CALGARY—A new central media line for journalists to reach government spokespeople is placing a barrier on the government’s accountability to the public, say experts. The Alberta government introduced a central point of contact to reach their spokespeople last Friday, saying it will ensure inquiries are addressed as quickly as possible. Last week, the Alberta government introduced a dedicated central phone number and email address to respond to all media requests. Alberta government spokesperson Shannon Greer says the government’s goal in making this move was to provide easier and timely access to information for journalists. While British Columbia doesn’t have a dedicated media line of its own to access ministries, Travis said he was familiar with his questions being ignored by provincial politicians.

Source: thestar November 07, 2018 02:17 UTC