Saturday 10 February 2007

The gagged German

Is this the first instance (at least publically admitted) of a UAE newspaper, in this instance Gulf News, "buying up" a story subject and preventing them from talking to other media?

Explaining his dilemma, Graf said, "The reporter who first carried my story said I could talk only to German media and not anyone from the local media until he carried my follow-up on Friday. I know this is a free world and you have the right to write about me. But I cannot talk anything till they allow me."

It's a well known tactic elsewhere, but unfamiliar and possibly new to the local media scene, no wonder Gulf Today describes it:

"...clear manifestation of conditional help and how unhealthy competition can spoil professional ethics in journalism.

It would be also interesting to see what - if any - contract Graf has signed with Gulf News and what legal representation he has. A few Max Cliffords would be quite an interesting addition to the local "celebrity" scene.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

hello...look up the gulf today today where the poor journos there tried to contact graf, but herr insurance-less businessman shooed them off because of a 'contract' he had forged with GN to not talk to any papers.....
of course this could also be a lie

Anonymous said...

If you really believe that Gulf News had a contract with this guy, then perhaps you'd be interested in this big tower in Paris that I'm selling...