The NYTimes reports on the news outlets who observed a 10-week request to hold off on reporting that Prince Harry was fighting in Afghanistan. CNN was among them.
The story was first reported on Drudge Report Thursday morning. The cable news networks almost immediately picked up the news from Drudge, dispatching their London correspondents.
The Times reports, “The Associated Press, Reuters and CNN also joined the agreement. American newspapers including The New York Times were not made aware of the British press blackout.” CNN International’s EVP Tony Maddox told the Times, “Newspapers and broadcasts can behave themselves better than people think they can when a security situation is involved.”
Still, there is a growing debate about the weeks-kept secret. In fact, where it all began, on Drudge today, there is a link to a Reuters story questioning “whether it was right for the media to keep quiet about it for so long.”