FLASHBACK: News Corp And Fox News Have A Long, Chummy Relationship With Rudy Giuliani
FLASHBACK: News Corp And Fox News Have A Long, Chummy Relationship With Rudy Giuliani
In a new lawsuit, former book publisher Judith Regan, who ran HarperCollins, claims that an unnamed executive at her parent-company, News Corporation, “encouraged her to lie to federal investigators about her past affair with Bernard B. Kerik.” Regan says the “executive wanted to protect the presidential aspirations of Rudolph W. Giuliani.”
Though a News Corp. spokesperson dismissed the lawsuit as having “no merit,” Giuliani and the company — specifically its subsidiary Fox News — have a long-history of friendship and preferential treatment. In fact, Fox’s start was directly aided by Giuliani when, as mayor of New York City, he “intervened” after the company was “blocked from securing a cable station in the city”:
In 1996, when Mr. Ailes and Rupert Murdoch started Fox News, Mr. Giuliani intervened as mayor after Time Warner cable refused to carry the new station in the city. Time Warner, which had 1.1 million subscribers in the city, said it had room for only one more news station, which it had just awarded to MSNBC.
Fox accused Time Warner of trying to protect CNN, which Time Warner was buying. On Sept. 20, 1996, Mr. Ailes called Mr. Giuliani to ask for help. A flurry of meetings followed, but Time Warner did not budge. Three weeks later, the Giuliani administration said it would broadcast Fox News on a municipal-run station, citing the benefits of offering diverse news sources and protecting the 600 jobs Fox had created. […]
But a federal judge blocked his plan, calling it “special advocacy” to “reward a friend and to further a particular viewpoint.” The companies came to terms the next year.
As the New York Times noted in August, that friendly relationship has resulted in lopsided, favorable coverage by the cable news channel of Giuliani’s presidential campaign:
So far this year, one political journal found, Mr. Giuliani has logged more time on Fox interview programs than any other candidate. Most of the time has been spent with Sean Hannity, an acknowledged admirer of the former mayor, according to the data compiled by the journal, known as The Hotline. […]
Mr. Giuliani’s on-air time on Fox was 25 percent greater than that of his Republican competitor Mitt Romney, and nearly double that of Senator John McCain of Arizona. Fred D. Thompson, who has yet to formally announce his candidacy, came in second to Mr. Giuliani with 101 minutes of Fox interviews.
Fox’s Hannity, who has a prime-time show Monday through Friday and an hour-long show on Sunday nights, is such a big Giuliani booster that he has even taken to helping the former mayor raise money by introducing him at a fundraiser in Ohio.
Most recently, Fox’s Neil Cavuto hosted Giuliani for an “exclusive” interview in which Cavuto endearingly referred to Giuliani as “America’s Mayor.”
UPDATE: In July, the New York Daily News reported that Regan has “secret tapes of phone calls” between herself and News Corp. executives.
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38 Responses to “FLASHBACK: News Corp And Fox News Have A Long, Chummy Relationship With Rudy Giuliani”
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Don’t forget Giuliani’s longtime relationship with Fox News Chairman, Roger Ailes:
Doesn’t get much closer than that.
November 14th, 2007 at 12:00 pmJulie-Annie is going to need all the friends he can find when the tidal wave called Felon Bernie Kerik hits him. Looks like FoxSnooze will continue to be in his corner with their “fair and balanced” coverage. lol
I hope the name of the News Corp. executive becomes public knowledge. Rupert’s whole shoddy operation needs to be hung out to dry. It all stinks to high heaven.
November 14th, 2007 at 12:00 pmCaption Contest: My Eyes Adore You
November 14th, 2007 at 12:00 pmInsannity & Fruity Rudy are a match made in heaven. This ‘Mutual Admiration Society’ has flourished since big bucks entered the arena.
Rudy is being groomed by corporate interests to inherit the Kingship. You think Fox is prevalent now? Just wait, America, it will be in every kiosk, every public flat screen you encounter.
We need to turn up the heat on the Kerik story…Rudy’s pants are down on that one, and he needs to be exposed in pubic.
You know, we learned yesterday that 2,600 Vets committed suicide in 2006. I don’t even see that in the Think Fast thread.
November 14th, 2007 at 12:02 pmWTF?
News Corp’s relationship with Giuliani is their business. This can be a very fruitful relationship to project Rudy towards the Presidency. I believe he will not win, but if he does, it will go a long way to ensure proper top down message management.
November 14th, 2007 at 12:05 pmOh, this is gonna be FUN!!! I hope they strip him bare and flay him publicly.
FrootyRoody is nothing more than a jumped-up little thug with delusions of grandeur…sorta like our current King.
November 14th, 2007 at 12:06 pmHannity with his hands all over Rudy in that photo. He looks like the soft, pudgy guy in high school gym class who couldn’t shoot a basketball hoop if his life depended on it and was always the last one to be picked for a team.
