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Airing President Obama's speech

How important is the President's speech to Congress on health care tonight?

Judging by the attention he's giving it, by the letters to the editor, by the town halls and by the need for health care improvement, I'd say that it's an 8 or 9 on the importance scale.

The local Fox affiliate is not airing the speech, instead showing "So You Think You Can Dance." The speech will be streamed on the Web site. (The CBS affiliate, WFMY, is broadcasting the speech.)

In one way, the Fox decision makes sense -- it is not as if anyone with a television won't be able to find Obama on another station. I understand that. At the newspaper, we have purposely emphasized local news over national news to distinguish ourselves from content available everywhere.

I presume the station knows its audience and its expectations. I wouldn't be surprised if WGHP wins the ratings battle, too. Still, if you want to say you own local news, the decision not to broadcast the speech seems to hurt the brand of being the "News Leader," particularly when you're replacing it with regular entertainment programming.

OK, that was too snarky. The issue is a serious one. It interests me because I'm interested in how news judgment is changing and how the public makes choices. We're grappling with it here, and I know local television is, too.

Update: Fox8 anchor Neill McNeill promises a blog post on the topic. He says he didn't make the programming decision. Will link to it when it comes.

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Tags: Television

Posted by John Robinson on Wednesday, September 9, 2009 at 3:45 pm

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Oona

September 9, 2009 - 4:48 pm EDT

i think that by not airing the speech tonight, it is a nod to those who are afraid of what change will bring. i picture a little kid covering his or her ears. Why not let your viewers watch and judge for themselves, there will surely be counterpoints at the end of the speech. they are not saying that they don't support reform, but the inference is there.

Oona

September 9, 2009 - 5:27 pm EDT

The greater issue here is respect. When the President addresses the nation, although you may not agree with the message, surely you agree that it should be aired. Is health care reform a national or local issue? Who will not be effected by the changes that may or may not occur?

There is disagreement, and then there is disrespect.

andy.aldridge

September 9, 2009 - 6:07 pm EDT

Fox has an enviable position in that it has two networks - Fox and FoxNews. They are showing it on FoxNews but not on the main Fox station. I think it's not as political as many are making it out to be. It's more about advertising dollars than anything else. The premieres of So You Think You Can Dance and then Glee right after it have a lot of dollars tied up in them and understandably, Fox doesn't want to take a mulligan on them.

And, before anyone says it's because Fox is a conservative network, remember that they, along with NBC, did not air on the main station a 2004 George Bush speech about the Iraq War.

mumbarger

September 10, 2009 - 7:09 pm EDT

Agreed. In this case, I really don't think it's a political decision -- Fox has been promoting the heck out of 'Glee' for months now, and SYTYCD is a big hit for them. The other networks were mostly planning reruns before Obama announced his speech, so they lost little by airing it.

Get A Clue

September 12, 2009 - 12:29 pm EDT

It's not snarky when it's the unvarnished truth.
FOX is simply not a news organization. Never has been.
And as if their slanted, Murdoch-driven on-air bombastic style hasn't been enough proof, their repeated choices to not air this President's addresses when they always chose to air Republican Presidents' addressess tells us all we need to know.
Fair? Hardly.
Balanced? Pull my other leg.