NBC correspondent Richard Engel is missing in Syria, along with his Turkish news producer. Reports are saying he has been missing since last Thursday. NBC News is apparently asking for a blackout from all other news media about his disappearance.
Gawker, held the story 24 hours, before breaking the blackout.
Terrible news. I hope they’re safe, but it’s easy to picture the worst with everything that has been happening in Syria recently.
Based on that explanation of why Gawker failed to abide by the request for a news blackout on a missing reporter, I might just start a Pit thread. That’s just unbelievable.
I’m sure anyone else in a different profession would get the same news blackout for their safety.
Actually, I think Gawker’s correct. If Engel’s disappearance was being discussed in non-English language press and openly on Twitter, then NBC is naive to try and prevent the discussion. If it’s already on Twitter, it’s too late to try and shut the barn door.
I see your point, because the OP did link to that Xinhua article… Oh wait, it didn’t.
I agree. Fuck NBC. Do you think that the ghouls over there would ask for a news blackout if an engineer or a teacher went missing.
Right: if the status of the reporters had already been broadcast around the world and was circulating on Twitter, there is no blackout. And while I expect NBC to act out of an abundance of caution to try to protect these people, if there is no specific evidence to substantiate the need for a blackout, then there shouldn’t be one.
If they thought there was a good chance that publicizing it could get that person killed? Yeah, I think so. That being said, it sounds like that proverbial horse already escaped the barn.
Is an aid worker the same profession as a journalist?
Clearly you have more respect for that profession than I do.
This much is true.
I hope, assuming he survives, he comes out of it with a great story.
If he was kidnapped, how would making it public or hiding the info affect his health one way or another?
If the kidnappers knew how big a deal he is, it might change things. It might raise the ransom price, or it might make for more publicity than they ever dreamed of if they kill him. They might already know this or they might not, but best not to advertise it.
Demands by the kidnappers.
It was reported that during the kidnapping of a New York Times reporter, the blackout was primarily motivated to get the captors to reduce their demands so that a deal could be quickly reached to allow the reporter’s release. The thinking goes that if nobody seems to care that someone is missing, it will be easier to talk them out of unreasonable demands. Also, denying the captors a grand stage if they intend to do the worst to the captive.
There’s also the concern that if kidnappings are consistently widely publicized (or result in huge payoffs), more and more bad guys will target the press for hostage taking. Sort of analogous to the Somali pirate phenomenon.
I’m pretty sure that the kidnappers are familiar with Google and NBC had no problem blaring out reports about Somali pirates and their hostages.
Have they looked in Newton Connecticut? All the other newsman are there. Why should Engel be any different.
I hope they find him.