The Intercept alleges a shockingly close collaborative relationship between a national security reporter for the Los Angeles Times and CIA press handlers. According to the article, the reporter explicitly promised "positive news coverage...sometimes sending the press office entire story drafts for review prior to publication."
According to the article, emails obtained through a Freedom of Information request "reveal a remarkably collegial relationship with the agency."
[quote]“I am looking forward to working with you, Ken,” a newly hired agency flack wrote [the LA Times reporter] in a March 1, 2012, email. “Hooray!” [the reporter] replied. “Glad to have you guys.”[/quote]
From the article:
"The emails also show that [the reporter] shared his work with the CIA before it was published, and invited the agency to request changes. On Friday April 27, 2012, he emailed the press office a draft story that he and a colleague, David Cloud, were preparing. The subject line was 'this is where we are headed,' and he asked if 'you guys want to push back on any of this.'
It appears the agency did push back. On May 2, 2012, he emailed the CIA a new opening to the story with a subject line that asked, 'does this look better?' "
[ilink url="https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2014/09/04/former-l-times-reporter-cleared-stories-cia-publication/"]Read the Intercept article[/ilink]
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