Is Trump’s love affair with Fox News fading?

US President Donald Trump and his son Barron Trump return to the White House after two weeks spent at Trump's golf club in New Jersey on August 18, 2019 in Washington, DC. (AFP / Eric Baradat)
Updated 19 August 2019
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Is Trump’s love affair with Fox News fading?

  • Trump appears to be tilting his media gaze toward a more right-wing rival, cable outfit OANN
  • Since March Trump has tweeted links to OANN stories or shared his appreciation of the network 13 times

WASHINGTON: Last month after Donald Trump watched Fox News lob what he called “softball questions” at a Democratic lawmaker, the US president delivered a crisp smackdown of his favorite network: “Fox sure ain’t what it used to be.”
After years of often fawning coverage by Fox, particularly from its pro-Trump anchors like Sean Hannity, the commander in chief appears to be tilting his media gaze toward a younger, more right-wing rival, cable outfit One America News Network (OANN).
The small upstart broadcaster was launched only recently, in 2013, by technology millionaire Robert Herring, who sought a more conservative alternative to mainstream media behemoths like CNN.
Today it seeks to outfox Fox by drawing extra attention from Trump, who has been voicing his displeasure with the ratings leader over everything from presidential polling to its hosting of Democratic candidate town halls.
Last week in a tweet to his 63 million followers, the president managed to disparage Fox and his mainstream news foil CNN, while heaping praise on the new object of his media affection.
“Watching Fake News CNN is better than watching Shepard Smith, the lowest rated show on @FoxNews. Actually, whenever possible, I turn to @OANN!” Trump posted.
Since March he has tweeted links to OANN stories or shared his appreciation of the network 13 times.
The relationship has been years in the making. In 2015 Trump was interviewed by Sarah Palin, the Republican vice presidential nominee in 2008, when she guest-hosted OANN’s show “On Point.”
At his first press conference as president-elect, in January 2017, Trump took a question from an OANN reporter. OANN was then called on dozens of times at the daily briefings in Trump’s first 100 days in office.
During his June 2018 press conference in Singapore, following the summit with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, Trump took a question from OANN White House correspondent Emerald Robinson, but not before gushing about her network.
“Thank you for the nice way you treat us. We appreciate it,” he said. “Really, it’s very good. It’s really beautiful what you do.”
The San Diego-based operation describes itself as “straight news, no opinion.” But the pro-Trump agenda is crystal clear, more than a dozen current and former employees told The Washington Post in 2017.
Herring himself, in his pinned tweet, describes OANN as “the president’s favorite new outlet.”
When Fox cut away from broadcasting a Trump rally in New Hampshire on Thursday, Herring tweeted, “We will never cut away!“

Purveyor of conspiracy theories
OANN has faced accusations of promoting conspiracy theories and peddling Kremlin propaganda.
“Yeah, we like Russia here,” a staffer assigned to brief new OANN producer Ernest Champell told him, according to The Daily Beast. Champell left, disillusioned, four months later.
“The network has a history of race-baiting and presenting anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant and anti-abortion reporting,” according to Media Matters, a progressive nonprofit group that says its mission is “analyzing and correcting conservative misinformation.”
While OANN’s influence in the White House may far outweigh its position in the news media landscape, Trump clearly retains an affinity for several people in the Fox organization.
The show “Fox & Friends” remains his go-to morning program; Trump has phoned in on numerous occasions as president.
Perhaps that is why Democratic longshot contender Julian Castro purchased ad time during “Fox & Friends” this week, airing a spot in which he directly addresses Trump and blames him for inspiring the El Paso shooter who massacred 22 people early this month.

