Fox Won't Bump Sweeps Programming for Prime-Time Obama

[Tab]

Source: TV Guide

Fox stands alone as the only Big 4 network that will not rejigger its May sweeps programming to accommodate President Obama's Wednesday-night news conference — his fourth prime-time appearance since taking office, and this time pegged to his 100th day as POTUS.

"The Fox Broadcasting Company will not air the Presidential News Conference on Wednesday, April 29 at 8 pm/ET," Fox says in a statement to TVGuide.com.

Fox instead will stick with its scheduled line-up of Lie to Me followed by the American Idol results show. Should anyone come to Fox looking for the commander in chief, the network says it "will be alerting viewers with an on-screen graphic at the top of the hour that the press conference is available on Fox News Channel and the Fox Business Network."

Both ABC (which will sideline Scrubs and Better Off Ted) and NBC (which is chung-chucking a Law & Order repeat) thus far have committed to carrying Obama's news conference. CBS, which has fresh episodes of Rules of Engagement and Old Christine scheduled to air, has yet to confirm its plans.

Read more: http://www.seattlepi.com/tvguide/405591_tvgif27.html

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"What you don't know can't hurt you", right Fox?

[struggle4progress]

1. "Fox .. will stick with .. Lie to Me"

[aquart]

3. Perfect. Just...perfect.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Still longing for the Bushies, d'ya think?

!!

[struggle4progress]

12. Frankly, I think it's just a crass business decision: (1) Noisy bluster is cheaper to

produce than real news and thoughtful views, because it requires less research; (2) rightwing think-tanks provide a fair amount of pre-digested blather, which further cuts costs; (3) there's a population segment that will watch foxcrap for the adrenaline-outrage buzz but is much less likely to watch shows requiring concentrated attention; (4) some additional perks are usually available to anyone who helps maintain the status quo by distracting the public from real issues

[Hubert Flottz]

16. They "remain unreconstructed"...

They can dish it out but they can't take it!

[jmowreader]

13. Lie to Me...I've never seen it...

What is it, the biography of the Bush family?

[SpiralHawk]

14. Its a documentary on the Republicon party

fer sure

[Tab]

2. And I have to say...

I note the delicious irony of choosing the scheduled show "Lie to Me" instead.

Oh, Fox, will you never cease to entertain us?

[HopeHoops]

4. To quote Yazoo from Alladdin...

"Oh, now THERE'S a surprise. I'm going to have a heart attack from that surprise!"

[Dappleganger]

5. Since they're not a real news org

it doesn't matter anyway. People will just change the channel because they actually LIKE to hear our president speak rather than being forced to listen to the drone of Bush's unintelligible series of grunts.

[ShenandoahAspen]

6. Did Fox ever not show Dumbya's speeches?

Somehow, I doubt it. Sad how Fox thinks people care more about American Idol than a speech by the President of the United States.

[melm00se]

17. yes

there is precedent here.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5050891/

LOS ANGELES - The broadcast networks are not expected to carry President Bush’s primetime speech Monday night, in which he will lay out a “clear strategy” for the future of Iraq.

The Bush administration has not requested the Big Four to air live the president’s address to an audience at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Penn., scheduled for 8 p.m. EDT on the last Monday of the May sweep, a crucial period when networks chase high ratings in order to set ad rates.

NBC, Fox and ABC will proceed with their scheduled programming for the 8-9 p.m. hour -- an episode of “Fear Factor,” the finale of “The Swan” and the broadcast premiere of Oscar-winning “A Beautiful Mind,” respectively.

and if IIRC this garnered a positive response here at DU.

[Jkid]

7. Two problems

Should anyone come to Fox looking for the commander in chief, the network says it "will be alerting viewers with an on-screen graphic at the top of the hour that the press conference is available on Fox News Channel and the Fox Business Network."

Many broadcast networks are already broadcasting in digital. FOX could have simply moved the primetime program to a sub-channel (for example to 5.2)and have the presidential speech at it's primary sub-channel channel (for example: channel 5.1).Subchannel 5.2 would still run in High Definition. It's called multiplexing and there is no excuse for FOX O&Os to take advantage of it. Multiplexing was supposed to prevent networks to preempt programs.

Also, not every one can afford or even get cable or satellite.

[hugo_from_TN]

34. They are not preempting their regular channel.

Multiplexing was supposed to prevent networks to preempt programs.

I really don't see the need for every network to carry the speech. If one or two of the major broadcast networks carry it, then everyone that wants can watch it.