November 14th, 2007 at 12:06 pmThis isn’t a surprise — Fox News and various conservatives have always been mutual suck-ups. We all know that Fox News has a right-wing bias, which is why most of us on the left either pay no attention to them at all, or tune in periodically just to see what the right is up to.
If Rudy is going to win, he will have to venture beyond Fox. Preaching to the choir might get him the base, but to win the trophy he has to win the independents, too.
November 14th, 2007 at 12:06 pmRudy’s pants are down on that one, and he needs to be exposed in pubic.
Comment by Zimzone — November 14, 2007 @ 12:02 pm
Can we use a different metaphor? My mind’s eye is having major difficulties with this one!
November 14th, 2007 at 12:07 pmHits sez:
Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner.
November 14th, 2007 at 12:09 pmOf course Fake News and Guiliani have a relationship tnat is based on being dishonest, neither is what they appear to be. As for Fox News, they are basically and propaganda machine for extremist rightwing Republican views. They claim to be “fair and balanced”, but nothing could be farther from the truth. And Mr. Guiliani ins’t protraying himself as the power hungry, lying politician he is. This man has used the horror of 9-11 to not only make money (speeches), but is now shamelessly using is to further is political ambitions. In this case neither party cares about America at all, they are in it for the same reason, money and power.
November 14th, 2007 at 12:09 pmLeftside Annie,
Your post does a great job of representing what you stand for.
Hits
November 14th, 2007 at 12:14 pmIf you guys ever wrote about the preferential treatment Gore gets on every single TV channel he appears on
He won a Nobel prize for trying to save the world from global catastrophe. That’s pretty newsworthy.
November 14th, 2007 at 12:14 pmlol, PLC,
My bad. Was it the spelling or the message, btw?
Rightards are still struggling with the idea of Fruity Rudy in the big chair.
They will cave in, of course, but some will not vote for him simply because he’s not completely pro-life.
He is pro-lie, though, and that has to be an advantage in this arena.
November 14th, 2007 at 12:17 pm“If you’re a critical thinker, you should be watching FOX News more often in order to broaden your perspective. It’s sad to see what happens when people get tunnel vision because they stay inside their little echo chamber. Like most of the people who comment here.
Comment by DreamCrusher”
In other words, turn off world media and all other media in the United States and enter the little warped world of the Fox News echo chamber in order to avoid the echo chamber? Yeah, that’s critical thinking, allright.
November 14th, 2007 at 12:18 pmI mentioned on the Thinkfast thread that the Fox News website has the Regan lawsuit story filed under “entertainment”, and there’s no link to on the home page.
http://www.foxnews.com/index.html
And still no link after mid-day.
November 14th, 2007 at 12:18 pmis hannity petting rudy in that picture?
November 14th, 2007 at 12:19 pm21 - Nah. He’s Rudy’s fluffer.
November 14th, 2007 at 12:20 pmJoe Scarborough was on MSNBC this morning being grilled on Kerick and the story. Joe played down the whole event. The pressure from News Corp was nothing more than a suggestion not to make the matter into a big deal and probably was not pushed by the higher ups in the company. He forgot the little detail that the suggestion concerned a federal investigation (as in obstruction of justice.) Joe found no problem in Julie having pushed Kerick. All New Yorkers, including the dems loved Julie for the turnaround in the city, Kerik was just a second tier player, and people make mistakes. Indeed, he was called on not mentioning the mob ties but still thought that that really should not impact Julie’s prospects to be president. OH GOD, at least he did not show a total lack of judgment or moral fiber as Hillary did when her staff planted questions at a town hall meeting.
November 14th, 2007 at 12:20 pmBilly, don’t be a zero, don’t be a fool everyday
November 14th, 2007 at 12:21 pmBilly, don’t be a zero, come back when you’ve something to say
And as he started to leave they said, what a relief
Billy, don’t be a zero, go away from me
Rupert loves Rudy in a dress.
November 14th, 2007 at 12:21 pmHits sez:
Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner. Time for Wapner.
You were saying, hits…?
November 14th, 2007 at 12:22 pmLeftside Annie,
…
Hits
November 14th, 2007 at 12:24 pmCan’t the GOP come up with any candidates that aren’t criminals or religious kooks? Oh wait, that’s right, they do have Ron Paul.
November 14th, 2007 at 12:24 pmWas it the spelling or the message, btw?
Comment by Zimzone — November 14, 2007 @ 12:17 pm
Yes! I have to keep putting Rudy’s little dress on in my mind’s eye and even that only helps so much. LOL, having Rudy be the GOP candidate is going to be a laugh-riot. Having him as President, though? That would be the mother of all nightmares.
November 14th, 2007 at 12:25 pmA media institute at Harvard recently released a study showing that CBS, among others, have been less fair and balanced than FOX News in covering the election campaign so far this year.
