Fox network chooses “Lie to Me” over Obama press conference
The Fox network has told President Barack Obama it won’t show his prime-time news conference Wednesday night, AP television writer David Bauder reports.
Fox executives wouldn’t comment, but Bauder’s reporting indicates that “sweeps” numbers and advertising revenues are behind the decision — not politics.
Here’s Bauder’s story:
NEW YORK (AP) - Fox became the first broadcast network to turn down a request by President Barack Obama for time, opting to show its drama “Lie to Me” on Wednesday instead of the president’s prime-time news conference.
Fox will direct viewers interested in the news conference to Fox News Channel and the Fox Business Network, which will both carry it. ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, MSNBC and CNBC are all carrying the 8 p.m. EDT event, on Obama’s 100th day in office.
This will be Obama’s third prime-time news conference as president, a schedule that has caused some private grumbling among network executives. Carrying a news conference costs the four broadcast networks an estimated $10 million-plus in lost advertising revenue.
Yet with an economy in distress, two wars and now a swine flu outbreak, the pressure on networks to agree to Obama’s request as a public service is enormous.
Executives at Fox, owned by News Corp., would not comment on the decision Monday. It’s not without precedent for the network; Fox didn’t carry a prime-time speech by President George W. Bush in November 2001 despite a request from the White House.
“I can’t imagine it was politically motivated,” said Shelly Palmer, industry analyst and host of “MediaBytes,” a daily show about technology and the media. “I’m assuming it was financially motivated.”
The news conference comes at the start of a ratings “sweeps” month, where viewership is watched closely to set local advertising rates. Not only will Fox keep its advertising for the hour, it will offer the only broadcast entertainment program, potentially giving a boost to the new series “Lie to Me,” about a crime-fighting expert who can spot liars. “American Idol” follows “Lie to Me” on the schedule.
The Fox broadcast network was the most likely to have made this decision. Unlike ABC, CBS and NBC, Fox does not have its own news division to analyze the event. Even though the broadcast network is in more homes, cable’s Fox News Channel traditionally gets more viewers for its coverage of these events than the Fox network.
An executive at one of the three other broadcasters, who asked for anonymity because the conversations were private, said that network’s executives had expressed concern to the White House about the frequency of prime-time news conferences and the financial sacrifice they were making in carrying the event. The executive said it was hoped the administration would show more flexibility in working with networks to find the best times to schedule the events.
Steve Parker is the deputy managing editor for news, and oversees the Post-Dispatch's front page. STLtoday's online news editors are on his newsroom team. Parker has been at the paper since September 1980. 
Everything I have heard and read has been pretty much like this. The 2001 speech was always mentioned too, so Fox has made this decision before. If you think about it, offering regular TV viewers an option besides the speech ought to be a pretty good business decision. They might attract viewers they normally wouldn’t tune in.
I’m glad to see Mr Parker took a rational approach to this. A few in the media have tried to blow this wayyyyyyy out of proportion…
A lot of people don’t watch these things and to have it on every major channel is ridiculous.
Is this really news Mr. P? Will this be tomorrow’s FP headline?
I knew I loved FOX, so kudos to them. Although eating establishments are probably disappointed. Pres. speeches are usually a good night to go out to dinner since nothing is on TV.
Finally a station said “no!” I don’t care who is president, it does not need to be on every station. They should all be required to take turns on the non-cable stations. Not everyone in this country cares what he has to say.
I for one am an Idol devotee and I’m tired of Idol being taken off the air.
I have plans for Thurs. and don’t want TV scheduling changed.
WHy don’t they just put these stupid speeches on PBS and the Internet.
We know we are being turned into a socialist country, but I’d prefer not to have it drilled into my head at every turn.
“Fox network chooses “Lie to Me” over Obama press conference”
So Fox is just going with its’ strength, I mean isn’t “Lie To Me” their motto?
RH - I have never heard that motto. Actually, that is where I go for the truth.
As much as I’d like to argue against Fox, I can understand the rationale. Still, I doubt Fox employees — or ex-employees — have had to resort to food stamps.
………Don’t blame FOX at all…. I for one, never can understand why ALL channels must feel obliged to carry Presidential speeches. Clearly because it looks like a case of “FOX v Democrats” it is a somewhat interesting notion this time, but I don’t think it is anything other than a sober business decision during rating season.
PS…Presidential speeches would be much more palatable to me WITHOUT the commentary from the usual network politicos. I’m a big boy and can understand what a President means all by myself.
So FOX has chosen to show a fictitious story about a made up character and a storyline based on lies rather than a real life made up character whose storyline is based on lies?
Big whoop. FOX is going to air it on two of their news channels instead. FOX News alone crushes the other networks in ratings. Pres Narcissus won’t be hurting for an audience.
Sore losers, that’s what I hear.