By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, April 4 -- While the originator of the raid on Inner City Press' office at the UN on March 18 was the Department of Public Information, we have noted that the president of the United Nations Correspondents Association, Pamela Falk of CBS, was on the scene taking photographs.
Now Falk has taped a UN propaganda vanity television show, "Global Connections" by Bill Miller -- but said before the taping, according to multiple witnesses, No questions about Inner City Press, no questions about “internal matters.”
What is internal about censorship? About abusive legal threats against the freedom of the press?
On March 22, photographs from inside Inner City Press office, of its desk and bookshelf, were published on BuzzFeed, provided by an anonymous account, “Concerned UN Reporter.”
Pamela Falk rather than explaining why she was taking photos issued a legal threat to Inner City Press to not even ask the question, from her CBSNews.com e-mail address.
Inner City Press wrote to CBSNews' Up to the Minute, and higher, to ascertain if the threat was from CBS. The only response so far? “Ask Pamela Falk.”
Well, no. Under Falk, UNCA strategy is to initiate a verbal exchange with Inner City Press, as Tim Witcher of Agence France Presse did on March 8, then claim when there is a verbal response -- “lapdogs” -- to feel threatened, as Reuters' correspondent did. No more.
When Falk for whatever reason agreed to appear on the “Global Connections” show, produced by a UNA-USA person with whom Inner City Press has never exchanged a hostile word, one would think it would be open.
But before the filming began, Falk said loudly, no questions about Inner City Press or “internal matters.”
Hey, Inner City Press which was repeatedly elected to the UNCA Executive Committee quit in disgust after 2012 attempts to throw it and other journalists out of the UN. With another elected UNCA Executive Committee member who quit in disgust, Inner City Press founded the Free UN Coalition for Access.
Now, as the UN raided Inner City Press' office, Falk ghoulishly takes photographs, refuses to comment to a web site to which her UNCA leaked photos, then tells even “Global Connections” television she will not answer any questions.
This is free press? This is UNCA? This is the CBS of Edward R. Murrow? A fish rots from the head. It's time for a change. Watch this site.
