Should President Obama's First Prime Time TV Discussion About his Health Care Plan Belong Solely to ABC News?

Barack Obama is a president who has no problem playing the media game.

From allowing two dozen NBC cameras access for a largely complimentary, two-night profile, to a lighthearted cameo in Stephen Colbert's week of shows from Iraq, Obama has shown a willingness to appear on camera in ways more traditional presidents have not.

But news that President Obama will discuss his new initiative to create a government-sponsored health care program during a day-long series of programs on ABC next week takes a universal concern and transforms it into a highly-promoted ABC News event.

Which raises a question: Is that really appropriate?

For President Obama, it's a nice deal. ABC News plans to air Good Morning America, World News Tonight and a special edition of Primetime from the White House itself, with the 10p.m. Primetime show featuring the President answering questions from people "selected by ABC News who have divergent opinions in this historic debate," along with questions submitted via its Web site, ABCNews.com, according to a press release.

ABC officials, with the elevated ratings of Brian Williams' White House special dancing in their heads, will turn almost every ABC News platform over to the event, with Diane Sawyer interviewing the president for GMA, Charlie Gibson anchoring the evening news from the White House, both Gibson and Sawyer teaming up for the town hall on Primetime, Nightline continuing the discussion at 11:35 p.m., ABC.com soliciting questions starting Wednesday and ABC News Radio airing segments from the event. Just writing about that much coverage tires me out.

Given the light touch of Williams' specials, will ABC News offer the kind of tough questions this debate deserves? Shouldn't the White House have organized its own town hall for broadcast on all major networks in prime time, to give this issue the attention it deserves? Will networks which offer critical coverage of the heath care initiative have to worry about getting locked out of the next big Obama media event?

Those involved would likely shrug off such hand-wringing. And it is admittedly dangerous to draw conclusions about what a TV news operation will cover before any of its programming airs.

But I find it disturbing to see that the nation's first stab at real health care reform in more than a dozen years may start off with a cynical partnership between a politician and a network news division. And it may take some pointed questions and close observation of ABC News' coverage to ensure

Here's hoping the debate we get is truly worth it.

See more discussion about the issue on my blog here.

Comments

[exoevolution]

ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, etc. are all owned & operated by "our" SUPREME LEADERS, "our" "CORPORATE" MULLAHS, what does it matter, the SUPREMACY of THE CORPORATIONS & the WEALTHY will ALWAYS WIN - regardless of who is in power, DEMOCRAT or REPUBLICAN - the PEOPLE must scramble for the CRUMBS that "trickle-down", while Wall Street & WAR get TRILLIONS!

Someday "maybe" Americans will get fed up & take to the streets like the Iranians & resist OUR "CORPORATE" MULLAHS!!!

[InspiredByTruth]

Whats the point of this article? Sure Obama could have done another primetime event and everyone would have complained about it being forced down their thoats. The final bill is at least a couple months away so why would Obama use his "primetime" card so early? If it does happen it will be before the bill is set to be voted on.

[jsgaetano]

The conservatives would like to see Obama put it on all channels, so Fox can very loudly decline to show it, and instead put forth more anti-American hate speech from Gingrinch.

[GreatNews27]

He had to find a network as mediocre as his health care 'plan'.

[jsgaetano]

As opposed to as non-existant as the conservative health care "plan".

Four pages, no details. Sounds like their budget plan. Maybe it IS their budget plan!

[truegreen]

If the president thinks using the networks to advance healthcare reform his best vehicle then so beat it. Because the media has no problem putting all these UGLY republican faces on tv 24/7.

[sc300nc]

It sounds very structured and boring. I guess that fits with ABC. If he actually wanted people to see it, he would have offered it to FOX.

[jsgaetano]

Nah, Fox is more of a 24/7 anti-American hate speech channel. They would just preempt it so everyone could listen to Grand Wizard Gingrinch.

