Obama agrees to Murdoch's Fox News grilling

Democratic nominee says yes to interview during McCain acceptance speech as relations thaw with TV channel

• Elana Schor in Washington
• guardian.co.uk,
• Wednesday September 03 2008 14:03 BST
• Article history

Barack Obama, Rupert Murdoch and Roger Ailes

In an attempt at counter-programming John McCain's nomination acceptance speech, Barack Obama has agreed to appear tomorrow on The O'Reilly Factor, a popular programme on Rupert Murdoch's Fox News channel.

The Obama interview comes after months of behind-the-scenes peacemaking between the candidate and the Fox News chief Roger Ailes -- talks brokered by Murdoch himself. Widespread Democratic concern over the Murdoch channel's conservative slant had fuelled a de facto boycott of Fox News by the Obama camp.

Ailes told the Washington Post that Obama's concern during their face-to-face meeting was simple. "I just want to know if I'm going to get a fair shake from Fox News channel," he recalled the Democratic senator saying.

No matter how Obama handles an encounter with Bill O'Reilly, a programme host with a penchant for putting guests on the spot, the interview is sure to distract some attention from McCain's acceptance speech.

McCain embarked on effort to pull focus from Obama's convention speech last week, running a congratulatory advert that featured the Republican nominee speaking directly into the camera to his opponent.

While Obama warms to Fox News, no signs of a similar détente are appearing at the MSNBC network, which McCain and other high-profile Republicans have accused of favouring the Democratic nominee.

McCain's campaign manager, Rick Davis, wrote a letter to the president of MSNBC parent network NBC to protest against what he called "irresponsible" coverage of the Republican candidate.

Ailes described both MSNBC and CNN as "in the tank" for Obama, a notion disputed by executives at both stations.