»» Columnists

Fox News Interrupts News Coverage To Promote Launch Of ‘The Daily’

by Colby Hall | 11:48 am, February 2nd, 2011

» 42 comments

Today is the sort of day that news programmers dream of, though some may see this as more of a nightmare. There is no shortage of big stories today, clearly headlined by incredibly compelling live footage of the violent clash currently unfolding on the streets of Cairo (complete with pro-Mubarak forces galloping in on horseback.) There is also the horrible snow/ice storm that has paralyzed nearly half of a weather battered nation, as well as the launch of a much ballyhooed iPad application called The Daily. Guess which story took priority at Fox News?

There is no question that the partnership between Apple and News Corp. is a big story worth covering, as it received a lot of deserved attention months ago when it was announced. And yes, Rupert Murdoch is arguably the single most powerful media mogul (best evidenced by his place on the Power Grid); his enthusiasm and embracing of a new media platform (and pouring of $30 Million into its development) is a compelling and relevant story.

But the story unfolding in Egypt right now could not be more compelling, since it appears that the American ally (with huge strategic influence on the U.S. economy) is on the brink of complete and total destabilization. Ironically, the Murdoch-led press conference was introduced by Fox News’ Neil Cavuto, an individual who has repeatedly reported the relevance of the Egyptian uprising on the price of oil. The decision to go with The Daily press event over the revolution in Egypt seems odd at best.

Obviously, other news networks continue to air short, fluff pieces in between their Egypt coverage, and if Fox had relegated this to such a segment, clearly disclosing the relationship, then they’d be much less open to criticism. But this was neither short nor fluff.

In many ways this feels similar to Sunday night’s programming decision at MSNBC to air reruns of their Lockup series, while Fox News and CNN covered Egypt live. As we reported earlier, MSNBC was rewarded by getting the highest ratings of the night!

Clearly this event was planned well in advance of the upheaval in Egypt, and when two giant corporations like Apple and News Corp. partner, it is big news (particularly with regard to the future of media and news.) But the Fox News’ decision to forgo real news coverage in Egypt for the promotion of a new commercial information platform (from which they hope to profit) seems to be at best a perfectly ironic example of the state of media today.

Egyptian Uprising, fox news, Neil Cavuto, The Daily

sarainitaly

“Clearly this event was planned well in advance of the upheaval in Egypt
when two giant corporations like Apple and News Corp. partner, it is big news (particularly with regard to the future of media and news.)
But the Fox News’ decision to forgo real news coverage in Egypt for the promotion of a new commercial information platform (from which they hope to profit) seems to be at best a perfectly ironic example of the state of media today.
Guess which story took priority at Fox News?”

So…you say it was a planned event and a big news worthy story, yet you just can’t resist making some snarky negative comments because FOX took 30 minutes out of that 24 hour news cycle to cover a newsworthy story?

I’ve had FOX on all day and don’t think viewers are any less informed about what is happening today because they also covered the launch of The Daily…

(FWIW, it seems like a really cool App. Reminds me of The Daily Prophet from Harry Potter. haha)
http://www.zazzle.com/talkingpoints NORBIT Jr.

Colby, this is news coverage.

It’s the first of it’s kind, it addresses the monetization issue for many IT endeavors – and it means that even more people will be getting their information from FOX!
http://www.zazzle.com/talkingpoints NORBIT Jr.

- of course, in the vision of “the Daily” & Rupert Mordoch.
apf

If there are more important things to cover, then why are you covering this?
http://www.facebook.com/people/Jay-Velez/881855382 Jay Velez

I think The Daily has great potential. Could really use a tech & health section though.
Harry Flashman

So….nobody else is covering Egypt?

Is Fox the only one? If the viewers at Fox didn’t want to watch the Murdock interview are they just out of luck because Egypt, despite being such a huge story, isn’t being covered anyhwere else?

Maybe its just me, but it looks like this is just another of those bash-Fox-any-way-you-can articles. Don’t wanna watch Murdock and wanna watch Egypt instead? Change the channel.

Way to think things through, Colby.
BFD

MSNBC had Lindsey Graham and Senator Barrasso on to discuss health care and Egypt while Fox had Cavuto interviewing the Fox mogul about his latest venture..

Ummm…which one is the real news organization again?
BFD

Harry Flashman said:
Change the channel.

Good advice. If you want real news change the channel from Fox.
tatboy

Clearly the one with “Lockup” and “To Catch a Preditior”… MSNBC the place for pedophiles.
sarainitaly

Harry Flashman said:
Is Fox the only one? If the viewers at Fox didn’t want to watch the Murdock interview are they just out of luck because Egypt, despite being such a huge story, isn’t being covered anyhwere else?

FOX is streaming it live (Egypt) on their web site, too. No lack of coverage….
Bobomatic

Geez, pull your skirts down girls… it’s not like Egypt is going away in the short amount of time given to Murdoch. You pussy liberals should be jumping over the iPad coverage.
BFD

tatboy said:
Clearly the one with “Lockup” and “To Catch a Preditior”… MSNBC the place for pedophiles.

Yes, MSNBC does not report the news when it is not reporting the news.

Fox does not report the news when IT IS reporting the news!! lolol
Pablo

BFD said:
MSNBC had Lindsey Graham and Senator Barrasso on to discuss health care and Egypt while Fox had Cavuto interviewing the Fox mogul about his latest venture..

Fox had them on yesterday, while MSLSD was talking about Fox. Where’s the Place for Politics?
Probably NOT wrong

BFD said:
MSNBC had Lindsey Graham and Senator Barrasso on to discuss health care and Egypt while Fox had Cavuto interviewing the Fox mogul about his latest venture.. Ummm…which one is the real news organization again?

