Fox News Cut Out From Questions At Obama's First Press Conference

President-Elect Barack Obama held his first press conference yesterday, one that focused mainly on the current economic crisis. One detail that flew under the radar, however, was which networks and newpapers got to ask questions, or, rather, which one didn't get to ask a question. As Media Bistro notes, one network who was not called upon sticks out: Fox News.

It will be interesting to see how the conservative network adjusts to a political reality in which the Democratic Party holds the White House and substantial majorities in both houses of Congress. Michael Wolff, a Vanity Fair columnist who is writing an authorized biography on Rupert Murdoch's career and family, claims that even Murdoch is embarrassed by Fox News:

Now, with about six weeks to go before publication, Mr. Murdoch has raised objections with Mr. Wolff and his publisher about portions of the book, titled "The Man Who Owns the News: Inside the Secret World of Rupert Murdoch," that suggest that Mr. Murdoch is at times embarrassed by Fox News, which he owns, and its chief executive, Roger Ailes, and that he often shares "the general liberal apoplexy," as Mr. Wolff writes in the book, toward Fox News and its perceived conservative slant...

...The objections raised on behalf of Mr. Murdoch came after an article on Mr. Murdoch and the book was published in Vanity Fair in the October issue in which Mr. Wolff wrote that Mr. Murdoch was making friends with liberals and that he had soured on Fox News and Mr. Ailes. (A 10,000-word excerpt from the book will be published in the December issue, due out early next month.)

"For a long time, he was in love with the Fox chief, Roger Ailes, because he was even more Murdoch than Murdoch," Mr. Wolff wrote in the October Vanity Fair piece. "And yet now the embarrassment can't be missed -- he mumbles even more than usual when called on to justify it; he barely pretends to hide the way he feels about Bill O'Reilly."

Comments

[bioluminescence]

I believe out of a sense of fair play, President-elect Obama should hold a separate news conference for the Cartoon Network, WWF, Fox News and other channels that deal in simulated reality.

[realitychecks]

We tune in to Fox News to laugh at the nutcases like Hannity,he rants and raves like Rush,not for any substative news.Greta has even gone goofy with all those interviews with Palin,another nutcase.I would be embarrased as well.I dont even think of them as conservative anymore.Their outrageous rants over not news items is so far from the behaviour of conservatives and more along the lines of erratic lunatics.

[republicanmouse]

FoxNews is the only decent news organization in the country. It is obvious by the fact that they have more viewers than CNN and MSNBC combined, and beat all 4 major network news broadcasts every night. In fact, the often beat the primetime network shows for viewership. Get used to it - they are the mainstream of America - NOT the far left liberal kooks found on the other stations.

As to the censorship that is going to become the norm with the Obama administration, I look forward to the many freedom of speech lawsuits that are going to clog our courts and tie up the Obama administration trying to silence his critics. Reports today came out that the Obama team was already sending notices to the news organizations detailing how they wanted them to portray Obama and cover his events. Look to all the liberal stations to fall in line and salute, and FoxNews will be the only true voice letting America know what is going on.

[sepiasiren]

Yeah--and where is the evidence of that--Oh you got it on FOX news and everything they say there is FACT eh?

Who has been drinking the kool aid buddy?

And oh--some of the people watching fox news are just trying to see what the enemy is doing so don't get too cocky..

besides which--we have several different stations so collectively speaking liberals may have more viewership numbers than FOX in reality...

[DemKing]

I have been saying this since 2004. IF Democrats go on Fox News, Talk to Fox News - you give them crediblity. STOP GOING ON fox news... very simple.

[jdepfam]

Fox News isn't a news channel--it's a forum for stupid angry people who like to shout and override each other. Wouldn't it be nice to return to a time when public figures had some dignity and grace. (Oh, yes, we just elected a president who fits the bill!)

