Thursday, August 30, 2012

The NYT, Eager to Serve the CIA

Another proud day for the Newspaper of Record.  Mazzetti is the NYT reporter the CIA selected in 2007 and 2009 to information-launder its "leaks" about the existence, nature, and size of its torture tapes.  I used the incident, and excerpts of Mazzetti's laundering, in Inside Out.  Not surprised to learn more about the extent to which the agency treats Mazzetti like an asset, or that he's comfortable in the role.

I imagine Mazzetti rationalizes by telling himself he's just doing favors for "access."  His masters at the spy agency will have no such illusions about the nature of the relationship.  I'm sure they're grateful for his service.


Update: In response to a question on Facebook, I had this to say:

Anyone who read Mazzetti's reporting would have known how he was being used as far back as five years ago, or longer. In Inside Out, I was just describing what was obvious.

Which is itself interesting:  I had, and needed, no special access to understand how the CIA was running Mazzetti.  Access is overrated.  Critical judgment in media production and media consumption matters much more.  Google I.F. Stone for more...

1 comment:

dougR said...

"Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." --George Orwell.

Mazzetti, no matter what he thinks he's doing, is nothing but a PR flack for the CIA. Most of those over-compensated, self-glorifying nitwits who water down truth to protect their "access," are nothing but PR flacks. I.F. Stone, Sy Hersh, those were reporters. Too bad we don't have actual reporting being done anymore. I appreciate your incisiveness at pointing it out.