TVSpy
According to reports, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs met with Michael Clemente, senior vice president at Fox News, on Wednesday to discuss what is being called a “truce” between the Obama Administration and the #1 cable news network.
On Wednesday afternoon, FishbowlDC reported that it had heard from “a very reliable source” that a meeting took place and that the two parties had reached a “truce.” Poltico’s Michael Calderone confirmed the report with a White House official. Specific details of the meeting have yet to emerge and, although it’s clear that the White House and FNC had plenty to talk about, no one knows what exactly a so-called “truce” really means. A meeting between White House senior advisor David Axelrod and Fox News CEO Roger Ailes back in September did nothing to quell tension between the two establishments and, in fact, things got more antagonistic.
The Wednesday morning meeting came a day after White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett told CNN’s Campbell Brown that “of course” Fox News is “biased.” (Video) It also came a day after Fox News anchor Shepard Smith apologized on-air for a news segment that showed a “lack of balance.” (Video)
Maybe the most important factor in the discussion is that there is no apparent motivation for Fox News to enter into a truce with the White House. Since White House communications director Anita Dunn declared media war against the network, Fox News has seen a significant ratings increase. Noting that the word “truce” may be over-hyping the situation, Inside Cable News writes, “A ‘truce’ from FNC’s side makes no sense.”