Is the Associated Press a willing collaborator with Pyongyang? AP top management refuses to answer that question.
Fortunately, the excellent and embarrassed reporters of the AP are more than willing to do their job to bring the unfiltered truth to free people.
Stay tuned for an article on the inside scoop of the ethical compromises that North Korea requires the free press to agree to, in writing, in order to cut a deal with world's most repressive government.
I will be publishing an article in the next several days, which corporate PR hacks of the Associated Press just messaged me regarding. Below is the message of the AP Director of Media Relations and my response:
"Mr. Thayer:
Thank you for your list of requests regarding AP's bureau in Pyongyang.
Your recent blogging about AP in North Korea and your additional writing about AP on Facebook present such a strikingly hostile view that it clearly would be unproductive to discuss our bureau operations with you.
Cheers,
Paul Colford
Director of AP Media Relations
The information contained in this communication is intended for the use
of the designated recipients named above. If the reader of this
communication is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified
that you have received this communication in error, and that any review,
dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly
prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please
notify The Associated Press immediately by telephone at +1-212-621-1898
and delete this email. Thank you.
[IP_US_DISC]"
And my response:
"Dear Mr. Colford:
Thanks for your most revealing email.
As you know, I quite intentionally never sent you a message. My "list of requests regarding AP's bureau in Pyongyang" was a formality I scribbled after I already obtained the information I sought.
I have been on to your sordid sort for a while.
I sent my questions to other, actual journalists with real jobs who could-unlike yourself- actually answer them, including John Daniszewski, Senior Managing Editor of International News of The Associated Press.
I understand you are in charge of the AP Public Relations department, which you seem to have confirmed by your entirely useless, non-substantive response.
What exactly do they pay you people to do, anyways?
Certainly not, in my 30 year experience as a journalist, to offer any useful or accurate information .
Why on earth would any sane journalist send you, of all people, a message? I did not message you because I don't need to.
I spent months speaking with actual AP reporters who do actual work for the Associated Press-exactly as I did as an AP bureau chief and correspondent when I worked for the AP when you were a young pup looking for a purpose in life.
I hate to break it to you, pal, but you are, to be blunt, irrelevant.
My job is to gather information to organize a documented, fair, well sourced story of interest to the common good.
Your job is to separate the truth from free people.
For the record, I oppose that.
All that my life work stands for and has meaning, you are against.
On your good days, PR hacks are a running sore seeping puss obfuscating the truth. Normally, you just are common liars.
A s a reporter with no allegiance to anyone but my readers, I find your entire genre and profession anathema.
If I was drunk-which I am not, unfortunately, after having read your annoying missive-I would probably say you are Satan's messenger. But sober-and I am trying to kind here-my off the cuff take here is that you are a common street-walker to my high-class hooker, as it were.
Honestly, let me give you some unsolicited advice: You PR hacks, really, should get a real job. Hopefully you have bankrolled enough already off the backs of us journalists who actually work for a living to take a reprieve and get retrained to do something that actually contributes to the greater good.
You are, quite frankly, the enemy of bringing unfiltered truth to the common good. Your entire professional raison d'être is really not much different from a ten-cent, drug addled street hooker-you guys just get paid more for lying about how much you are enthralled by your paying clients package.
Once you are separated from your Brooks Brothers off the rack suit and your expense account, really, what else is left?
Certainly not the truth.
While I appreciate-mainly because it gave me fodder for this rough draft rant- your unsolicited message, there is a reason I never contacted you: because you have never worked for a living involving, nor have first hand knowledge of, any issue I am interested in reporting on.
I have no use for you. PR hacks are like an annoying drunk in a packed bar-sort of hard to extricate oneself from but always a pain in the ass.
You are irrelevant to me. You are, on your best days, a minor distraction, like a mosquito in a malarial zone. An ever-present threat who contributes nothing positive.
Let us be honest here: PR hacks are nothing but trained professional liars-a metastasized cancer currently infecting free societies whose purpose is to separate the truth from free people. What makes you different from a street-walker for hire available to stake out whatever dark alley is controlled by the guy flashing the biggest wad of cash in his pocket?
I learned long ago that, as a rule, you people just take orders from whatever pimp supports your habit, willing to get on your knees and unzip the pants of whoever shows the most cash first, and committed only , in your case, to running interference on bringing accurate truth to the common good of free people everywhere.
That is why I never contacted you. And why I had my ducks in order before you could ever become aware of the topic I am interested in reporting on, so you could fuck it up.
I hate to break it to you, Paul, but the horse is already out of your barn. I have already spoken to dozens of people who-unlike yourself- actually produce work for the AP. I work from the bottom up. I took considerable care to prevent you from interfering before I obtained the information that would be substantive for my story.
I suspect you will now get on the horn and try to intimidate and prevent the actual hard-working AP employees who have devoted their lives to bring the truth to AP readers.
Honestly, you are a bit late for that.
