Heidi Blake Says Sensitive CEN Story Needs Careful Handling And More Response Time

This 7 April 2015 email chain shows Heidi Blake telling Alan White and Luke Lewis that her understanding was the CEN article would be held until Robert Colvile returned because it was a “sensitive story” that needed “careful handling”. She asks whether Alan has had any word from Mike Leidig and says that, if BuzzFeed is finished trying to talk to CEN staffers “who he could shut down”, they should get a detailed front-up letter written and ready to send. Blake adds: “I think the more time we give him to respond the better.” The chronology is significant because this is already April, after BuzzFeed had been working on the CEN investigation for months, yet senior staff were still discussing timing, strategy, direct contact with Leidig, attempts to speak to CEN staffers, and the need for a detailed right-to-reply letter. The document is therefore useful because it shows BuzzFeed internally recognising both the sensitivity of the article and the importance of allowing proper response time, even while the team was still trying to decide how to get the story finished.

Source

Part of Central European News & Mike Leidig v BuzzFeed (US Second Circuit Libel Case) – BF Case Documents

Europe Media Published 1 May 2026 at 21:09 Source: 1 November 2016