So if FOX News is “Fake Newsâ€, what does that make CBS and the others?
Comment by DreamCrusher — November 14, 2007 @ 12:13 pm
Dreamy,
November 14th, 2007 at 12:28 pmI’m glad you’ve come to the realization that ALL of the MSM has a conservative bias.
If you want more corporate welfare in the form of phony war on something or other, then by all means vote for Rudy. But be warned, it will cost you. The GOP has run this country into the ground, but Rudy is dead set on staying the coors. Drink up wingnuts, but the hangover will be a doozy.
November 14th, 2007 at 12:32 pmIn her complaint for damages filed against Fox News, 20th Century Fox, and Bill O’Reilly, producer Andrea Mackris alleged that Bill O’Reilly engaged in a continuing series of obscene phone calls to her, during which he was impaling himself with a dildo:
Count #81 of the complaint:
“During the course of Defendant BILL O’REILLY’s sexual rant, it became clear that he was using a vibrator upon himself, and that he ejaculated. Plaintiff was repulsed.”
Fox News has definitely brought a new level of sophistication to news broadcasting. I could never imagine Walter Kronkite using a dildo on himself while sexually harrassing his CBS producer.
November 14th, 2007 at 12:42 pmWow, Think Progress even stole my update. What a drag!
I wonder if this will cause Murdoch heartburn when all the details about executives asking Regan to lie comes to light in court…
November 14th, 2007 at 12:49 pmRegan has “secret tapes of phone calls†between herself and News Corp. executives
Well, let’s hear them. Do the right thing and expose more of the RiechWing corruption and just what their propaganda is all about. Not that the disinterested public will pay any attention to it, or that our “Liberal” media (yeah right) will give it any air time, just like they gave air time to the Cheney Impeachment debate.
Buck Fush
November 14th, 2007 at 12:55 pmThere are substantial differences in the knowledge levels of the audiences for different news outlets. The less informed audiences also frequent…Fox News Channel…
PEW Research Report
Today’s question: Are Fox News viewers ignorant because they watch Fox News, or do they watch Fox News because they are ignorant?
November 14th, 2007 at 1:00 pmIf you’re a critical thinker, you should be watching FOX News more often in order to broaden your perspective. It’s sad to see what happens when people get tunnel vision because they stay inside their little echo chamber. Like most of the people who comment here.
Comment by DreamCrusher — November 14, 2007 @ 12:12 pm
I do watch Fox News on occasion — for the same reason that I read Ann Coulter and listen to other conservative voices (although I admit I mostly read Coulter for laughs). People with tunnel vision on either side of the political spectrum can rarely make a coherent argument for their ideology because they understand so little about the other side.
However, I seldom get any real enlightenment from listening to the conservatives. Too often, I just get tired over-used sound bites.
November 14th, 2007 at 1:01 pmThe answer; they watch Fox News because they are ignorant, and Fox News makes no attempt to smarten them up with accurate reporting or journalistic ethics of any kind.
November 14th, 2007 at 1:02 pmthe New York Daily News reported that Regan has “secret tapes of phone calls†between herself and News Corp. executives.
Is it too much to hope that Fox will get Bill-O to cover this story involving secretly recorded phone calls?
November 14th, 2007 at 1:03 pmLook at me, I think I’m cleaver and cute. Look how witty I can be. Look at me,I have a computer in my trailer. Look at me, aren’t I funny for all to see. Look at me, I am showing you how smart I am. Awww, come on, libtards, look at me…..sigh, look at me, please.
Comment by a very stupid Hill Billy
You’re lame dude.
Buck Fush
November 14th, 2007 at 1:06 pmIf you guys ever wrote about the preferential treatment Gore gets on every single TV channel he appears on, except FOX, then maybe I’d care about your whining about Giuliani and FOX.
Comment by DreamCrusher — November 14, 2007 @ 11:56 am
Quit with the childish finger-pointing. The subject at hand is Rudy’s relationship with Fox. And the fact that Rudy is just another republican crook who gets the time-tested Fox whitewashing to make him appealing to the numskulls of the world. Al Gore (sadly) isn’t running for president. Do go on about the “preferential treatment” he gets from the media. Perhaps, there just isn’t anything bad to say about Gore. Have you considered that? Or are you just here to change the subject and draw attention away from the fact that with Rudy G. all America gets is republiscum BS
November 14th, 2007 at 1:45 pmCheck out what The Rude Pundit has been writing about Ghouliani the past couple of days.
Is a Cup of Coffee Ever Just a Cup of Coffee for Rudy Giuliani?:
November 14th, 2007 at 2:54 pmComment by shoeless
I did, and I do every day.
Caption:
Move your hand a little to the right there, Big Boy.
∞
November 15th, 2007 at 4:23 am