5 ms·

> "It's a journalist's task to ask autocratic rulers critical questions." Yes in theory.. Look at it from a "who benefits and how, POV" and this puff piece make

> "It's a journalist's task to ask autocratic rulers critical questions." Yes in theory.. Look at it from a "who benefits and how, POV" and this puff piece makes sense. Oil's been bearish for a remarkable length of time. It's in Bloomberg's best interests to make the ME look less like a one-trick pony so general market consensus goes up (any volatility = TV going off mute + viewership retention & people going to their Bloomberg terminals, etc). It's in the journo's best interests because he gets '8 exclusive unprecedented hours' upping his profile so his executive editor will choose him for the next interview with Bill Gross or whomever. It's in the House of Saud's best interest for a wide variety of reasons. Everyone's got to get their pound (Franc, greenback, yen, ruble, or .. ) W/r/t having a nation with a PR/lobby in the US - I guarantee you every nation with a GDP of eh maybe half a trillion will have one. Look at the registered employee list of K-street firms and their clientele. The closest thing you'll get to 'hard hitting questions' (and I'm not talking hit-pieces, I'm talking about Kronkite and Murrow) is the BBC Newshour (Lyse Ducette and Owen Bennet Jones -- though Americans find it dry, I couldn't love their coverage more, although it's a bit of a family love-affair), PBS Newshour (basically everyone on their staff), and to some extent Shane & Sooresh's VICE which has retained some of the best producers and on-the-ground coverage I've seen in recent news.

usefulcat 10y ago
> Oil's been bearish for a remarkable length of time. Yes, and it's largely because of Saudi Arabia: "Saudi Arabia has maintained a high level of oil production despite the slump in crude oil prices, arguing it needs to protect its market share in an economy in flux because of the glut of U.S. oil." http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Energy-Industry/2015/07/13/Saudi-oil-production-at-new-high/5171436789895/ http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Energy-Industry/2015/07/13/...
vidarh 10y ago
> I guarantee you every nation with a GDP of eh maybe half a trillion will have one. Look at the registered employee list of K-street firms and their clientele. Case in point: Here[1] is an article that spends a considerable chunk talking about how Norway pours money into Brookings Institution and Center for Global Development and others to influence US policy. "The country has committed at least $24 million to an array of Washington think tanks over the past four years, according to a tally by The Times, transforming these nonprofits into a powerful but largely hidden arm of the Norway Foreign Affairs Ministry. " Lobbying the US government is basically essential for any foreign power because of the outsize influence the US has on the world. [1] http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/07/us/politics/foreign-powers-buy-influence-at-think-tanks.html?_r=0 http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/07/us/politics/foreign-powers...

usefulcat 10y ago

> Oil's been bearish for a remarkable length of time. Yes, and it's largely because of Saudi Arabia: "Saudi Arabia has maintained a high level of oil production despite the slump in crude oil prices, arguing it needs to protect its market share in an economy in flux because of the glut of U.S. oil." http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Energy-Industry/2015/07/13/Saudi-oil-production-at-new-high/5171436789895/ http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Energy-Industry/2015/07/13/...

vidarh 10y ago

> I guarantee you every nation with a GDP of eh maybe half a trillion will have one. Look at the registered employee list of K-street firms and their clientele. Case in point: Here[1] is an article that spends a considerable chunk talking about how Norway pours money into Brookings Institution and Center for Global Development and others to influence US policy. "The country has committed at least $24 million to an array of Washington think tanks over the past four years, according to a tally by The Times, transforming these nonprofits into a powerful but largely hidden arm of the Norway Foreign Affairs Ministry. " Lobbying the US government is basically essential for any foreign power because of the outsize influence the US has on the world. [1] http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/07/us/politics/foreign-powers-buy-influence-at-think-tanks.html?_r=0 http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/07/us/politics/foreign-powers...