Fox News avoids a tea party?
Bowing to pressure from White House and progressive organizations, network airs no live coverage of protest
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, October 19, 2009 |
CONTACT Jess Levin (202) 772-8162 |
Washington, D.C. - Facing intense criticism from the
White House and progressive organizations about its political activities, Fox
News bowed to pressure and aired no live coverage of the October 17 tea
parties. This weekend's events were intended to protest "journalistic
malpractice" but Fox News' silence was the real story, standing in
stark contrast to its relentless promotion and live coverage of previous tea
party protests.
"A protest of journalistic
malpractice clearly hit too close to home for Fox News," said
Eric Burns, President of Media Matters for
America. "Fox's silence
during this weekend's protests is a clear sign that the criticism coming
from the White House, journalists, and progressive organizations is having an
impact."
BACKGROUND:
Following White House communications director Anita Dunn's recent critique of Fox News serving as an "arm" of the Republican Party, Fox News did not devote any live coverage to what it had previously referred to as the October 17 "tea part[y]" protests by Operation: Can You Hear Us Now?, an organization that planned "to show the MSM [mainstream media] that we as the American Public are absolutely fed up with their journalistic malpractice." By contrast, Fox News devoted significant promotion and live coverage of the April 15 tax day tea party and the September 12 "March on Washington."
As Media Matters has noted, Fox News has come under increasing fire not just from the White House, but also from journalists and progressive leaders:
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