Steve & Olaf: Ailes Initially Asked News Divisions To Downplay Kidnapping

This morning on Reliable Sources, Howard Kurtz noted that “the amount of media attention on the 13-day detention was not that great” compared to some Iraq kidnappings. He said: “I’m told that Fox News chairman Roger Ailes initially called the heads of the other networks, the news divisions, and asked them not to overplay the story, so as not to interfere with the quiet negotiations for their release.” Also:

> Behind the scenes, competing news divisions immediately offered to help in any way they could. Unfortunately, some of the networks have had experience with similar situations.

> In the interest of full disclosure: On Aug. 14, the day of the kidnapping, a senior Fox official asked this blog not to publish any additional internal memos. We obviously obliged.

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