If you do, I suspect they will quite happily detail your sordid attempt to obfuscate or censor the truth, as well. I look forward to that, as it will make a quite nice sidebar to the main story.
Which, by the way, is ready to publish despite your attempt to become a player in a game which has already concluded.
I always wait to message you PR people immediately prior to publishing what accurate, cogent, corroborated, information of import to the common good of free people I already have obtained.
So thanks for your message saying that the Associated Press formally has no comment to 31 substantive, specific questions I meticulously wrote and onpassed to numerous AP employees. Thankfully, I already received substantive replies to all the questions from people with real jobs who work for the AP.
That was the plan.
A bit more unsolicited advice, Paul: Remember, it is not usually when someone fucks up which is the scandal: It is the cover up.
That is your job.
Good luck with that.
I am sure we will be in touch soon-I am guessing shortly after my article which you refused to comment on is published.
Best of luck,
Nate
****************************************************************************
Here is the unredacted text of the letter sent to the Associated Press which prompted the above exchange:
Fm: Nate Thayer
North Korea News
To: John Daniszewski
Senior Managing Editor of International News of The Associated Press
Re: Questions for AP on the Associated Press bureau in Pyongyang
Date: November 19, 2014 12:02 EST
Dear John Daniszewski:
First of all, I apologize for the embarrassing length of this message, but I think you will agree the topic requires being comprehensive.
My name is Nate Thayer and I am a journalist who concentrates on Asia, with a particular focus on North Korea. As an aside, I am a former AP reporter and Cambodia bureau chief for the AP. While an AP correspondent, I spent a month in North Korea on assignment for the AP.
I worked for many years for the Far Eastern Economic Review based in Asia, and I have written for several hundred media outlets since. Currently, I work for the specialist news organization North Korea News.
I am doing a profile on the AP bureau in Pyongyang and would very much like to speak, on the record, to whomever in the AP is appropriate and is involved in the news product generated from Pyongyang, about the unique issues faced by running an AP office in North Korea.
These might include your NK correspondents based in Pyongyang, your print and photographic bureau chief, APTN folks, editors in Bangkok and New York, management involved in securing and overseeing the operation of the AP Pyongyang bureau, and others.
I have spoken to several dozen people while researching this story, both in and outside North Korea, in and outside of the AP, and media and other organizations in Korea, elsewhere in Asia, and in the U.S.
I have a deadline of Friday November 21 at noon EST when the story profiling the AP Pyongyang bureau will be published.
Here are some of the questions I would like the AP to respond to on the record:
*****I am requesting a copy of the MoU signed by AP in June, 2011 and the final agreement signed in January, 2012 and any other agreements signed by the AP with the DPRK regarding the terms and mutual agreements of opening and operating the AP Pyongyang bureau.
*What are the terms of the written agreements Associated Press executives signed with the DPRK representatives in June, 2011 and January, 2012 that resulted in the opening and operation of the AP news bureau in Pyongyang in January, 2012.
*Why has the AP declined to date to release the MOU or final written agreement with the DPRK, and declined comment on whatever restrictions, provisions, or terms those documents include.
*What was the selection process and terms for how AP selected the 2 AP staff members currently based in Pyongyang? What exactly are the credentials and biographies of journalist Pak Won Il and photographer Kim Kwang Hyon. Where have they worked prior to joining the AP? What formal training, schooling, and experience, if any, do they have? What were the qualities that made them attractive to the AP? How big exactly was the pool of candidates that you had to choose from?
*Kim is said to have worked prior with Kyodo news? Was he employed by them? If so when and for how long?
*Pak is said to have "multimedia experience at KCNA" and "lived in Thailand for part of his youth." How long did Pak work for KCNA and in what capacities? How old is he? When was he in Thailand and doing what while residing there? Where did he learn English? Has he every published in English and if so when and for whom? Do you have examples of his previously published journalism?
*Does AP have uninterrupted two way communication (via internet connections and any other electronic means) between the AP bureau in Pyongyang and where the stories are edited in Bangkok?
*Can AP editors query the Pyongyang reporters submitted copy for clarification, sourcing, adds and subs?
*Can AP Pyongyang communicate with other AP bureaus for input and vice verse as is standard elsewhere?
*If the Pyongyang bureau chief is out of country, who supervises the AP staff reporters at the bureau to ensure AP guidelines are met?
*What is the salary of the two Pyongyang based reporters?
*Does AP pay the two North Korean AP staffers their salary directly to them? Or does AP pay their salaries to some other person or entity for distribution to them indirectly?
*Are the two AP staffers based in Pyongyang allowed to freelance for any other media or hold other employment by North Korean entities?
*What does the AP pay for rent of their office space? And to whom is that paid?
*Does the AP employ or have contractual financial agreements with any other support staff in Pyongyang such as secretaries, drivers, admin, or interns etc?
*Does AP pay them directly or does the AP pay some other entity with the understanding it will be all directed to the AP employees.
*Does the AP have any other contractual agreements with other entities in North Korea that requires AP to pay additional fees?
