'Current' Cowards

William Haskins

poet
Kind Benefactor
Absolute Sage
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
29,099
Reaction score
8,848
Age
58
Website
www.poisonpen.net
two young ladies face 10 years of hard labor in a hellhole for doing their jobs while their bosses (hello, al gore?) ignore it.

Current TV journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee, who were arrested in North Korea in March, are finally going on trial in the psycho dictatorship today. The one media outlet not covering their case: Current TV. Reuters says the two are charged with the preposterously vague crime of "illegally entering the state with 'hostile intent." Intent, presumably, to commit journalism.
Experts say the pair could face a sentence of 10 years or more of hard labour in the reclusive state. They add a guilty verdict is almost certain in a North Korean justice system that protects the unquestioned rule of leader Kim Jong-il.
While the story gets widespread international attention, Current TV has been absolutely silent on it—going so far as to pull user-submitted stories on the case from its own site. A search of Current.com this morning turns up only one single user-submitted Yahoo news article on the case, which had been posted less than 30 minutes ago. This, even while the story was simultaneously on the front page of NYTimes.com, and while Ling's celebrity sister is desperately trying to get publicity for her case.


Why the hell is Current so quiet about the fate of its own reporters? We emailed and asked them earlier this week, but they haven't responded to us. But a tipster tells us that Current's top management made the conscious decision to "silence" the issue, and that Current employees have been instructed not to discuss it.
http://gawker.com/5278612/current-stays-silent-as-its-reporters-stand-trial-in-north-korea


even the single yahoo article referenced above has been scrubbed from the site.
 

Perks

delicate #!&@*#! flower
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 12, 2005
Messages
18,981
Reaction score
6,933
Location
At some altitude
Website
www.jamie-mason.com
So they're just going to tacitly disavow their own journalists and let them swing? That's horrible.
 

brokenfingers

Walkin' That Road
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 17, 2005
Messages
6,072
Reaction score
4,324
My take is that they're keeping silent for the sake of the journalists, so as to not exacerbate the situation.

It's one thing if news organizations berate North Korea while you're being held, it's another if your own boss/company is doing it.

That's my take anyway. They want to play nice, even if it means keeping mum, so as to, hopefully, not provoke Ill Kim Whacko to hand down a cruel sentence. There could also be some behind-the-scenes action going on they don't want to screw up.
 

William Haskins

poet
Kind Benefactor
Absolute Sage
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
29,099
Reaction score
8,848
Age
58
Website
www.poisonpen.net
note from a current employee:

I'll confirm that we've been told not to talk to anyone about it. We
got an email the day it happened from our CTO saying not to talk to
any media types that were out on our sidewalk, and an email saying not
to discuss it in public forums/facebook/comments of blogs/etc. One
of our reporters said something on her facebook and I believe she was
told to delete it. We were also told not to show up at the vigils,
I'm not real sure what would be the problem in going to those, but
there you go.

We've got a fairly overzealous legal department so I'm guessing it
half stems from them. We've got a standing "don't talk to the media
about anything, refer them to our media liaison" order for the most
part that goes around so that aspect is nothing new... it's just that
the entire "hey, lets all ignore this whole situation entirely from
the top down" thing for a media company seems a bit weird.

We don't have any details on why we're not supposed to say anything
and if anyone tells you they do, they're lying. We just know we're
not supposed to... and with this economy I think most people are under
the impression that if a rough patch comes and more layoffs happen,
why give someone a reason to put you at the top of the list.

Nobody likes it, Laura was one of the nicest people that worked in the
SF office and I'm sure it's killing the people in LA even more.


http://gawker.com/5278808/currents-strategy-of-silence
 

William Haskins

poet
Kind Benefactor
Absolute Sage
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
29,099
Reaction score
8,848
Age
58
Website
www.poisonpen.net
meanwhile cnn is doing a 10 minute piece while their own network is acting like they don't exist...
 

Cybernaught

Decker
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 4, 2008
Messages
1,376
Reaction score
185
Location
Philadelphia
I suppose two journalists are expendable in what Gates considers "a harbinger of a dark future." It's amazing that nothing has been done about North Korea through nearly sixteen years of extortion, intimidation and threats besides UN sanctions which never seem to have an effect or even be carried out at all. I hope that by the time the world actually steps up to the plate, it won't be too late.
 
Last edited:

Cybernaught

Decker
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 4, 2008
Messages
1,376
Reaction score
185
Location
Philadelphia
I'd support an invasion if we weren't already in two other countries already.

I agree, but I'm worried about the 25,000 American soldiers already in South Korea, with the North breaking the armistice now and all.
 

Cybernaught

Decker
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 4, 2008
Messages
1,376
Reaction score
185
Location
Philadelphia

Damn, a trial and a sentence all in one day. What a justice system. I wonder if the fact that these journalists are American will influence the verdict and sentence at all. Naaa, who could imagine a justice system being corrupt and biased?

"Illegally entering the country with hostile intent." Right. Were they planning on McGuyvering a bomb out of a legal pad and a number two pencil? Ridiculous.

That country really needs to get off their knees for Kim-Jong Il.
 
Last edited:

Bird of Prey

Benefactor Member
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 2, 2006
Messages
10,793
Reaction score
1,728
And what is Al Gore and company supposed to say, exactly, that would sway the likes of KJI?? I think the assessment is premature. My guess is that a private dialog is taking place. . . .
 

robeiae

Touch and go
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 18, 2005
Messages
46,262
Reaction score
9,912
Location
on the Seven Bridges Road
Website
thepondsofhappenstance.com
Really, it's inappropriate for there to be a private dialog in this regard, between the company and North Korea. That dialogue should be between actual diplomats--like maybe our erstwhile Sec. of State--and North Korea.

If Current is actually a news org, they should probably be reporting the news, including what has happened to their own people. Clamming up about it isn't doing jack, since the story is already out.
 

William Haskins

poet
Kind Benefactor
Absolute Sage
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
29,099
Reaction score
8,848
Age
58
Website
www.poisonpen.net
And what is Al Gore and company supposed to say, exactly, that would sway the likes of KJI?? I think the assessment is premature. My guess is that a private dialog is taking place. . . .

they're not supposed to say anything. except, as rob points out, report the fucking news.
 

Cybernaught

Decker
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 4, 2008
Messages
1,376
Reaction score
185
Location
Philadelphia
And what is Al Gore and company supposed to say, exactly, that would sway the likes of KJI?? I think the assessment is premature. My guess is that a private dialog is taking place. . . .

Maybe they could offer KJI friendship? I heard he's quite lonely these days.
 
Last edited: