Bloomberg, Reuters subscriptions being cancelled

Federal government agencies are cancelling subscriptions to Bloomberg News, Reuters and the Economist, among other publications, reports Jeremy Barr and John Hudson of The Washington Post.

Barr and Hudson report, “A Feb. 11 memo sent to embassies and consulates in Europe described the mandate as part of an effort to reduce spending. The email read, in part, ‘Considering this priority, posts are asked to immediately place Stop Work Orders on all non-mission critical contracts/purchase orders for media subscriptions (publications, periodicals, and newspaper subscriptions) that are not academic or professional journals.’

“The mandate applies globally, to hundreds of U.S. embassies and consulates, according to a State Department official who spoke with The Post on Tuesday on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters. Embassy security teams rely on news coverage to prepare for diplomatic travel in conflict zones. The cancellation of subscriptions — including to local news outlets — could hinder their assessments of threats, the official said.

“A Friday memo directed procurement teams at embassies and consulates to prioritize the termination of contracts with six news organizations in particular: the Economist, the New York Times, Politico, Bloomberg News, the Associated Press and Reuters.

Read more here.