Embargoed News?

Hobbes

Found this on my travels..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2005/10_october/06/bush.shtml

News story is about how Bush claimed God told him to invade Iraq. but the start of the story mentions it is embargoed until a set time. Any reason for this?

whiskeyman

Hobbes wrote:

Found this on my travels..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2005/10_october/06/bush.shtml

News story is about how Bush claimed God told him to invade Iraq. but the start of the story mentions it is embargoed until a set time. Any reason for this?

It's a popular thing done for press releases.
Just means that the organisations that the release is meant for are asked not to publish/link the info elsewhere until that time.
It helps co-ordinate the timing of campaigns.
For example, many news organisations are given documents by the Government (speeches etc..) before they are published / spoken so they can prepare their reports on them
If the organisation fails to adhere to the set embargo, the issuer of the press release will think twice about giving them early access again.
It's an agreement built on trust.

whiskeyman

Forgot to mention why the Beeb embargoed this item...
This has already been advertised on the station and is set to be a big series for them - Arafat, Clinton and a lot more gave interviews.
Having this story about Bush will be a clincher for many to tune in - and keeping this item back until now allows for the jornos to hype it over Friday and the weekend (especially over the "whats on" sections) , thus giving the series a better build up to its first Monday evening showing.

MrJoeSoap

Its on ITV now.

aidan_walsh

Auntie Beeb herself carries the official rebuttal.

The White House has dismissed as "absurd" allegations made in a BBC TV series that President Bush claimed God told him to invade Iraq.

"He's never made such comments," White House spokesman Scott McClellan said.