Today in an ad for Fox News' Saturday special, “Fox News Reporting: The Challengers for 2012,” the network bragged about their access to GOP presidential contenders: “With unrivaled access, we look at the private lives and public records of the GOP's top White House contenders.” But it's really no surprise that Fox can claim unrivaled access to GOP candidates: at least three of the potential candidates to be profiled in the program are paid Fox News contributors.

Sarah Palin, Newt Gingrich, and Mike Huckabee are all featured in the ad. Fox employs two other Republicans -- John Bolton and Rick Santorum -- considered to be potential nominees.

Fox's Palin encouraged tea party candidate Christine O'Donnell to "speak through Fox News." Fox's five candidates did just that, making at least 269 appearances on the network between January 1 and September 18. Fox's “12 in 2012” series, which purports to profile possible Republican candidates and airs during the network's flagship program Special Report, is a series of softball interviews with Republican officials and Fox employees. This all follows Fox parent company News Corp.'s donation of $1 million to the Republican Governors Association.

It's no surprise that Fox can secure “unrivaled access” to potential GOP candidates when Fox employs them, gives them a platform, and funds their party allies. The surprise is that Fox calls itself a news organization and still thinks this “access” is something to celebrate.