FOX Still Shunned at Obama Press Conferences
The favorite news outlet of conservatives ranks just ninth in presser questions in Obama’s first term, getting to ask questions at only half the rate of the Big 3 broadcast networks
During Barack Obama’s news conference on Monday the president called on seven reporters.
And while these reporters challenged the president (e.g. on the debt ceiling) in a manner that some conservative media critics believe has been a rarity at these events, FOX News was not one of the outlets pushing Obama’s buttons on Monday.
Over the course of the president’s first term, he has generally maintained the tiered approach as to which outlets ask the questions (with the Big 3 and Associated Press usually getting the green light), although the president has departed from tradition on occasion – famously calling on a digital-only media outlet’s reporter (Huffington Post’s Sam Stein) during his first news conference in February 2009.
But as for FOX, these have been relatively lean years in terms of getting the presidential nod at news conferences, particularly in light of the news outlet’s reach vis-à-vis some of the other media organizations which have received more questions.
How lean?
A Smart Politics analysis finds that ABC reporters have been called on the most frequently during Barack Obama’s solo news conferences followed by CBS, the Associated Press, and NBC with FOX News coming in at a distant ninth at less than half the rate of the top outlets and less than 40 percent of press conferences overall.
Through Monday, President Obama has held 36 solo news conferences (formal and otherwise) during his first term – press conferences not held in conjunction with another foreign head of state.
ABC News reporters have been called on by the president in 29 of them – including the broadcast outlet’s new Chief White House correspondent Jonathan Karl on Monday.
CBS comes in second with 28, followed by the Associated Press with 27, and NBC with 26.
Bloomberg is #5 with 20, then Reuters with 17, and the New York Times and CNN with 16.
FOX is all the way back at #9, with Obama calling on the outlet in just 14 press conferences during his first term or 39 percent – including just once over the last six news conferences held since May 2012.
(FOX’s Ed Henry was called on and asked a question about the Benghazi fallout during Obama’s post-election conference on November 14th).
That means Obama has called on each of the Big 3 networks at approximately twice the rate as FOX, although only slightly more on fellow cable network CNN.
The frequency with which their outlet is selected for questions by the president does not change with which correspondent they send to the White House.
Former FOX Chief White House correspondent Major Garrett (now with CBS and National Journal) was called on in six of the 15 Obama news conferences during his tenure there, or 40 percent of the time.
Since Garrett’s departure, Wendell Goler, Mike Emanuel, and Ed Henry have been called on during eight of 21 news conferences collectively, or 38 percent of the time.
Overall, 50 news outlets have received at least one questions at Obama pressers, from Ebony to Stars and Stripes to Telemundo to the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Outlets Selected for Questions at President Obama News Conferences, 2009-2013
|
Rank
|
Outlet
|
#
|
|
1
|
ABC
|
29
|
|
2
|
CBS
|
28
|
|
3
|
Associated Press
|
27
|
|
4
|
NBC
|
26
|
|
5
|
Bloomberg
|
20
|
|
6
|
Reuters
|
17
|
|
7
|
CNN
|
16
|
|
7
|
New York Times
|
16
|
|
9
|
FOX
|
14
|
|
10
|
Washington Post
|
11
|
|
11
|
USA Today
|
9
|
|
12
|
Wall Street Journal
|
8
|
|
13
|
American Urban Radio Networks
|
5
|
|
13
|
McClatchy Newspapers
|
5
|
|
13
|
National Public Radio
|
5
|
|
16
|
Agence France-Presse
|
4
|
|
17
|
Hearst Newspapers
|
3
|
|
17
|
Huffington Post
|
3
|
|
17
|
Telemundo
|
3
|
|
20
|
Chicago Sun-Times
|
2
|
|
20
|
Chicago Tribune
|
2
|
|
20
|
EFE (Spain)
|
2
|
|
20
|
National Journal
|
2
|
|
20
|
POLITICO
|
2
|
|
20
|
Univision
|
2
|
|
26
|
BET
|
1
|
|
26
|
Cleveland Plain Dealer
|
1
|
|
26
|
Detroit News
|
1
|
|
26
|
Ebony
|
1
|
|
26
|
Financial Times
|
1
|
|
26
|
The Hill
|
1
|
|
26
|
KDKA-TV
|
1
|
|
26
|
La Opinion
|
1
|
|
26
|
PBS
|
1
|
|
26
|
Stars and Stripes
|
1
|
|
26
|
Time
|
1
|
|
26
|
Washington Times
|
1
|
|
Other foreign outlets
|
12
|
|
Note: Table compiles solo press conferences through January 14, 2013. Data compiled by Smart Politics from the Public Papers of the President.
