Why Was Secretary Of State Blinken’s Visit To Ukraine Reported As A “Surprise” His Team Briefed Media Five Days In Advance? Reinforces “Coziness” That Is Off-Putting To The Public.
On 9 May 2024, the United States Department of State informed representatives of media organizations about the 14/15 May 2024 visit to Kyiv, Ukraine, by Antony Blinken, United States Secretary of State.
Why did ABC, BBC, CBS, CNN, NBC, and PBS journalists, among those with other news organizations, continue to report the visit was a “surprise” when they knew in advance? The visit was not officially announced, so reporting as “officially unannounced” would have been accurate.
Media organizations have continued to engage with officials in “on background” briefings when there is no rationale for the officials to be anonymous.
These are reasons for the public to remain suspicious of the relationship between those who cover and those who are covered. For many voters, they see performance rather than reporting.