War breaks out between Fox News and the Obama administration

[Peikko 1,575]

War has officially been declared after months of skirmishing.

First to the front was Fox News' latest star, Glenn Beck, who laid out the battle plan with a map, a couple of toy tanks and a plastic attack helicopter.

"What a bunch of warmongers we have in the White House. America is fighting the war in Iraq, they're fighting in Afghanistan, Osama Bin Laden, al-Qaida, the Taliban. And now these people have taken on another enemy: Fox News," said the anchor who once wept out of patriotic fervour as he introduced Sarah Palin.

"I want to show you right where the enemy is located," said Beck as he circled Rupert Murdoch's Fox News headquarters in green ink on a map of New York. "This is the enemy, America!"

Like many wars, it wasn't hard to see this one coming but the formal declaration of hostilities still caught almost everyone off guard.

Anita Dunn, the White House communications director, fired the first shot of the formal conflict at the weekend when she said that Obama had refused to appear on Fox News last month, when he was doing a round of interviews on other stations to promote healthcare reform, because the most watched cable news channel in America deals in rightwing propaganda not news.

"Fox News often operates either as the research arm or the communications arm of the Republican party," she said. "They take their talking points, put them on the air; take their opposition research, put them on the air. And that's fine. But let's not pretend they're a news network the way CNN is.... We're going to treat them the way we would treat an opponent."

Fox's two most excitable presenters, Beck and Bill O'Reilly, are spearheading the counterattack.

"They're more worried about the war on Fox than the actual war in Afghanistan," said Beck.

O'Reilly blustered that the criticism he gets from different quarters is evidence that he is even-handed. He then went on to attack the rest of the press for "rhapsodic" coverage of Obama and described the New York Times as "as far left as you can get".

Fox News said that the White House was failing to distinguish between its news reporters and commentators who the channel readily admits are conservatives. But the administration says that is because it is almost impossible to make the distinction when the network is so often actively involved in promoting a political agenda.

Scott McClellan, a press secretary to George Bush, has said that the White House regularly gave talking points to Fox News to promote the administration's agenda.

Fox News vice president, Bill Shine, has described the channel as "the voice of the opposition on some issues". To its critics it is more like an attack dog.

The network has riled the White House by vigorously promoting conservative "tea party" protests against Obama earlier this year, named after the Boston Tea Party revolt against British rule. Fox gave great publicity to the demonstrations beforehand and then extensive live coverage as its presenters revelled in what they characterised as a spontaneous populist revolt against an increasingly burdensome government. At one point, a Fox News producer was filmed telling part of the crowd at a "tea party" protest in Washington when to cheer for the cameras.

Similarly, Fox News gave great prominence to opposition to Obama's plans for healthcare reforms, heavily promoting meetings at which the president was characterised as a Nazi and a communist.

At other times, Fox News appears guided by a philosophy of Keep Fear Alive. Viewers are regularly reminded of the government's terror alert level although it rarely changes. The administration is attacked for endangering America with its proposals to dismantle the prison at Guantánamo Bay.

O'Reilly has wrapped himself in the flag of patriotism - he sells mugs and caps on his website with the legend "American Patriot" - and persistently questioned the loyalty of those with views different to his own. This includes Obama for his efforts to improve relations with the rest of the world.

What might have remained robust political differences entered a different realm in July after Obama criticised a white policeman who arrested the Harvard professor, Henry Louis Gates. Beck accused the president of "a deep-seated hatred for white people or the white culture."

"I'm not saying he doesn't like white people. I'm saying he has a problem. This guy is, I believe, a racist," he said.

That has prompted an advertising boycott of Beck's show or Fox News as a whole by more than 20 companies, including Waitrose in Britain.

Yet even some of those sympathetic to the White House's view of Fox question the wisdom of open confrontation with a major news network. Fox News is revelling in the publicity, using it to portray itself to a growing viewership as the only network prepared to stand up to the president.

It has some commentators repeating an old adage about newspapers, repeated by Bill Clinton when he was president: "Never pick a fight with people who buy ink by the barrel."

Link

Looks like the Obama admin is going where no man has gone before (personally, I don't agree with this type of interference in the press just so you KNOW)

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

See my siggy. I think that pretty much pegged it.

[Joseph & Ana 0]

I guess the only reason there is no outrage at Olbermann, Madcow, Chris Matthews, etc.. Is because no one watches them.

I still get a chuckle every time Chris gets a tingle up his leg..

[alienlovechild 75]

Looks like the Obama admin is going where no man has gone before (personally, I don't agree with this type of interference in the press just so you KNOW)

This happens when a president needs someone to blame for falling poll numbers and Obama needs Fox as much as Fox needs Obama for better ratings. Nixon, for example, was hated by the press and did what he could to stick to them.

It's easier for Obama to blame political commentators on TV than having to defend his own record. The best magicians use distraction and Obama is still trying to pull a rabbit out of his azz on some issue to dazzle the public.