Trump jealous
Sean Hannity, the network’s popular anchor, appeared alongside Trump at a campaign rally ahead of the 2018 mid-terms.
But friction emerged this week when Hannity expressed support for CNN anchor Chris Cuomo after a video of Cuomo in a heated argument at a New York bar went viral.
It was a sharp contrast to Trump, who tweeted that Cuomo — the brother of New York’s Democratic governor Andrew Cuomo — was “nuts” and showed a “total loss of control” in the incident.
The president expressed frustration when Fox aired multiple town halls in recent months featuring Democrats who are trying to unseat him in 2020, including South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg, currently fifth in major polling.
“Hard to believe that @FoxNews is wasting airtime on Mayor Pete,” Trump tweeted in May. “Fox is moving more and more to the losing (wrong) side in covering the Dems.”
Fox News presidential polling is also a concern for Trump, whose job approval rating in the network’s mid-August poll dipped substantially, to 43 percent, while his disapproval rating spiked to 56 percent, its highest since October 2017.
In head-to-head matchups, the poll shows Trump losing to major Democratic candidates, including to frontrunner Joe Biden by 12 percentage points and to liberal Bernie Sanders by nine.
Fox polls “have always been terrible to me,” he tweeted in late July.


Saudi Media Forum opens registration for annual media awards

Updated 9 sec ago
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Saudi Media Forum opens registration for annual media awards

  • Process open to media professionals, organizations until Dec. 10

RIYADH: The Saudi Media Forum has launched the registration process for its prestigious annual media awards, an event which aims to inspire creativity and recognize excellence across the media sector.

The awards are held in conjunction with the forum’s activities and the Future of Media Exhibition, which is to be held in Riyadh from Feb. 19-21 next year.

Mohammed Fahad Al-Harthi, the president of the Saudi Media Forum, stressed the awards’ growing importance in highlighting the role of the media in shaping societal values and fostering innovation, and added the event sought to recognize exceptional efforts in the fields of media and communication.

Last year’s edition saw more than 3,000 submissions locally and regionally, and the SMF said it expected participation to double this year amid growing interest in the sector.

The awards span a wide range of categories, including journalism, television programs, podcasts, academic research, and public relations campaigns. Individual achievements will also be recognized through accolades such as Media Personality of the Year, Best Digital Content, and the Columnist Award.

Al-Harthi also highlighted the introduction of the Tolerance Award, an international track focused on coexistence and dialogue and developed in partnership with the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue.

Registration is open to media professionals and organizations until Dec. 10, with submissions being accepted through the forum’s official platform.

Detailed criteria and submission guidelines can be accessed on the forum’s website at saudimf.sa/ar/awards.


Media watchdogs condemn ‘concerning’ Haaretz boycott by Israeli government

Updated 26 November 2024
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Media watchdogs condemn ‘concerning’ Haaretz boycott by Israeli government

  • Committee to Protect Journalists says tactic is ‘disturbing evidence’ of efforts to prevent coverage of Gaza war
  • Haaretz publisher Amos Schocken critical of Israeli policies, prompting government call for restrictions on left-leaning paper

LONDON: Media watchdogs have strongly criticized the Israeli government’s decision to boycott Haaretz, one of the country’s oldest and most critical newspapers, calling it a troubling blow to media freedom and pluralism.

“We are extremely concerned over Israel’s authoritarian drift that undermines media pluralism and the public’s right to know,” said IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger, who called on “the government to review its decision and stop damaging press freedom in the country by boycotting a newspaper.”

Jodie Ginsberg, CEO of the Committee to Protect Journalists, labeled the boycott “deplorable” and accused Israel of intensifying its restrictions on critical media. “Israel’s increasing deployment of restrictions on critical media is further disturbing evidence of its efforts to prevent coverage of its actions in Gaza,” she said.

The Israeli government unanimously approved a proposal on Nov. 24 by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi to halt all government advertising in and communication with Haaretz.

The decision effectively boycotts the left-leaning outlet, citing comments by publisher Amos Schocken, who had earlier called for sanctions against Israel and referred to Palestinian resistance groups as “freedom fighters.”

Schocken, who has led the paper for over three decades, later clarified that he did not include groups like Hamas in his reference to freedom fighters, emphasizing his support for nonviolent resistance.

Despite this, Haaretz faced significant backlash, publishing an editorial distancing itself from his remarks.

Karhi defended the government’s move, saying Israel “cannot fund a newspaper whose publisher calls for sanctions against the state and supports its enemies during wartime.”

He has previously accused Haaretz of propagating “anti-Israel propaganda” and called for financial penalties against the paper.

The boycott comes amid wider concerns over media freedom in Israel.

