“Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting” website has a wealth of information on the latest BBG meeting, including comments from BBG member Michael Meehan:
“I just wanted to go on the record to anyone in the sound of my voice that to understand that we’re here to protect the journalistic mission of this place, and if not I could just resign and go home and move on to other things. It’s not essential for me to be here. But I just want to go on the record to say that now that management has taken the actions that they have taken, to be clear that we stand foursquare on the side of journalists and that we will stand up to the people who will impede the freedom of journalists to do their work around the world.”
We think that comment would be very funny if there was not a truly tragic situation behind it. According to many sources, it was Meehan who was pushing for censoring VOA news reports to Ethiopia and for the removal of the Horn of Africa service chief David Arnold after he revealed the details of BBG’s negotiations with the Ethiopian regime.
We were also saddened but not surprised by VOA director’s response to Meehan’s self-serving and hypocritical announcement.
“May I just thank the governor and the governors who went to Africa for their dedication and the the hard work that went into that. … Your interest is just priceless. Thank you for the effort.”
BBG members have absolute power over the VOA director and VOA. That’s why we’re not surprised by Ensor’s public response to Meehan.
David Ensor said earlier that he had threatened to resign. The talk of resignations shows an organization in a deep crisis.
Read more