[maggienash65]

Yes they should. This way the you have only one media outlet reporting. I like John Harwood on CNBC. I also like Brian Wiliams. He did a fantastic job reporting on the White House. But if one media outlet reporting, no one can construe what is said

[MarianneEvans11]

I think the true purpose of going on ONE network is so that network runs with the real OBAMA plan. So fara ABC news shows it can be fair and non-partisan. Other networks slice and dice the sound bites to their liking or disliking and come out with a negative viewpoint on everything President Obama talks about. ONE VOICE - ONE NETWORK!

I like Charlie Gibson. He is a fair and wise journalist. As is Diane Sawyer, Robin Roberts and the rest of the Good Morning America team...

[expired]

why my brother

[expired]

Author, w---------­---------*­**t>>>>>>>­>>>>f

[Charmed]

I thought the networks didn't want to cover Obama because they were losing money. So now he's only going on one network....seems like that would make everybody happy.

[kitkatborn]

Much as I love Charlie Gibson & the rest of the ABC news crew, I feel strongly that this is inappropriate. The ratings game should not be the force behind informing the public about the health care program. And rather or not this is intentional, it will appear to be that way.

[dayala]

didn't Obama say on the campaign trail that all his policy debates would be on CSPAN??
why is there a need for a DEBATE on healthcare???

67% of Americans have ALREADY MANDATED they want SINGLE PAYER or PUBLIC OPTION...end of story!

[judgejay]

Sorry , but not everyone who voted for Obama wants a single payer, public option healthcare. This is just the beginning of the story not the end. The costs and stakes involved with the healthcare issue are too important than pushing a plan through that may make things worse than they currently are. Trillions of dollars in addtional spending over the next few years is hugh and I want a complete plan on paper before a vote not just some vague ideas.

[InspiredByTruth]

Actually, you CAN safely say almost everyone who voted for Obama (in fact, the vast majority of Americans) wants the choice of a public option. This new poll says 76% of Americans want it. The plan is also pretty much already fleshed out, the "vague ideas" you must be referring to are from the nearly invisible republican plan.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/17/obama-boost-new-poll-show_n_217175.html

[chriss0114]

my prediction: the plan wil remain essentially the same with co-ops and a trigger for catostrophic illness for thos ewho wish to purchase it

in other words, not much different than what we have but the packaging will be nice!

[MrsFonebone]

Good article.
If a person wanted to launch a take-over of a country, seducing the major media, one by one, would be a good start.
He already got NBC; now ABC--and the issues, of course, will be clouded and interpreted by the same old talking heads "explaining" and "judging:" everything for us. That alone will keep me from watching; I'll look for written text.
Thomas Jefferson thought free and independent information/news was essential for a Democracy.
We are rapidly losing that.
Health care reform is too important to trivialize as a "day time TV" event.
Give us the facts of your plan without the spin.

[DannyDanson]

"If a person wanted to launch a take-over of a country?"

I think you and the grand oppositional party are the ones who want to take over the country, the supreme courts didn't select this President, America did after he campaigned on everythign he is suggesting now, you will not revise history here so bodly and incompetently, I think your confusing 2008 with 2000.

Have you forgot the march to Iraq, and the lies that proceeded it?, get over yourself?

How exactly did some Insurance company lobby convince you that their strictly for profit model will work or has worked more so in the best interests of the citizens of America than the democratic process, you're a ignorant sheep, every big insurance company in the country utilize "comparative effectiveness" research and electronic records to reduce their cost, but do you think that any savings "trickle down" to reductions in your premiums, think again, they don't, so wake up and think for yourself, a public plan option would make them have to, know one wants to bankrupt the insurance industry, but public service is not in their business strategy.

Ignore the rhetoric, follow the money

[DivergentMary]

Paranoid much, MrsFonebone?

[InspiredByTruth]

So now Obama is plotting to take over the country?? I thought he was already President. All the networks pretty much said they DON'T want forced prime events anymore, so now Obama's cut a deal with an individual network. Maybe you should turn it down a notch.