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CDC Media Guidance Blacklists VOA Interview Requests

Jessica Jerreat

   WASHINGTON - A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention email
   released under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) tells
   communications staff to ignore media requests from Voice of America,
   according to documents published by the Knight First Amendment
   Institute.

   Documents released under the FOIA include an April 30 email sent from
   Michawn Rich with the subject "Rundown." The email describes a CDC
   media request process to help a co-worker named Rachael to "navigate
   [her] new role."

   Rich, a Department of Agriculture spokesperson, was moved to the CDC to
   help handle communications related to the pandemic earlier this year,
   [1]Politico reported.

   Under a section on approving media requests before they are sent to the
   Department of Health and Human Services or Office of the Vice
   President, [2]the email states: "NOTE: as a rule, do not send up
   requests for Greta Van Sustern [sic] or anyone affiliated with Voice of
   America."

   It then links to a [3]story published in the White House daily
   newsletter that accused the U.S.-funded broadcaster of promoting
   foreign propaganda.

References

   1. https://www.politico.com/newsletters/morning-agriculture/2020/03/26/stimulus-inbound-whats-in-it-for-ag-786406
   2. https://knightcolumbia.org/documents/8c472ba28a/20200609_Email-from-CDC-re-Rundown-of-processes-for-press-inquiries.pdf
   3. https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/amid-a-pandemic-voice-of-america-spends-your-money-to-promote-foreign-propaganda/

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