the same the thing. Hiding behind there own iron curtain. My question is where is the CAMERAMAN who escaped capture. Wheres his story? GAG ORDER?
I believe Dharma Dogg is referring to MITCH KOSS.
Mitch Koss is the third Current TV journalist that accompanied Laura Ling and Euna Lee at the Tumen River border area on March 17. He also holds the title of executive producer and his current claim to fame is evading capture by North Koreans and leaving two female colleagues behind on the battlefield (Laura Ling and Euna Lee).
There is at least one account in international media of Mitch Koss apparently giving us clues about what really happened on March 17:
http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2008/s2592427.htm
Mark Willacy talks during a radio interview about the 3 Current TV journalists.
“Pyongyang says they illegally set foot on North Korean territory but supporters of the journalists say they were on the Chinese side of the border and that’s been backed up by the reporter’s cameraman who was working with the two women but managed to escape. He’s backed their story that North Korean border guards arrested the pair on the Chinese side of the border. ”
If you do a Google news search today for “Mitch Koss” then you will see only 18 articles in the last month as compared to 8994 for “Euna Lee”. Of those 18 articles nearly half are foreign media and a significant number of US articles are written by Christian Science Monitor’s Asia correspondent Donald Kirk. In his recent articles, Mr. Kirk has been calling out Mitch Koss to clarify what exactly happened at the Tumen River border area on March 17.
Meanwhile Gawker received an anonymous tip from a Current TV staff member in San Francisco who said all Current TV employees were ordered by their legal team to remain silent and not to attend the vigils.