In a November 29 post, CNN's Political Unit noted that five “big name Republicans have two things in common- they are all considering runs for president and are each employed by Fox News.” Over the weekend, Fox's John Bolton affirmed that he's “considering” a run for president in 2012, joining Mike Huckabee, Sarah Palin, Rick Santorum, and Newt Gingrich as potential candidates.

CNN quoted media critic Howard Kurtz stating that “exposure on Fox allows possible candidates the chance to answer questions where 'the risks are low and the payoff could be quite high.'” From the blog post:

None of the prospective candidates have made official announcements, but media buzz surrounds each of them, creating a monopoly of sorts for the news network.

Media critic Howard Kurtz, who also serves as Washington bureau chief for “The Daily Beast” and host of CNN's “Reliable Sources,” said the exposure on Fox allows possible candidates the chance to answer questions where “the risks are low and the payoff could be quite high.”

“For a Republican presidential candidate - even someone just thinking about running - a Fox platform is gold,” Kurtz said in an e-mail. “Fox News is the go-to channel for most GOP primary voters, and being a host or frequent guest is a terrific platform in a friendly environment.”

Media Matters has calculated that the five potential candidates have appeared on the network for a combined total of nearly 66 hours between January 1 and October 31 of this year, and estimated this time to be worth at least $40 million in advertising costs.