| (InDepthNH.org) At 1:36 p.m. today I emailed Ben Vihstadt, Gov. Chris Sununu’s press secretary, Jake Leon, press secretary for DHHS, Attorney General Gordon MacDonald and Deputy Attorney General Jane Young asking to speak with someone about an opinion MacDonald had written that I am going to write about. They don’like phone calls. At 3:44 p.m. I received a response from the AG’s former press secretary who is on loan to the pandemic’s Joint Information Office, saying “The opinion you are referring to is available on this page,…” .She didn’t get back to me when I asked why I couldn’t speak with someone and could not interview the governor or public health officials. I did receive an email from Ben saying I had plenty of opportunity to question the governor at press conferences. Reporters who call in get one or two questions lumped together then are muted so there are no follow-up questions. And only one reporter per news outlet so Paula Tracy often asks our questions. You may have noticed if you watch WMUR that Gov. Sununu often stars on the 5, 5:30 and 6 o’clock news and makes available his health officers and other important officials to the TV station. I don’t think we are the only news outlet that is expected to be satisfied to run Gov. Sununu’s news releases, be quiet and watch WMUR. You have a right to know. In the old days the governor or the attorney general responded personally and if you called them at home (on their listed numbers), they picked up the phone. Today, we have more spokesmen than reporters. And less factual information. Nancy West InDepthNH.org |
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