Media clash: New York Times demands apology from Fox News
Fox news accused NYT of allowing ISIS Chief escape in 2015 through its news report Photo: AP
(Web Desk) – The New York Times has come down hard on Fox News for not having apologised for blaming the paper of leaking out information that inadvertently helped ISIS leader escape.
According to CNN, the Times have called on the Fox News, a famous conservative news network in U.S., to amend what it termed a “malicious and inaccurate” report that has put the newspaper at fault. The news network has accused the newspaper for allowing ISIS chief Abu Bakr-al Baghdadi to escape capture in 2015.
Fox news has since then updated their reporting – which was based on the comments recently made by a U.S. general – with a statement from Times, it has not apologised for any part of its story.
"For all of their hyperventilating to the media about a correction, the New York Times didn t reach out to anyone at Fox News until Sunday afternoon for a story that ran Friday night," a spokesperson for the network told CNNMoney.
"According to the curious logic of the Fox & Friends host, Fox News itself was unpatriotic," the Times said in its statement Monday.
Here s the letter the @nytimes sent the exec producer of "Fox & Friends Weekend" requesting apology for "malicious and inaccurate segment" pic.twitter.com/s1oz7rzeLN
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) July 23, 2017
In a statement Monday evening, a Fox News spokesperson hit back saying, “Neither Fox News report nor the subsequent on-air coverage was inaccurate. We find it beyond disappointing that the New York Times, in an attempt to distract from their recent debacle, decided to blame Fox News for comments made publicly by General Thomas during a widely viewed panel at the Aspen Security Forum. It might behoove the Times to actually check in with their reporter Eric Schmitt to see whether Gen. Thomas comments have merit and whether Schmitt s reporting in 2015 revealed intelligence that allowed ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi to slip away."
The news network mentioned this alleged controversy in an article that ran on their website last week. The story was mentioned on Saturday on one of the Fox news morning TV show “Fox & Friends” and apparently from there it was picked up by President Trump.
Trump who is a frequent “Fox & Friends” viewer tweeted about the report by saying, “NY Times foiled U.S. attempt to kill the most wanted terrorist Al- Baghdadi.”
The president’s tweet gave more leverage to the story which was mentioned as a reference claiming that Baghdadi was able to escape after a New York Times story.
The Failing New York Times foiled U.S. attempt to kill the single most wanted terrorist,Al-Baghdadi.Their sick agenda over National Security
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017
"It s not just failing in its credibility," co-host of the show Fox & Friends Pete Hegseth said of the Times during that segment. "It s failing our country."
On Sunday the Times published a lengthy fact check that refuted Trump’s tweet and the Fox News story. NYT also wrote a letter to the executive producer of “Fox and Friends” demanding an apology for accusing the well reputed newspaper. "With this segment, Fox & Friends demonstrated what little regard it has for reporting facts," the letter read.
(UPDATED) U.S. General: Leak let ISIS leader slip away pic.twitter.com/wNJgQqOK1b
— FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) July 24, 2017
The NYT in its responses Sunday outlined the timeline of events that led it to publish its story.
Fox News has so far justified their stance by stating it on their Twitter post.
Fox News issues new, feisty statement at the New York Times pic.twitter.com/MoK5FlnG5o
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) July 24, 2017
