How Govts. Mishandle News Services...By Choice?

Something I spotted at the blog of someone I know only as the self-described "Fine Young Journalist" that caught my eye, a mini-essay entitled "How to Lose Friends and Influence People".

It makes a bit more sense than I really want it to right now. There's an occasionally natural adversarial relationship between governments and news services, and to some extent, it does serve us all reasonably well at times. But I can't help but think that there are times and places and ways in which it can go too far for anyone's good.

I may be wrong, in which case I'd be interested in the counter-argument.