Afghan security orders journalists to report "more good news"
This is just pathetic…
The best Karzai's government could come up with--in response to Taliban’s mounting attacks on NATO, local government troops as well as civilians, since spring of this year--is sending Afghani intelligence agents to intimidate Kabul’s press corps into reporting “more good news.� Here are excerpts of Newsday report by James Rupert:
Afghanistan orders journalists to report more good news
KABUL, Afghanistan — The war against the Taliban has gone badly these last months, but Afghanistan's national intelligence agency has devised a secret plan to reverse the tide of bad news.
In a coordinated action this week, the intelligence men drove up to TV stations and newspapers in SUVs and dropped off an unsigned letter ordering journalists to report more favorable news about the government. In particular, the letter said, they should avoid "materials which deteriorate people's morale and cause disappointment to them."
The men from the National Security Directorate would not give their names, and to better ensure secrecy, the letter instructed journalists that "publishing or copying this document is unauthorized."
Immediately, of course, it was Afghanistan's top story: The government was imposing censorship, and press groups were protesting in outrage. By Monday night, the fire reached China, where President Hamid Karzai is traveling. (Full story)
The best Karzai's government could come up with--in response to Taliban’s mounting attacks on NATO, local government troops as well as civilians, since spring of this year--is sending Afghani intelligence agents to intimidate Kabul’s press corps into reporting “more good news.� Here are excerpts of Newsday report by James Rupert:
Afghanistan orders journalists to report more good news
KABUL, Afghanistan — The war against the Taliban has gone badly these last months, but Afghanistan's national intelligence agency has devised a secret plan to reverse the tide of bad news.
In a coordinated action this week, the intelligence men drove up to TV stations and newspapers in SUVs and dropped off an unsigned letter ordering journalists to report more favorable news about the government. In particular, the letter said, they should avoid "materials which deteriorate people's morale and cause disappointment to them."
The men from the National Security Directorate would not give their names, and to better ensure secrecy, the letter instructed journalists that "publishing or copying this document is unauthorized."
Immediately, of course, it was Afghanistan's top story: The government was imposing censorship, and press groups were protesting in outrage. By Monday night, the fire reached China, where President Hamid Karzai is traveling. (Full story)