Bill O’Reilly on Fox News Backing Acosta: ‘The Current Management There Wants To Be Part of the Establishment Media’

Mandatory Credit: Photo by MediaPunch/REX/Shutterstock (3205427d) Bill O’Reilly ‘Late Show with David Letterman’, New York, America – 16 Oct 2013

Former Fox News primetime host Bill O’Reilly said that the management at Fox News all changed, and that’s the reason why Fox News is standing with CNN in the left-wing network’s plot to get showman Jim Acosta his permanent White House press pass back.

O’Reilly noted that he is not disparaging Fox News, but he made it very clear that the new management seeks approval from the fancy insiders on the East Coast Acela route, which Fox never would have done under previous management — meaning, presumably, the late Roger Ailes.

“The current management there wants to be part of the establishment media,” O’Reilly said. “That’s what it wants. Doesn’t want to be criticized by the New York Times and the Washington Post. Doesn’t want to be attacked by Media Matters. Doesn’t want that anymore. Wants to be part of the crew. Part of the gang. So what better way? The gang’s all behind Jim Acosta. So that’s what’s going on there, in my humble opinion.”

I discussed the Jim Acosta saga on a recent episode of Howley Reports:

One America News, Fox’s foremost rival for TV market share, seized on the opportunity to contrast with their competitor. Peter D’Abrosca reported:

One of the leading alternative news networks in America will file an amicus brief in support of the White House and President Donald J. Trump as they defend themselves against a lawsuit filed by fake news CNN.

“WE are going to file in the CNN vs White House court an Amicus Brief in favor of the White House. Acosta’s actions are stopping our people from getting their questions answered, so that we can give our audience the real news direct from our President,” said One America News’ CEO Robert Herring.

“Can’t believe Fox is on the other side, but they have direct communication to the President. We are lucky if we get a five minute interview once a quarter,” he continued.

OAN’s motivation could be to snag some of the market share from right-wing news competitor Fox, which surprisingly filed a brief in support of CNN in the lawsuit. Fox News president Jay Wallace accused the White House of “weaponizing” press passes in a statement of support for the CNN suit.

“Fox News supports CNN in its legal effort to regain its White House reporter’s press credential.” President of Fox said in a statement. “We intend to find an amicus brief with the U.S. District Court. Secret Service passes for Working White House journalists should never be weaponized. While we don’t condone the growing antagonistic by both the President and the press at recent media avails, we do support a free press, access and open exchanges for the American people.”

The move angered many Fox viewers, with whom the network was already on thin ice.

CNN is taking the White House to court on the grounds of a First Amendment violation, which has been ridiculed as flatly absurd by many conservative attorneys.

“I just read CNN’s lawsuit against the administration over Jim Acosta.  It’s a very weak case, but if they get before an Obama or Clinton district judge, who knows,” constitutional lawyer and conservative radio host Mark Levin said.

“Nonetheless, it is a ridiculous suit.  CNN still has reporters at the White House and in the presidential press conferences; Acosta does not have a constitutional right to be physically present in the press room, anymore than the scores of media outlets that do not; Acosta can watch the press conference from outside the White House grounds as they are televised; the president cannot be compelled by any court to actually call on any particular reporter during a press conference,” he continued.

“Acosta does not have a constitutional right to disrupt the press conference with his various antics anymore than any other reporter; and, a president is not constitutionally compelled to hold a presidential press conference. The courts should stay out of this on separation of powers grounds, among other things. No one is preventing Acosta from reporting or CNN from broadcasting.”

 

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