*Does the KCNA have access to any of the AP reporting prior to it being published?
*Does the North Korean government exercise any influence over any decisions on what can be or not be reported or released?
*Matthew Miller was detained after he arrived in Pyongyang on April 10, 2014 and released by North Korea on November 8. During that time, Miller was interviewed by the AP several times and the AP wrote several stories datelined Pyongyang regarding Miller.
I have spoken extensively and on the record with Matthew Miller regarding his 4 separate interviews with AP and APTN and AP and APTN's coverage of his September trial.
I would like to read and view the details-including unedited transcripts and videos- of the interviews with Matthew Miller that were conducted by the AP and APTN in Pyongyang, as well as the AP coverage of Miller's September 14 trial.
My understanding is that AP's coverage of Miller included 4 separate interviews of him in Pyongyang-APTN on August 1, AP on August 4, AP on September 1, the September 14 trial in PY (attended by an AP correspondent, an AP photographer, and an APTN video shooter), and a September 24 interview by APTN. All resulted in AP news stories datelined Pyongyang, except for the August 4 interview. My questions regarding AP's coverage of Miller include:
*The August 1 interview was conducted by APTN Pyongyang North Korean APTN bureau staffers. The dateline of the AP story was Pyongyang and the byline was Eric Talmadge. Was Eric present at the interview? If not, why not? If he was not, was he present in Pyongyang? Did he interview the APTN reporters for his story? Did he view the entire raw video?
*The August 4 interview with Miller was conducted by 2 North Koreans who identified themselves as working for the AP by presenting AP business cards. What were the questions asked during that interview? Why was no story (at least according to my records) published at that time? Who were the two AP correspondents present? Was Eric in country at that time?
*On September 1, AP conducted another interview with Miller in Pyongyang. Who conducted that interview from the AP? What AP staffers were present? What was asked of Miller during that interview and who asked the questions? Was Eric in North Korea at the time and was he present at the interview?
*The September 14 approximately 90 minute trial of Miller was attended for its entirety by both the AP staff photographer and staff writer in Pyongyang, and by at least one APTN cameraman? Did the AP record that trial with audio? Did the AP staff reporters view the entire unedited video footage? Did they return an unedited copy of their reportage to the AP and was it viewed by the AP prior to reporting on it? Did any of the reporting-either photographs, audio, notes, or video-get vetted first by the North Korean authorities or KCNA?
*The September 24 APTN interview of Miller where APTN interviewed Miller also included still photographs of Miller's letters to a number of US government officials and others? How did AP acquire those? Did AP take the actual still photographs of the documents or were they provided to the AP by others? If so, whom?
*Was the AP chief photographer present at any of the encounters with Miller?
*Was Eric Talmadge present at any of the encounters with Miller?
*Were any of the interviews with Miller AP conducted by KCNA staffers who then supplied transcripts or video to the AP later?
*Please provide the full video and transcripts of all four of the AP interviews with Miller that were available and on the record
*Are employees of the KCNA ever allowed to present themselves as AP reporters during interviews in order to later provide news content to the AP?
*Was the AP ever instructed on what questions or topics they could ask or broach during any of the four encounters with Miller?
*Does AP's MOU and/or any other agreements with North Korea or the KCNA explicitly give the AP the right to control unrestricted interviews, reporting, or what questions are asked? Or vice verse?
*Does KCNA control or edit or choose or distribute photos taken by the AP staff photographer Kim Kwang Hyon? Does he also work for KCNA? If KCNA distributes photos taken by Kim Kwang Hyon, do they credit AP with having taken those photos? And vice verse?
* Does KCNA control or edit or choose or distribute reportage performed by the AP staff journalist Pak Won Il? Does he also work for KCNA? If KCNA distributes reportage taken by Pak Kwang Il, does KCNA credit AP with having performed and financed and conducted that reporting work? And vice verse?
The above are some of the more urgent questions, but I have more. I remain eager to hear any other issues regarding the operation of the AP Pyongyang bureau that the AP feels pertinent or of priority.
I am an investigative journalist and I learned most of my trade craft under the guidelines and standards of the AP as a young AP reporter working out of the Bangkok and Cambodia bureaus. I take them very seriously and my article will strictly reflect the AP's own internal AP News Values and Principles and the AP Statement of Ethical Principles.
I do not do opinion or advocacy journalism. I am only interested in a documented, properly sourced, and corroborated reportage.
However, I have been working on this story for some time and I feel confident I have sufficient material to publish now.
I very much want to make sure that I get this story not only reported according to minimum standards of quality journalistic practices, but to make sure they reflect the nuances and grey areas on anything published. I feel that I have had interviewed enough sources and acquired enough documentation to publish now, having met those above standards.
I want to make sure that the AP has every opportunity to address-on the record-every specific and general issue raised by the article. But I can only do that if I have the cooperation of the appropriate AP staff. I am happy to speak on different attribution agreements.
I very much look forward to hearing from you today.
Best regards,
Nate Thayer ■