But if it’s raining outside, you are permitted to say so.
by Transmontanus, 1 February 2008
“Researchers have been told to refer all media queries to Ottawa. The media office then asks reporters to submit their questions in writing. Sources say researchers are then asked to respond in writing to the media office, which then sends the answers to senior management for approval. If a researcher is eventually cleared to do an interview, he or she is instructed to stick to the ‘approved lines.’
“. . .The one area exempted from having to go through head office is the weather service, “due to volume and technical nature of inquiries.”
Saturday 2 February 2008 at 0:08
“Just as we have ‘one department, one website’ we should have ‘one department, one voice,’ ” says a PowerPoint presentation…”
PowerPoint is verily the work of the Devil himself. A hateful piece of crap.
Saturday 2 February 2008 at 0:20
Powerpoint is Satan’s sandwich board.
Saturday 2 February 2008 at 0:53
As a journalist I get more of this kind of crap from private corporations than government agencies. Of the latter, it’s mostly US laboratories with direct national security responsibilities that are a bit funny about direct communication between scientists and journalists. But on the whole there is little PR office intervention.
With large private corporations it is often more difficult to speak with researchers, and in some cases I’m not allowed to do other than communicate through PR minders. What’s worse is that some companies refuse to cooperate unless I grant them copy approval. At that point I tell them to fuck off.
I also recommend to the editors of the publications for which I write that the offending companies should have their names entered in the little black book of shame. But even where that advice is ignored, I am never forced to compromise journalistic ethics and grant copy approval.
In the past few years we’ve heard much about the Bush administration’s muzzling of climate scientists working for the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, and NASA. But going by Margaret Munroe’s article, I’d say that the Canadian government is going much further than its southern neighbour.
Something is rotten in the land of the Bobs.
Saturday 2 February 2008 at 1:23
Excellent stuff Dirigmiester.
I despise those fucks who think that having mastery over a stupid glorified holiday snaps slideshow makes them the master of everything.
Put them in a cellar with the fucking Romanovs.