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Strange things happened when this reporter telephoned the Larry King
Live program in Washington and CNN headquarters in Atlanta in an
effort to get their side of the story reported by Robert Fisk in the British
newspaper, the Independent. (See Was CNN involved in a NATO
effort to assassinate the Serbian information minister?)
I asked to speak to Larry King's press spokesperson and was connected
to Deirdre Kline, the publicist for the Larry King Live program. After
identifying myself as a journalist with the World Socialist Web Site, I
drew Ms. Kline's attention to the Independent article, whereupon she
declared, “Oh, I have to take another call. It will just be a minute and I'll
call you right back.”
Some twenty minutes later I telephoned CNN's office in Washington
once again and asked for Deirdre Kline. “Deirdre Kline doesn't work
here anymore,” said the voice on the other end.
“But I spoke to her not twenty minutes ago,” I replied. There was a
pause and a flustered question: “Who does she work for?” I explained
that Ms. Kline is the publicist for the Larry King Live show.
Next I found myself speaking to a man, who apparently knew of Ms.
Kline and was even able to put me through to her extension. I can't say I
was shocked when I failed to get the live Ms. Kline and instead got her
answering machine. I left the obligatory message, and have since left one
or two more, without receiving a reply.
Next I called CNN headquarters in Atlanta. There I spoke with Megan
Mahoney, a public relations official for CNN News. She knew of the
Fisk article, and would be happy to respond to its suggestion that Larry
King Live, in coordination with NATO military planners, sought to lure
the Serbian information minister into the TV center in Belgrade at
precisely the time it was to be bombed.
“If you don't mind, I would like to reread the article and get back to you
shortly,” said Ms. Mahoney. Her last words were to the effect that she
might refer the matter to her boss.
No surprise, Ms. Mahoney never called, and subsequent telephone calls
to her office have never gotten beyond her answering machine.
See Also:
Was CNN involved in a NATO effort to assassinate the Serbian
information minister?
[8 July 1999]
After the Slaughter:
Political Lessons of the Balkan War
[14 June 1999]
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