Critics point to the introduction of laws like the so-called “Al Jazeera law,” which allows temporary bans on foreign media deemed a national security risk, and ongoing attempts to privatize the public broadcaster Kan.

“Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, who follows the hardline stances of the Likud party, is leveraging the ongoing war — the longest in the country’s history — to silence voices that criticise the far-right coalition in power,” said Paris-based media watchdog Reporter Without Borders.

The Paris-based watchdog added that such measures will have “lasting, detrimental effects on Israel’s media landscape.”

In response, Haaretz described the government’s actions as an attempt to “silence a critical, independent newspaper,” vowing to continue its reporting despite the restrictions.


Israeli ministers advance bill to privatize Kan, shutting down country’s last public broadcaster

Updated 26 November 2024
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Israeli ministers advance bill to privatize Kan, shutting down country’s last public broadcaster

  • Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi says public broadcast is ‘obsolete,’ no longer serves its original purpose of addressing Israel’s multiculturalism
  • Critics argue bill ‘fundamentally alters Israeli media,’ could lead to punitive measures against media

LONDON: Israeli ministers have approved a controversial bill to privatize the country’s public broadcaster, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (Kan) within two years, effectively eliminating Israel’s last remaining public media outlet.

The proposal, backed by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi and Likud MK Tally Gotliv, received support from the Ministerial Committee on Legislation on Sunday.

If passed, the bill will require the government to issue a tender to sell the broadcaster’s television and radio networks. Should no private operator come forward, Kan will be shuttered and its archives and intellectual property rights transferred to the state.

The Attorney General’s Office has raised significant legal and practical concerns about the legislation, describing it as a direct threat to press freedom.

In a position paper sent to Justice Minister Yariv Levin, Deputy Attorney General Avital Sompolinsky and Adv. Meir Levin warned the proposal sent a “clear and serious” signal that critical reporting or content unfavorable to the government could lead to punitive measures against media outlets.

“The bill’s immediate significance is the full and total elimination of public broadcasting in Israel, fundamentally altering Israeli media,” they wrote. “Such a drastic decision cannot be made hastily through a private bill, without a solid expert foundation, and in contradiction to the government’s prior approach to this matter”.

Proponents of the bill argue that public broadcasting is outdated and has become “obsolete,” citing Kan’s “exceptionally large budget” and alleged low viewing figures.

They further argue that the move is necessary to “increase competition” in the media market, saying that the widespread availability of internet platforms and multi-channel television means public service media no longer serve their original purpose of addressing Israel’s multiculturalism.

Addressing the company’s employees, Kan CEO Golan Yochpaz rejected these claims, accusing the government of undermining press independence and manipulating statistics.

“They’re trying to confuse us with linear television viewing data, an outdated statistic that is irrelevant to public television, which does not need to sell advertising,” Yochpaz said, warning privatization would deprive millions of viewers of free access to events like the Eurovision Song Contest and World Cup.

The Journalists Union and Media Employees Union also condemned the proposal, calling it a “serious blow to press freedom” and a threat to the job security of Kan’s employees.

The unions warned that the bill undermined democracy by silencing critical voices and eroding journalistic independence.

The move comes amid heightened tensions over media freedom in Israel. Just hours earlier, the Knesset severed ties with Haaretz following comments by publisher Amos Schocken referring to Palestinian militants as “freedom fighters.”

The newspaper decried the decision, describing it as “another step in Netanyahu’s journey to dismantle Israeli democracy.”


UN says Taliban detained journalists over 250 times in Afghanistan since takeover

Updated 26 November 2024
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UN says Taliban detained journalists over 250 times in Afghanistan since takeover