[jdepfam]

If Murdoch is so embarrassed why did he just give O'Reilly a 10 million dollar contract???/

[MrXfromplanetX]

I am no fan of Fox news, but I would like to ask Obama about this report from a Canadian TV station

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LtbLEKHsi0

No I don't want another fascist like Bush in office. I was not supporting John Bush's third term McCain.

I am not happy with Obama's support for the bail out of Wall Street
http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/contrib.php?cycle=2008&cid=N00009638

Ralph Nader is right. Why don't Dems demand more from their candidates?

The news media gave Obama more coverage than any other candidate. It was easy to see he would win, but really people, that should make you suspicious.
Look at who owns the media http://www.thenation.com/special/bigten.html

Here's where most of the money for Obama's campaign has come from
http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/contrib.php?cycle=2008&cid=N00009638
Is it any coincidence Goldman Sachs comes in 2nd?

Barack Obama, like Bush supported the "Wall Street Bail Out"
Here's the votes
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=s2008-213

Barack Obama voted for the Reauthorization of the Patriot Act
http://mrxfromplanetx.com/2008/01/01/obama-patriot-act

Barack Obama voted for FISA (The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act)
Here's the votes
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=s2008-168

Barack Obama allowed laws in Illinois to weaken so Nuclear Power plants didn't have to report leaks http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/03/us/politics/03exelon.html?_r=2&oref=slogin

[JodyMcg]

Try not to filibuster. Most will only scroll over your long post.

[Dustee]

Like I just did.

[jtmoney]

I'm also embarrased about Fox News.

[realmeows]

Good for Obama! As everyone knows, Fox News isn't a news channel. It's a right-wing propaganda machine for Rupert Murdoch. Fox continuously attacks Obama, Democrats, liberals, and anyone else who won't buy into the daily lies and vitriol which they try to package as the "news". Obama is not fooled. Neither are we.

[AngerAndDetermination]

Rupert Murdoch is not "embarrassed" by Fox News. He is proud of it. He just wants to pretend that the creation of right-wing propaganda channels (Sky News and Fox News) is some kind of accident. He has to, otherwise they fail as propaganda.

Part of the theory of neoconservatism is that only the "ruling elites" have the real information, and that they are under no obligation to tell the truth to the "ruled." In practice, it requires that neoconservatives never admit that this principle is part of their theory.

[MrXfromplanetX]

This is true. Check out Century of Self. http://mrxfromplanetx.com/century-of-self or you can Google it, but I have the entire four part BBC series on this page. They examine the history of Edward Bernays propaganda aka "Public Relations."

The thing is, how do you know what you think is left wing media isn't distorting news as well.

Look at NPR, they get input from the Pew Charitable Trust (right wing propaganda), the Heritage Foundation (right wing propaganda). One of their largest contributors is The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation which means Microsoft. Microsoft was the fourth largest contributor to Obama's campaign, and owns half of MSNBC. The other half of MSNBC is owned by General Electric. These are some of the worst companies in the country for outsourcing jobs.

Obama already demonstrated he won't do anything about NAFTA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LtbLEKHsi0

Do you think these companies would have backed him and given him all the coverage otherwise?

All is not lost. We need to focus on the primaries and kick out corrupt incumbents so they can't even make it to the November ballot.

[JodyMcg]

Mr. X needs to go back to planet X and stay there.

[Proud Bay Man]

"Fox News We report. You Decide"
Look at their home page.
That's exactly what it says.
Money talks.

[Dustee]

...and BS walks.

[sclucie]

Oh, Good Lord. I think he also missed the NYT. When he changed reporters on the plane - to much dersion - he kept three Fox reporters - even after they ran atrocious propagaanda on him 24/7.

[Thefamilyvan]

After all of the lies and innuendo from Fox news over the past 8 years, they're getting their "just desserts!"
Now, they'll see how it feels to be on the "other side" of the news fence!

[nunzia]

Not at all a problem for FOX.
They make up the "news" anyway.

[DemKing]

Perfect Move! It's time to expose this as what it is a Informmercial! IF Democrats go on Fox News .. it gives them crediblity. If you ignore them they are over.