CNN support shows maverick days are over
Fox News isn’t the place it used to be.
That’s what former Fox titan and best selling author Bill O’Reilly said yesterday on my Herald Radio show.
“Fox News is not what it was three years ago,” he said. “It’s different people running the operation.” Perhaps that could explain why the cable news network made headlines yesterday announcing it’s filing an amicus brief in court challenging the Trump administration’s decision to bar controversial CNN reporter Jim Acosta from its daily White House press briefings.
“The Acosta thing isn’t about freedom of the press, it’s about how you behave as a reporter. It was obvious to anyone that Jim Acosta was not trying to get information to the viewers of CNN he was trying to provoke confrontation,” said the former cable news king who left Fox News under a sexual harassment cloud.
“If CNN wants him to be a commentator give him a prime time show. They could use the ratings help,” he added. “But he’s a reporter and reporters are not supposed to bait the president of the United States and not supposed to insult him, which is what Acosta does.”
O’Reilly pointed out that the White House can suspend Acosta’s press access but they haven’t suspended CNN’s access thereby debunking the fallacy the administration is restricting free speech or freedom of the press when over 50 CNN reporters continue to have White House press credentials.
What the White House is saying by revoking Acosta’s press pass is that it “cannot conduct press conferences for the American people with someone who is going to disrupt the proceedings” stated O’Reilly.
“That’s the argument and the White House will win. CNN’s lawsuit is a PR stunt,” he added.
As far as Fox is concerned, O’Reilly explained, “They want to get on the side of establishment media.” The days of being “mavericks” and “outsiders,” he said, are over.
“They don’t want to be attacked anymore by the New York Times, the Washington Post or by CNN, they want to be part of the club.”
Bottom line: If the media wants the Trump administration to show respect for the industry they should remember that relationships are a two-way street.
If CNN reporters behaved professionally and respectfully toward the president, Trump would reciprocate. Perhaps they should try it sometime.
