Fox News Pulled the Plug on Hannity’s Tea Party Appearance
[Guest post by DRJ]
Several sources report Fox News and Roger Ailes pulled the plug on Sean Hannity’s appearance at a Cincinnati Tea Party event:
“Fox News pulled the plug at the last minute on Sean Hannity’s tea party show yesterday from Cincinnati because execs were unaware the appearance was being used to sell tickets to the event – but the story isn’t over.
We hear execs at FNC, including CEO Roger Ailes, remain furious because they were blindsided by Hannity’s staff.”
I understand why a media outlet might want to distance itself from outright support for people and causes but should that also apply to commentary journalists? It’s not unusual to see commentary journalists taking sides, and maybe it’s better that we know where they stand.
Further, is there really any difference between what Hannity did and the White House press’s willingness to trade access for positive stories — especially since Hannity doesn’t pretend to be neutral and is open about what he believes and when he profits.
— DRJ
Now, perhaps this is a new world and there is no line anymore and it died a long time ago. But maybe Fox is having second thoughts about having such open cheerleaders as Hannity as “talent.”
Unlike many others on Fox, Hannity isn’t just “biased” towards Republicans, he’s a complete Party tool, unable to see 2+2=4 if the Party says it equals 5. And I say that even though that’s my side. (Yes, there are as bad on MSNBC, but that’s not the point).
It would not surprise me to see Hannity and Fox part ways.
Kevin Murphy (5ae73e) — 4/17/2010 @ 7:46 pmFOX wants it both ways. First, they protest that Hannity, O’ Reilly, and Beck, are opinion programs and not journalistic. Now, they want the patina of legitimacy for these shows. Screw ’em. The horses have left the barn. In no way am I criticizing these three gentlemen.
Now, as to should a journalistic entity pull coverage from a fundraising event? Is it different if it is a rally with zero donations asked? How about rallies that ask for contributions for expenses only? What about all the churches, typically black, from where many pols speak either to an issue, eg immigration, or for themselves – don’t the churches demand tithes?
There are some legitimate questions about covering/hyping political or issue rallies that should have arisen a very long time ago across all media. In this case, I find the critics AND FOX to be disingenuous.
Ed from SFV (f0e1cb) — 4/17/2010 @ 8:23 pmIt’s not as if Hannity just this week revealed himself to be a Tea Party supporter. He is one of the leading names associated with the Tea Parties, so why did Ailes feel blindsided? It would seem he should have expected it, sooner rather than later.
Hannity may be up against a wall and forced to make a hard choice. But at the same time, he has an extraordinarily huge audience and brings in high ratings for Fox, so in actuality it might be Ailes up against the wall.
Dana (1e5ad4) — 4/17/2010 @ 8:33 pmAiles owns Hannity and Fox News – this was a shot across his bow that the Tea Parties have been more critical to Republicans as a whole than the out of control Democrats until just recently
Republicans pay taxes and make most of the money in the country which Fox News enjoys the success
The Tea Parties have been jumped the shark as they never ever morphed into a third party
EricPWJohnson (79703a) — 4/17/2010 @ 8:56 pmThat should be owns Hannity and runs Fox News..
EricPWJohnson (79703a) — 4/17/2010 @ 8:57 pmEPWJ is back on the sauce.
AD - RtR/OS! (df7269) — 4/17/2010 @ 9:06 pmI haven’t listened to Hannity’s radio show much in the last year but I remember him being critical of the Republicans plenty of times. If he’s a tool of the GOP they need to work on their training manual.
The Tea Party is a fat pitch right in Hannity’s wheelhouse. It is exactly what he’s been asking for from the Republican party and if anyone is shocked they should join Capt. Renault. I have to believe there is more to this story than just the fact that Hannity is supporting the Tea Party.
Mediaite mentions his radio show and selling books but that seems really thin gruel. I would look at Schlussel’s site but I always come away with the feeling that everyone in this country but her is an anti-semitic, palestinian loving illegal immigration enabler. She thinks Hannity is a closet Nazi who funds cloning research in Brazil.
I expect more details of this story will come out in the next few days and maybe Schlussel will produce evidence of Hannity wiring money down to Rio.
MU789 (25b69d) — 4/17/2010 @ 10:01 pmAD
Naww the tea parties are nothing and are having no effect except for the left to try and tarnish republicans image since they stepped in it when they wrecked america
No one cares honestly – they make for fun picknicks and venting but thats about it
EricPWJohnson (79703a) — 4/17/2010 @ 10:10 pmAnd maybe Hannity will jump to MSNBC and raise the average IQ of both organizations.
Kevin Murphy (5ae73e) — 4/17/2010 @ 11:40 pmThis seems to be the start of better information … and it is more plausible …
Alasdair (205079) — 4/18/2010 @ 2:19 amAlasdair,
I dont think thats the issue because Hannity has appeared at several Tea Party events, its not a first – this one was a fundraiser taking the step to the next level – Media should not participate directly participate in partisan fundraising – additionally Murdock and Ailes have not forgotten many Tea Partys wrongly accusing Republicans of being the problem when we can see how unfettered Democrats act and act forcefully.
I would not be surprised if he is replaced in the nexr few months – there is an entire stable of talent, more knowledgeable, and better prepared such as Ann Coulter, Michelle Malkin, Dan Patrick, and many many many more. In fact, had Hannity not followed O’Reilly and been a standalone, show he would not still be on the air.
He is a pure creation of Ailes and O’Reilly (Tacitly by following him)
EricPWJohnson (79703a) — 4/18/2010 @ 3:54 amNo one cares honestly – they make for fun picknicks and venting but thats about it
Comment by EricPWJohnson — 4/17/2010 @ 10:10 pm
Well, they’ve had at least one good effect so far — they exposed, for the first time in history, a sitting President openly mocking the concerns of thousands upon thousands of citizens peaceably assembling and expressing their views.