The United Nations’ mission to Afghanistan said on Tuesday the ruling Taliban had arbitrarily detained journalists 256 times since their takeover three years ago, and urged authorities there to protect the media.
In a reply accompanying the report, the Taliban-led foreign ministry denied having arrested that number of journalists and added that those arrested had committed a crime.
Journalists in Afghanistan worked under “challenging conditions,” the UN mission (UNAMA) and the UN Human Rights Office said in a statement.
“They often face unclear rules on what they can and cannot report, running the risk of intimidation and arbitrary detention for perceived criticism,” said Roza Otunbayeva, the special representative of Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
“We urge the de facto authorities to ensure the safety and security of all journalists and media workers as they carry out their tasks, and to fully recognize the importance of women working in the media,” she added.
In its response, the ministry said women continued to work in the media, subject to certain conditions to meet religious morality rules, such as covering their faces and working separately from men.
It described the UN report as being “far from actual realities” and said security forces were working to protect journalists. The Afghan information ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The foreign ministry said the arrest figure was “exaggerated” and detentions took place subject to law.
“No one is arrested arbitrarily,” it said, listing the infringements of those detained.
These ranged from encouraging people to act against the system, defaming the government and providing false and baseless reports, to co-operation with the system’s enemies in the media, and providing material to media outlets against the system, it added.
The Taliban swept to power in 2021 as foreign forces withdrew, vowing to restore security and impose their strict interpretation of Islamic law.
Their administration has not been officially recognized by any foreign government and Western diplomats have said the path to recognition is being stalled by the Taliban’s curbs on women.


US-made weapon used by Israel in strike that killed journalists, investigation finds

Updated 25 November 2024
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US-made weapon used by Israel in strike that killed journalists, investigation finds

  • The Guardian probe reveals Boeing-made kit used to convert unguided bomb into precision-guided weapon, pointing to deliberate targeting
  • Warning that targeting journalists based on assumed political affiliations is ‘dangerous trend,’ violation of international law

LONDON: A US-made weapon was used by Israel in an airstrike that killed three journalists and injured three others in southern Lebanon, according to an investigation by The Guardian published on Monday.

The British newspaper revealed that munitions manufactured in the US targeted cameraman Ghassan Najjar and technician Mohammad Reda from Iran-backed Hezbollah outlet Al-Mayadeen, as well as cameraman Wissam Qassem from the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Manar channel. Experts have called the attack a potential war crime.

The strike, which was carried out on the night of Oct. 25, hit a chalet in Hasbaya that was being used as a press station by several media workers, including journalists from Al Jazeera, Sky News Arabia, and TRT.

The Israeli military claimed it targeted a “Hezbollah military structure” in which “terrorists were located,” but later said that the incident was under review after learning journalists were among the casualties.

Nadim Houry, a human rights lawyer and executive director of the Arab Reform Initiative, told The Guardian: “All the indications show that this would have been a deliberate targeting of journalists: a war crime.

“This was clearly delineated as a place where journalists were staying.”

The investigation found no evidence to support Israel’s claims. Cars marked with “Press” signs were parked outside the chalet, and no military activity was detected in the area before the strike.

Witnesses said Israeli drones constantly monitored the site during the 23 days it was used as a press hub.

Ahmed Baydoun, an Amsterdam-based open-source intelligence researcher who was among the first to geolocate the strike, told Arab News that while satellite imagery and eyewitness video analysis pinpointed the chalet’s exact coordinates, providing both “accuracy” and a “tangible grasp of the gravity of the situation” in Hasbaya, definitive conclusions about the incident “would require shrapnel or remnants of the ammunition from the site.”

Remnants of munitions at the scene indicated that at least one weapon used was a 500lb MK-80 series bomb equipped with a Boeing-made JDAM (joint direct attack munition) kit, which converts unguided bombs into precision-guided weapons. The use of such a bomb suggests the site was deliberately selected as a target.

Under US law, the use of American-made weapons in attacks that constitute crimes against humanity requires the suspension of arms supplies to the country in question. Both Israel and the US have denied such accusations.

The journalists killed in the strike were not members of Hezbollah, although one coffin was draped in a Hezbollah flag during burial.

Experts noted that such practices often signify political affiliation but do not indicate military or operational involvement.

Janina Dill, co-director of the Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law, and Armed Conflict, said targeting journalists based on assumed political affiliations was “a dangerous trend already witnessed in Gaza” and “not compatible with international law.”

The Committee to Protect Journalists reports that since the conflict began on Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has killed six journalists in Lebanon and at least 129 in Gaza, marking the deadliest period for the profession in over four decades.

Irene Khan, the UN special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, accused Israeli authorities of “blatantly ignoring” their international legal obligations to safeguard journalists.