<

Voice of America Pulls Reporter Off Air Amid Government Pressure
Thursday, February 7, 2002

CONTACTS:
Al Cross
SPJ President
502/875-5136 ext. 14

Charles N. Davis
SPJ FOI Committee co-chairman
573/882-5736

Ian Marquand
SPJ FOI Committee co-chairman
406/542-4449

IMMEDIATE RELEASE



INDIANAPOLIS


Voice of America’s decision to yank a reporter off the air after her interview with a Taliban official is an insult to the worldwide fight for press freedoms and a blow to the organization’s journalistic credibility, says the Society of Professional Journalists.

Voice of America pulled 20-year employee Spozhmai Maiwandi off the air after State Department officials criticized a report that included her interview with Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar. The report was put on hold after the State Department’s comments but eventually aired Sept. 25 when VOA employees became infuriated with the situation.

After the report was broadcast, Maiwandi was “promoted” to a position where she is not allowed on the air. She and her news director say the outside pressure also prompted VOA Chief Bob Reilly to ban interviews with any official from countries that sponsor terrorism.

“As America fights a war against terrorism to protect our freedom, it must be careful not to undermine the freedoms that make America a beacon to the world,” said SPJ President Al Cross, a political writer and columnist for The Courier-Journal in Louisville. “Punishing a VOA employee in this fashion does incalculable damage to VOA’s credibility, which must be maintained in order to achieve its mission.”
(More: SPJ.com News Source)
2002 © Society of Professional Journalists.

Not so much a ‘news release’ as a ‘whine for help’. A black and white ‘media is always right’ shout that cites absolutely no evidence -- which is probably inadmissible for legal reasons.

Pity. I wouldn’t mind reading what was broadcast of the interview, so I could make my own judgement on the matter...

Dan