I suspect we’ll see more of what you call “seriousness” resulting from the above.
Republicans pay taxes and make most of the money in the country which Fox News enjoys the success
Well, it is true that we Republicans do have a reputation for paying our taxes, unlike Timothy Geithner and the rest of the Democrat tax cheats being exposed these days. Perhaps the Democrats don’t need Tea Parties because the coming tsx increases won’t hit them – they’ll just cheat their way out of them.
But I wasn’t aware that most of Hollywood, the sports world, and people like Ted Turner, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and other salary-enhanced people had suddenly turned Republican. Thanks for the update.
no one you know (4186cd) — 4/18/2010 @ 5:48 amNo one cares honestly – they make for fun picknicks and venting but thats about it
Comment by EricPWJohnson — 4/17/2010 @ 10:10 pm
Well, they’ve had at least one good effect so far — they exposed, for the first time in history, a sitting President openly mocking the concerns of thousands upon thousands of citizens peaceably assembling and expressing their views.
I suspect we’ll see more of what you call “seriousness” resulting from the above.
Republicans pay taxes and make most of the money in the country which Fox News enjoys the success
Well, it is true that we Republicans do have a reputation for paying our taxes, unlike Timothy Geithner and the rest of the Democrat tax cheats being exposed these days. Perhaps the Democrats don’t need Tea Parties because the coming tsx increases won’t hit them – they’ll just cheat their way out of them.
But I wasn’t aware that most of Hollywood, the sports world, and people like Ted Turner, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and other salary-enhanced people had suddenly turned Republican. Thanks for the update.
no one you know (4186cd) — 4/18/2010 @ 5:48 amnot sure what’s up with comment function these daya. Sorry about that…
no one you know (4186cd) — 4/18/2010 @ 5:57 amThe tea parties have served a very important purpose. They have given a lot of apolitical people a way to address the problems they see in addition to talking to the TV set. A lot of tea party people are getting trained in how the political system works, really works, and how to get into it and affect it for the better.
The left has infiltrated most of American society’s institutions over the past 40 years. They became teachers and government employees because they are not programed to run a business, make a budget or figure out how things work. Now, they are running the country and we see how competent they are.
A lot of people think that the financial people at Goldman Sachs and the other big firms that created the financial crisis are Democrats. They are in the social arena of abortion and atheism and that sort of thing but they are cutthroat capitalists in the world of money. Even that is not correct because they are capitalists like Fritz Thyssen was a capitalist. NO, I’m not saying Obama is Hitler. Thyssen convinced himself that, rather than compete in industry in a pure market system where capitalism works best, he would put a thumb on the scale by controlling the government. He had no idea that he was supporting, really enabling, a madman who would destroy Germany. If Hitler had not delayed his invasion of the USSR to punish Serbia, he might have won the war before we could intervene. Then we would not be calling him a madman.
What I’m saying is that these rich men around Obama are convinced that they will control the financial system and what Democrats are trying to create is a corporate state. That is the Progressive ideal.
If you haven’t read Jonah Goldberg’s book, this is a good time to start.
Mike K (2cf494) — 4/18/2010 @ 7:09 am#15 Mike K:
And, like Thyssen, need to learn that You Can’t Do Business with Hitler.
The Thyssen effect seems recurrent, wealthy businessmen have attempted to control the reigns of state to their advantage throughout the ages, only to find that the wolf they have been feeding won’t ignore their door.
EW1(SG) (edc268) — 4/18/2010 @ 7:35 amHow much of “Fox News” is actually news?
imdw (b37ee6) — 4/18/2010 @ 7:50 amI saw Dan Riehl’s entry yesterday, but he has an update. Sounds like Media Matters saw an opening and Fox caved rather than appear to “make money” from the TP. Note that the Cincy group is a non-profit and was trying to recoup its costs–not fundraise for candidates.
Red County Pete (94182e) — 4/18/2010 @ 8:18 amI find it ironic that Ailes would have a problem with Hannity, who has supported the TEA Parties from the get-go, and not with last night’s Geraldo Rivera show. Rivera’s brother, Greg, interviewed the moron from the Southern Poverty Law Center, where he named the Oath Keepers as a subversive group, and lied how “white” radical groups are on the rise.
Geraldo, himself has written articles supporting the theory that the TEA Partiers are just on the brink of violence and that it is just a matter of time, yet these are the people that are being beaten down in St. Louis and New Orleans, not doing the beating. Even Mike Huckabee, in his most temperate middle of the fence style, had to call Geraldo down for the accusations Geraldo was making against TEA Party participants.
Perhaps it is time for Ailes to lock Geraldo up in Jimmy Hoffa’s safe.
retire05 (2abfb2) — 4/18/2010 @ 8:24 amAs usual, the depths of depravity and immorality must be measured and countered for the RIGHT but the LEFT, no one gives a crap. They can go anywhere and no one cares.
Evidence MSNBC in all its glory.
HeavenSent (a9126d) — 4/18/2010 @ 9:21 amThat bunch at SPLC are not morons. Have you ever seen a description of the founder’s house ? It is a mansion. Those folks are like NOW. Even Ralph Nader said NOW has no function except fund raising. SPLC has the same function; make rich lefties think they are doing good with tax deducible donations.
Mike K (2cf494) — 4/18/2010 @ 10:13 amI’m no fan of Hannity. But FOX News execs act like they just learned this kind of cheerleading practice for GOP members has been going on. I sense something more to this story.
John in St. Louis (60844a) — 4/18/2010 @ 11:12 am