$40,000 PAYMENT: CNN DISOWNS US FIRM OVER JONATHAN’S INTERVIEW

The Cable News Network (CNN), has denied being paid, or contacted by American lobbying firm, Fleishman-Hillard, for a 2010 interview with President Goodluck Jonathan, contradicting the firm’s claim that it contacted CNN, and other media for a string of interviews, the Premium Times reports.

According to the online medium, Fleishman-Hillard, contracted through a Nigerian consultant to the presidency, Caser’s group, was to receive $58,200 to pitch interviews with advocacy groups, and major media outlets including Reuters, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, CNN and Bloomberg.

But in its  filings to the US Justice Department, the company claimed that while it reached the media organizations, it only succeeded in securing a CNN interview for Jonathan. It added that its fee was lowered by $20,000 after the rest of the interviews were rescheduled.

CNN has however denied arranging its interviews through agencies, specifically denying receiving contacts, or funds, from Fleishman-Hillard to speak to Mr. Jonathan.

The CNN’s claim has now stirred fresh questions concerning the services the firm delivered for the president to warrant payment of thousands of dollars in public funds to it.

“We never have to deal with agencies for interviews. We don’t work for the government of Nigeria, and Nigeria does not work for us, so there’s no reason to make payments,” a spokesperson for CNN, Jennifer Dargan, told Premium Timesby telephone.

“CNN does not pay for interviews; we don’t pay for interviews and we don’t receive money for interviews. Not CNN.”

Asked specifically whether there was an understanding between the broadcast station and Fleishman-Hillard for setting up interviews, Ms. Dargan replied, “No, no!”

Fleishman-Hillard declined to state in exact details what its services to the presidency involved. In a previous emailed response to Premium Times, the firm said the deal was a “one time” arrangement, that entailed “communication services”.

Contacted last week on why it claimed to have contacted CNN when indeed it did not, the company said it would not discuss further details of a job completed three years back.

“Fleishman-Hillard cannot provide any further details on the work completed in 2010,” a Nigerian representative for the company, The Quadrant company, said.

But the company admitted it didn’t share the funds released to it by the presidency with the CNN. It kept the entire sum to itself even when the service it rendered remained unclear.

A spokesperson, Eyitayo Olatoye, said the firm never transferred funds it received to CNN or other outlets for the interview with the president; confirming CNN’s claim, but stoking even more concerns about what service it delivered that  justifies the firm’s $60,000 bill to the presidency.

 “Fleishman-Hillard however categorically stated that no money was paid to any media organization or media representative at any point,” Mr. Olatoye said.

LEADERSHIP recalls that the Presidency had in its reaction to the matter, insisted that it never paid any amount to the US firm, adding that the interview was a private-driven venture.

Source: Leadership