[alienlovechild 75]

I guess the only reason there is no outrage at Olbermann, Madcow, Chris Matthews, etc.. Is because no one watches them.

I still get a chuckle every time Chris gets a tingle up his leg..

The tingle is from the urine as he is "wee weeing" about negative press coverage of Obama.

[SMOKE 1,426]

Looks like the Obama admin is going where no man has gone before (personally, I don't agree with this type of interference in the press just so you KNOW)

he better back off. this could get ugly for obama.

http://www.reuters.com/article/cyclicalCon...214454620091012

UPDATE 2-GE to have right to sell stake in new NBC venture

Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:13pm EDT

* GE will have right to redeem new NBCU stake for cash

* Deal unlikely to be announced before 3 to 4 weeks

* News Corp, Liberty Media interested in NBC - CNBC (Adds deal details, byline)

By Yinka Adegoke and Anupreeta Das

NEW YORK, Oct 12 (Reuters) - General Electric (GE.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) could start to exit a new NBC Universal joint venture with Comcast Corp (CMCSA.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) as soon as three-and-a-half years after the ink is dried, two people familiar with the talks said on Monday.

Comcast is in talks with NBC Universal's parent company GE to buy a controlling stake in the joint venture that has broadcast and cable channels as well as movies and theme parks

Under the proposal, NBC Universal would become a joint venture 51 percent owned by Comcast and 49 percent by GE. It would be valued at around $30 billion. Comcast would contribute around $4 billion to $6 billion in cash as well as its collection of cable networks to pay for its stake.

The deal has involved a lot of back and forth negotiations between both sides.

But GE, which has been pressured by investors to offload its 80 percent stake in NBC Universal, is considering a host of proposals for the unit, as partner Vivendi SA (VIV.PA: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) explores whether to sell its 20 percent stake.

GE has negotiated a redemption option, that will give it the right to redeem all or part of its stake in the so-called 'newco' in exchange for cash at the three-and-a-half year mark and at a seven-year mark, the sources said. They spoke anonymously because the talks are private.

The new NBC Universal is expected to be able generate enough cash to pay down $9 billion in debt that would be added to its books as part of the deal, and purchase the rest of the company from GE.

"There's a sense there will be sufficient cash flow to do that," said one person familiar with the talks.

But under the deal being negotiated, Comcast would also provide a backstop of around "mid-single billion" dollars, if there is insufficient cash to buy out GE's stake within the agreed time frame, according to the sources.

Talks between Comcast and GE continue, and it is unlikely the two sides will reach a deal in the next three-to-four weeks, a second source said.

Rupert Murdoch's News Corp (NWSA.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and John Malone's Liberty Media Corp (LINTA.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) are also interested in NBC Universal, though neither has approached GE so far, CNBC reported, citing sources.

News Corp, which owns the Fox cable network and local TV stations, had been seen as a less likely bidder, analysts have said, because taking a stake in NBC might raise antitrust concerns with the U.S. government.

Liberty Media has been seen as possible bidder for a minority stake in NBC Universal because of its history of taking minority stakes in big media companies.

GE is likely to prefer a sale to Comcast despite the complex structure of the deal being discussed, rather than explore options that would bring even more complexities, the source added.

Edited October 13, 2009 by SMOKE

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

: But let's not pretend they're a news network the way CNN is....

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Yes I watched this on Fox last night. Their coverage of the issue was self-serving in the best traditions of marketing (in marked constrast to whenever BBC News reports on stories that are critical of the BBC).

[Sofiyya 1,687]

The WH will lose.

[Niels Bohr 72]

Fox News = Fair and Balanced if and only if you're a Republican.

[cdneh 3,112]

Yes I watched this on Fox last night. Their coverage of the issue was self-serving in the best traditions of marketing (in marked constrast to whenever BBC News reports on stories that are critical of the BBC).

Like the other side isn't just as self serving? Nonsense. If you can't defend your policies or lack of action, and someone is reporting on it, shut them down. Tragic.

If you can't perform, attack. Typical. Obama has done nothing of substance at all.

[Peikko 1,575]

Looks like the Obama admin is going where no man has gone before (personally, I don't agree with this type of interference in the press just so you KNOW)

This happens when a president needs someone to blame for falling poll numbers and Obama needs Fox as much as Fox needs Obama for better ratings. Nixon, for example, was hated by the press and did what he could to stick to them.

It's easier for Obama to blame political commentators on TV than having to defend his own record. The best magicians use distraction and Obama is still trying to pull a rabbit out of his azz on some issue to dazzle the public.

Well, that's certainly one explanation.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

It was interesting - they reported this story on the Brit Hume show at about 6, and then every single show after that was banging on about it as if it was the only thing worth talking about.

[cdneh 3,112]

Fox News = Fair and Balanced if and only if you're a Republican.

CNN et all...need to report ALL the news. Not just the bits that don't make the present occupant of the white house look like an #######.

[Peikko 1,575]

Yes, I fully expect this to be a stupid debate and that VJ will give it plenty of coverage . America does this ###### very well indeed.