‘CNN’s Reporting Is Inaccurate’: Fox News Denies Story Claiming ‘High-Level’ Talks With White House on Covid Coverage

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CNN reported on Tuesday that there have been “regular, high-level conversations” between the Biden administration and Fox News over the network’s covid-19 coverage. Fox News denied that report and a CNN correspondent said later in the day that “both sides have subsequently disputed the discussions were” high-level.

Fox has gotten a lot of attention for anti-vaccine commentary by hosts like Tucker Carlson. In recent days, others on Fox News have encouraged people to get vaccinated.

CNN’s Kaitlan Collins and Brian Stelter reported Tuesday on talks between the network and the White House:

There have been regular, high-level conversations between the White House and Fox News regarding their coverage of the pandemic and vaccines, a source familiar with the talks tells CNN…

The person who confirmed the conversations cautioned there has been no singular conversation that has played a role in Fox’s coverage of Covid-19. Throughout the pandemic, officials have regularly reached out to Fox News about their Covid-19 coverage. While White House officials often reach out to television networks and other news outlets about their coronavirus coverage, but this outreach is notable given Fox News’ past coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Fox News denied the report in a statement provided to New York Times media correspondent Michael Grynbaum.

“CNN’s reporting is inaccurate,” the statement said. “There have been no high level conversations between FOX News Media and the White House regarding our coverage. We had one routine briefing with the White House in early May on vaccination rates and our DC bureau personnel are regularly in touch with them on a variety of issues, as is the case with every other network.”

Here’s the Fox statement in full: pic.twitter.com/XqnCmxGF5q

— Michael M. Grynbaum (@grynbaum) July 20, 2021

Collins followed up on Twitter hours after the initial report and said, “I previously described the levels of contact between the White House & Fox News on pandemic coverage as ‘high level’ but both sides have subsequently disputed the discussions were. The WH held a network-specific briefing between Fox News and officials to discuss coverage in May.”

The earlier report noted that White House officials often reach out to television networks and other outlets about their coronavirus coverage, but the Fox outreach was notable given its past coverage. Fox's statement to NYT: https://t.co/QuOa7eNRrJ

— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) July 20, 2021