PR Implications of the Obama/FOX Feud

My husband, a Democrat adviser, joyfully recounted the Obama/FOX feud for me over drinks on Friday night. He hates FOX. So much so, that he changes my brother’s preset stations on both his TV and radio every time we’re in Denver. He won’t even stay in the Admiral’s Club while we’re traveling if the station is on. So you can imagine his glee when he heard the White House has denounced FOX as a media outlet.

I understand the true objective is to raise questions with other reporters so they’ll double-check anything they hear on FOX before they run with it. The White House wants to try to isolate and marginalize the voices at FOX. They want to cut off any influence FOX has before it gets to the rest of mainstream media.

The President defended his team while also noting that he didn’t spend much time thinking about FOX. So, why then, is there so much back and forth between the station and the White House?  Doesn’t the communication team at the White House know there is a time to engage and there is a time to let it lie? If they really don’t care, why do they continue firing, every time FOX launches another bomb into their camp?

All weekend I read/heard about new comments FOX made about the White House. And, every time, the Obama administration responded.

Shouldn’t the White House just ignore the bullies? This is not a Republican vs. Democrat discussion; this is a crisis communication discussion. It’s a 201 class – don’t engage with the detractors, after you’ve said your peace.

What do you think?

About Gini Dietrich

Gini Dietrich is the founder and CEO of Arment Dietrich, an integrated marketing communications firm. She is the author of Spin Sucks, the lead blogger at Spin Sucks, and the host of Spin Sucks the podcast. She also is co-author of Marketing in the Round, co-host of Inside PR, and co-host of The Agency Leadership podcast.

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