As for individual reporters, Obama called on NBC’s Chuck Todd and former ABC White House correspondent Jake Tapper the most during his first term at 23 times each.
CBS’ Chip Reid is third with 14, followed by Ben Feller (AP) with 13, Julianna Goldman (Bloomberg) with 11, Ed Henry (CNN/FOX) with nine, Hans Nichols (Bloomberg) and Major Garrett (FOX/CBS) with seven, and Jackie Calmes (New York Times) and Jennifer Loven (AP) with six.
(Note: This ranking is somewhat dependent on how long a White House correspondent served in that capacity during Obama’s first term as well as how many different such correspondents a news outlet keeps on staff).
Todd, who is perhaps the King of the follow-up question, has made the most of the 23 news conferences in which his name has been called by the president.
Todd has been able to parlay this into 52 series of questions and follow-up questions (excluding multiple questions posed within one series), including multiple queries to the president on the debt ceiling on Monday.
Top Reporters Selected for Questions at President Obama News Conferences, 2009-2013
|
Rank
|
Reporter
|
Outlet
|
#
|
|
1
|
Chuck Todd
|
NBC
|
23
|
|
1
|
Jake Tapper
|
ABC
|
23
|
|
3
|
Chip Reid
|
CBS
|
14
|
|
4
|
Ben Feller
|
Associated Press
|
13
|
|
5
|
Julianna Goldman
|
Bloomberg
|
11
|
|
6
|
Ed Henry
|
CNN / FOX
|
9
|
|
7
|
Hans Nichols
|
Bloomberg
|
7
|
|
7
|
Major Garrett
|
FOX / CBS
|
7
|
|
9
|
Jackie Calmes
|
New York Times
|
6
|
|
9
|
Jennifer Loven
|
Associated Press
|
6
|
|
11
|
April Ryan
|
American Urban Radio Networks
|
5
|
|
11
|
Dan Lothian
|
CNN
|
5
|
|
11
|
Jeff Mason
|
Reuters
|
5
|
|
14
|
Caren Bohan
|
Reuters
|
4
|
|
14
|
Helene Cooper
|
New York Times
|
4
|
|
14
|
Mike Emanuel
|
FOX
|
4
|
|
14
|
Scott Horsley
|
National Public Radio
|
4
|
|
Other
|
(Various)
|
142
|
|
Note: Table compiles solo press conferences through January 14, 2013. Data compiled by Smart Politics from the Public Papers of the President.
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Gop hotline: Dial 1~809~WHINE (we give teathuglicans an extra digit )
De nada
Right-wing billionaire Rupert Murdoch hired Roger Ailes, Nixon’s original “dirty trickster” to run his Faux “news” nutwork as the propaganda and disinformation arm of the Republican National Committee.
And which 3 out of the top four are YOUR sources of propaganda ?
Sir, I think you have rocks in your head for brains, or maybe when God said Brains you thought he said Rain
Watching Sean Hannity’s show, it’s obvious he’s trying to incite some right-wing nut to kill Obama.
Congratulations. You have identified yourself a nut, wing or otherwise.
In summary, the President calls on broadcast networks such as ABC and NBC much more often than he calls on cable networks such as CNN or Fox News. All 3 broadcast networks get called on in similar proportions to each other, and both cable networks get called on in similar proportions to each other.
If this is evidence of bias, there doesn’t appear to be any basis for claiming that bias is based on ideology.
He should ignore them altogether. They’re not a legitimate news network.
Tess is right here. Obama takes about as many questions from FOX as he does from CNN. Please explain how you conclude that he is “shunning” them.
‘Shunning’ is perhaps too strong of a term to describe what is going on here because they are in the Top 10. However, if it is OK to give the Big 3 more Qs because of their bigger nightly newscast numbers (which is the general explanation), then would not the ‘reach’ of FOX dictate that it should be getting a lot more Qs than CNN (and Bloomberg)? Or should they all be lumped in together because they are all cable outlets, and, in this administration, it just so happens FOX is on the low end of the spectrum of that grouping? Also, one wonders if it is a coincidence that FOX did not receive any Qs in the press conferences conducted during the run-up to the election (May through Election Day).