Everyone is not a political junkie.

[Jkid]

36. What if the only broadcast channel that comes in clearly on analog or digital is a FOX afflilate?

Don't mind me, I'm just playing the Devil's Advocate.

[dballance]

9. Do We Really Care?

The line-up speaks for itself. They will have "Lie to Me" on followed by "Idol." How could anything else be more appropriate? They lie, lie, lie all the time and they try make idols of their hosts and the GOP? So, of course, they won't have on a legitimate President. That might actually cause their viewers to have some discomfort because they'd have to think for a while instead of shouting "ditto" to Rush.

[Blue_Tires]

15. welcome to the site!

[onehandle]

10. No problem. Their viewers are idiots who can't be ejumacated anyway. nt

[MadMaddie]

11. Well when Fox doesn't get called on in press conferences...

oh well...

[melm00se]

18. one point of fact

This is NOT Fox News deciding not to carry this event (they are doing so). this is the Fox Entertainment arm that is not carrying the event. or, IOW, the network that shows: Family Guy, The Simpsons, Prison Break, House, Bones and 24.

[Thor_MN]

33. Uh, wait... There's a difference between Fox News and Fox Entertainment?

I don't get it.

[ryanmuegge]

19. Good.

[John Kerry VonErich]

20. Fox sticking with schedule instead of Obama

Source: Yahoo News

Fox sticking with schedule instead of Obama

By DAVID BAUDER, AP Television Writer David Bauder, Ap Television Writer – Tue Apr 28, 8:52 am ET
NEW YORK – Fox became the first broadcast network to turn down a request by President Barack Obama for time, opting to show its drama "Lie to Me" on Wednesday instead of the president's prime-time news conference.

Fox will direct viewers interested in the news conference to Fox News Channel and the Fox Business Network, which will both carry it. ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, MSNBC and CNBC are all carrying the 8 p.m. EDT event, on Obama's 100th day in office.

This will be Obama's third prime-time news conference as president, a schedule that has caused some private grumbling among network executives. Carrying a news conference costs the four broadcast networks an estimated $10 million-plus in lost advertising revenue.

Yet with an economy in distress, two wars and now a swine flu outbreak, the pressure on networks to agree to Obama's request as a public service is enormous.

Executives at Fox, owned by News Corp., would not comment on the decision Monday. It's not without precedent for the network; Fox didn't carry a prime-time speech by President George W. Bush in November 2001 despite a request from the White House.

"I can't imagine it was politically motivated," said Shelly Palmer, industry analyst and host of "MediaBytes," a daily show about technology and the media. "I'm assuming it was financially motivated."


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090428/ap_en_tv/us_tv_obama

[onehandle]

21. Fox entertainment viewers are far less likely to vote anyway. Who needs them. nt

[AndyA]

22. You'd think the networks could charge a fortune for the ad time just before and immediately

after the news conference. Certainly enough to make up for several ad slots, I would think. :shrug:

[marshall]

23. I think they should trade off like they do with the Super Bowl

There is no reason that all four major broadcast stations carry such conferences.

[wysimdnwyg]

24. I'll be honest...

I like "Lie to Me", so that's just fine. I'll record L2M and watch Obama live on another channel.

[Soylent Brice]

25. can someone on public television PLEASE insist that FAUX drops it's

"fair and balanced" slogan.

everyone knows it's bullshit, but now they have blatantly lost all rights to that.

[onenote]

27. that's faux news. this is the fox broadcast network

faux news is presenting the press conference

[Doctor_J]

28. Fox Broadcast is pretty progressive

or at least subversive. Possibly because two outspoken liberal Dems (Groening and McFarlane) make them piles of cash.

[Soylent Brice]

30. .

:blush:

:crazy:

[hugo_from_TN]

26. Seems like just one of the major broadcasts networks should cover these.

Plus there are the cable news channels. No reason to have it on 5-10 channels at the same time.

[Doctor_J]

29. Agreed. I would think that the cable networks and PBS would be plenty

[HopeHoops]

31. Why the FUCK does anyone use the word "NEWS" in the same sentence with "FOX"?!?!?!?

FOX is a PROPAGANDA station - it has NEVER been news.

End of rant.

[hugo_from_TN]

35. This is Fox Entertainment, not Fox News!

Why the Fuck doesn't anyone read original posts before knee jerk responding.

End of rant.

[Mr. Sparkle]

32. Surely this can be classified as "un-american" !!!

I bet those right wingers are going to be pissed when they hear about this :spray: