FOX Says ‘No’ – First to Decline Obama’s Request to Hog All Major TV Networks during Prime-time for 100th-Day Address
Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on April 27, 2009
By Vicki McClure Davidson * Frugal Café Blog Zone
Enough was enough. It’s about time someone said “no.”
President Barack Obama and his teleprompters have hogged the limelight in prime-time television well past his welcome, at least on the FOX network.
An airing of the still-kinda-new drama Lie to Me should have a hefty surge in the ratings. I’m sure there are millions of people who just don’t have the interest (or, the stomach) to relive the past 3-plus months of this presidential administration.
Don’t think that the delicious irony of the title of this “rebel” show opposite the “Best of Obama Show” on CBS, NBC, and ABC went over my head… nope. I’m still giggling. Also, the word had been that Obama was going to preempt American Idol because it has the strongest ratings of all networks. But no matter. FOX will be “Nobama” during prime-time for Wednesday’s 100th-day address.
The first week of sweeps in May is crucial to the TV networks, as it establishes, based on viewership, how much they can charge advertisers. With declining revenues, this is a business imperative to “get it right” and to try to recover from previous losses.
Splitting up the “Best of Obama Show” four ways, with no commercial breaks (so zero money is coming in to pay for all overhead and salaries for four networks), just didn’t make fiscally-responsible sense anymore to execs at FOX. A wise stance taken to protect the company’s profits and thus, its employees’ jobs.
Obama’s ratings have dropped significantly with each of his TV appearances, so that may have also influenced the decision for FOX to decline. The honeymoon’s over.
With no end in sight for this recession, any business wanting to stay afloat must make tough choices to make and save money, like saying “sorry, no” to the president. And, it’s not like we’ve not seen plenty of Obama in prime-time during these first almost-100 days. An hour to relive (and likely, rewrite and reinvent) the “Best of Obama Show” is sheer overkill… for many conservatives, much of his “socialism horror” is forever tattooed on our brains. The next 100 days, 200 days into this administration, should be no different, if the terror-inducing NYC low flyover of Air Force One this week for a photo op is any indication.
For the first time since Barack Obama took office, a major broadcast network is refusing to grant the president’s request for primetime coverage.
Fox has issued a statement saying it will air regular programming (Lie to Me) Wednesday night instead of Obama’s 100-day news conference.
“The Fox Broadcasting Company will not air the Presidential News Conference on Wednesday, April 29 at 8:00 PM (ET),” Fox said in a statement. “Fox’s sister networks, Fox News Channel and the Fox Business Network, will air the press conference in its entirety. Fox will be alerting viewers with an onscreen graphic at the top of the 8:00 PM (ET) hour that the press conference is available on Fox News Channel and the Fox Business Network.”
ABC, CBS and NBC have issued statements saying they will carry the president’s telecast.
Good choice, FOX. I’ll be watching Lie to Me. Millions of other people will be, too… you can take that to the bank.
FOX says 'no' to Obama, the first to dare to do so... this may bode badly for the network, but we applaud them for their courage
UPDATE: Posted October 15, 2009:
John Nolte, Big Hollywood: LEAKED NETWORK MEMO REVEALS: Obama Controls Your Television Set
Related reading:
Hot Air: Fox passes on Obama’s 100-days celebration
Gateway Pundit: FOX Won’t Air Obama’s 100 Day Press Conference– Will Show “Lie to Me” Instead
Steven Crowder, Big Hollywood: Lonewolf Diaries: Time to Body Check Obama
Kyle Smith, PajamasMedia: Welcome to The Barack Obama Show!
Michelle Malkin: Bully boy Rahm puts screws on media execs and 100th Daygasm: Obama ‘asks’ networks for hour of primetime during sweeps
Gribbit’s Word: Summary – Cheerleaders for the Revolution
Peace and Freedom Global Future: Obama’s Lust for TV Is Costing Networks Millions
Diary of a Mad Conservative: My God – it’s a nightmare!!!!
Eject Eject Eject, PajamasMedia: What Media Bias Really Costs the Republic
About the author
At what point do the American people get SICK AND TIRED of hearing this guy read a teleprompter ???
This man is the most self-infatuated president that I can remember.
This administration et.al is disgusting.
Barf Bags are free to those who need them.