Speaking about the Premier’s order for Government media representatives to reduce their contact with certain news papers, the coordinator of the well-known “Sunshine Week” freedom of information campaign says:
“Cutting reporters and their news outlets out of government communications — whether it’s not sending them press releases or refusing to return reporters’ calls — is simply foolish. It doesn’t keep reporters from covering news and events, it doesn’t encourage productive dialogue between officials and news media, and it flies in the face of the basic tenets of open government. It’s proven time and again to be an ineffective public relations strategy, and it’s a completely misguided way to conduct government in the sunshine.”
The Premier complains:
“Recently I spoke with the press secretary he said a senior reporter told him that he doesn’t care what Glenn Jones has to say because his, the press secretary’s, comments are rarely newsworthy anyway, I think that that’s a toxic environment … We have decided to reduce the contact because we are not getting anywhere through the relationship.”
It’s not a relationship … it’s an obligation! In my opinion, if the environment is toxic, it is largely the result of the Premier’s own footwork. Moreover, anyone who reads Glenn Jones’ comments knows that they are often the epitome of spin. Do they contain facts and meaningful Government information, or mere puffery?
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