You figure it out. Which one has four to five times the Viewers, Numbnuts???
Pablo

Bobomatic said:
Geez, pull your skirts down girls… it’s not like Egypt is going away in the short amount of time given to Murdoch. You pussy liberals should be jumping over the iPad coverage.

BREAKING NEWS: It’s still snowing!
Probably NOT wrong

Just more growth for FOX and it makes these Libs
crap their pants!
The Tea Weasel

The real question here is whether or not Fox News viewers can actually operate an iPad.
The Tea Weasel

…or even own one. It is a notoriously liberal device.
Pablo

BFD said:
Yes, MSNBC does not report the news when it is not reporting the news.

MSLSD: Sometimes, we’re a news channel!

Fox does not report the news when IT IS reporting the news!! lolol

BFD, despite the seething, even Colby gets it:

There is no question that the partnership between Apple and News Corp. is a big story worth covering, as it received a lot of deserved attention months ago when it was announced. And yes, Rupert Murdoch is arguably the single most powerful media mogul (best evidenced by his place on the Power Grid); his enthusiasm and embracing of a new media platform (and pouring of $30 Million into its development) is a compelling and relevant story.
BFD

Pablo said:
Fox had them on yesterday, while MSLSD was talking about Fox. Where’s the Place for Politics?

Wow, Fox had a couple of conservatives on?

Bully for them!!!!
Pablo

This is a big tech story. Has anyone at MSLSD mentioned it?
BFD

Pablo said:
This is a big tech story. Has anyone at MSLSD mentioned it?

I think they mentioned it as a side note to an Angry Birds story, where it belongs.
possibly

Fox is the Snooki of news.
Powerslave

Colby, why did you write a story about this? Don’t you realize that there’s a revolution going on in Egypt?
Pablo

possibly said:
Fox is the Snooki of news.

Unlike the Snooki of the Senate.
Pablo

The Tea Weasel said:
…or even own one. It is a notoriously liberal device.

Yeah, organic free range non-corporate, locally produced technology.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Jim-Treacher/542957672 Jim Treacher

And now Mediaite is covering their coverage of it. That’ll show ‘em!
The Tea Weasel

Pablo said:
Yeah, organic free range non-corporate, locally produced technology.

Produced by those hippies over at Apple. It’s start up sound is a mashup of the first six bars of “The Internationale”. It has a microchip that will automatically give a liberal slant to any news source. It has a tiny death ray that melts conservative brains. It is, in a word, the beginning of a The Final Assault on conservatives, unwittingly led by El Ruperto.

Unfortunately, in tests, conservatives have not been able to grasp the concept, or even find the on button.
BFD

LOL…CNN and MSNBC just went to the White House press briefing on Egypt….Megyn went to Monica Crowley for her opinion on the Muslim Brotherhood.

NEWS!!!
Probably NOT wrong

SEE 12;28 PM
Probably NOT wrong

Make that see 12;38 PM!
Liberal Tormentor (formerly Seeing 2012 From My Window)

Considering FOX is a 24/7 station, I think they can spare a few minutes to discuss it, and still maintain their excellent coverage of the other goings on. And as is evidenced by the ratings, the folks think they are doing a better job than everybody else.
scristanti

Hey Colby, who cares, I was glad to hear about this since I have an IPAD, thanks Fox for this great news. And like I said so what that Fox did this, only libs here would make a big deal out of this, how about msnbc who half the time they don’t cover important news at night while its going on live, so colby I will wait to see when msnbc misses covering something major if you write about them. Doubt it.
Pablo

The Tea Weasel said:
Produced by those hippies over at Apple.

Chinese hippies at Foxconn.
Courteous Commentary

Probably NOT wrong said:
You figure it out. Which one has four to five times the Viewers, Numbnuts???

What lovely language.
X-3

THIS IS GOING TO BE HUGE!
Probably NOT wrong

Courteous Commentary:

What Cable News Channel dominates all cable news
by up to 4 sometimes 5 times viewers 24/7/365?

You are a Sweetheart and I Love you dearly, but don’t some of these
silly lib comments tend to Urinate you off at times?
emancipate yourself from mental slavery

after all of the free plugs that CNN, PMSNBC, and others gave “AirAmerica”, this story makes me think…..

ho hum
avoidswork

The Tea Weasel said:
The real question here is whether or not Fox News viewers can actually operate an iPad.

…or that their viewers care whether or not they are delivered “News”…
LOGICandREASON

@Colby Hall

“Clearly this event was planned well in advance of the upheaval in Egypt, and when two giant corporations like Apple and News Corp. partner, it is big news (particularly with regard to the future of media and news.) But the Fox News’ decision to forgo real news coverage in Egypt for the promotion of a new commercial information platform (from which they hope to profit) seems to be at best a perfectly ironic example of the state of media today.”

What precisely is the essence of this article? What is the point you’re making here?

Is it the brief air time spent to promote this significant project that you have an issue with; or is it the brief break taken by Fox News on their somewhat “excessive”(according to Cable News ratings on the coverage) coverage of the crisis in Egypt?

I don’t know if you guys at Mediaite are given a strict target(goal) on the number of articles to publish daily, irrespective of their relevance(asininity in this particular case). Well, Goodluck folks!
http://politicallyincorrectlibertarian.wordpress.com PoliticallyIncorrectLibertarian

So what? NBC devotes an entire week to “Green Week.” How the hell is the green fad worth an entire week?

Democratic Nazis? Similarities between Progressivism and National Socialism.
http://libertarians4freedom.blogspot.com/2010/12/democratic-nazis-similarities-between.html
Powerslave

Who decides that this article is more important than others? It surely hasn’t garnered more comments than others. What happened to the article on Hannity vs. the Imam (360+ comments)? Not that we should beat the dead horse, but who decides?