Propaganda networks never get enough respect!
boo hoo…kinda sad there are folks out there keeping track of stuff like this. REALLY! Not an obama fan but come on. Stop the whining! whats the big freaking deal!
Well of course he calls on ABC, NBC, and CBS more than others. They function as extensions of the Democratic Party and operatives for the never-ending Obama campaign.
Translation: “Whaaaaaa! I believe Faux Newz!”
Truly, the point must be made that Fox News seldom reports the news in a non-biased fashion.
Press conferences are for questions from news organizations. Despite the name Fox News, they clearly push propaganda, not news.
Case closed.
It is the President’s prerogative who he calls on and considering the Fox record regarding reportage they haven’t earned any respect from him, actually they have rightly earned his disrespect. Fox News turns anything and everything into a partisan issue and works hard to gin up antagonism toward the President and anyone, ANYONE, who has a point-of-view counter to the Fox talking points. Calling on a Fox correspondent only gives credence to whatever off the wall topic he might want to draw attention to. That said… the analysis shows that Fox has been called on often enough and to say that they have been “shunned” sounds like something that came straight from Roger Ailes desk.
According to the study that produced the data, Fox did indeed come in 9th place. However, there were 25 other news outlets that were called on much less. If you look at it that way, Fox sits in the top-ten of almost 30 outlets. That not too bad given the blatant lies and disinformation about Obama that Fox proffers as being “news”, I even give the Pres higher kudos: News outlets that would undoubtably be friendlier to Obama such as PBS and NPR ranked 13th and 26th place on this list, respectively
Fox isn’t news and should be below the other propaganda outlet Washington Times at 1.
In addition, anyone with a little common sense can tell that the hate and fear mongering out of the AM Hate Talk Radio shows and Fox for the GOP is “dangerous” to Americans. The fact that the FCC allows them a “cable” license to broadcast “hate” is unconscienable. First Amendment allows Goebbles a point of view – but Murdoch/Ailes/O’Rielly/Hannity/Limbaugh are hate and fear mongers not seen since the Third Reich – and they are using that freedom to abuse democracy, mislead and distort – and in many cases turn their nut jobs loose (George Tiller murder = O’Reilly; Giffords Hannity/Palin, etc.)
Since Fox is not news and is just garbage, lies, and hate, why should he even have to respond to them at all.
That Zero gets to call upon the questioner puts the lie to his pompously TelePrompTerred prattlings and pontifications before the Fascist Media propagandists, polemicists and pamphleteers that these days pass themselves off as “the press” being other than staged events during which he but lectures the serfs. (Previously known as We, The People)
Every news outlet has biases that seem to be more pervasive now than ever. The cheerleading for Obama by every network but Fox is sickening. The free press is supposed to be a check on our public officials, not an enabler. Obama doesn’t call on Fox because they would do their job and ask tough questions. The other new outlets coddle and fawn over him. Obama is a thin-skinned, arrogant man who doesn’t face tough questions or criticism very well. If the press was doing their job, he would have a temper tantrum on national TV.
Look at all the hatred for the author! The Left has degenerated into a cult that can’t tolerate being questioned.
Wow; the facts are that FOX is called upon less, yet your COMMENTS attribute a wealth of hate and unsupported accusations upon the practices and name of the channel. I was never linked to such a host of hate-filled, unexamining and small-minded “insights” in any news piece.
Yeah…kinda sad there are folks out there keeping track of stuff like this. REALLY! Not an obama fan but come on. Stop the whining! atrais kredits whats the big freaking deal!
Wow. For calling yourselves “progressive” you all are super hot on the idea of shutting down people that don’t agree with you.
Maybe a concentration camp for the conservatives? Good idea? Or how about we put them out in the fields to work? I mean, they are responsible for slavery after all. It’s only fair. Or maybe state controlled castration, prevent more young conservatives being born.
Fox News may be nuts or it may not. Don’t like it turn it off. I turn off Maddow and whatever TG cartoon is popular that week at the HuffPo.
It is the President’s prerogative who he calls on and considering the Fox record regarding reportage they haven’t earned any respect from him, actually they have rightly earned his disrespect.
Completly agree
Fox News turns anything and everything into a partisan issue and works hard to gin up antagonism toward the President and anyone, ANYONE, who has a point-of-view counter to the Fox talking points. Calling on a krediti Fox correspondent only gives credence to whatever off the wall topic he might want to draw attention to. That said… the analysis shows that Fox has been called on often enough and to say that they have been “shunned”
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