REPORT: Fox News putting the KIBOSH on hosts naming the whistleblower

Fox News hosts are not allowed to name the so-called whistleblower on-air, according to a new report out that says management won’t allow it:

CNN – Fox News hosts and personalities have been instructed over the last several days not to identify the whistleblower whose complaint sparked an impeachment probe against President Trump, people familiar with the matter told CNN Business.

Several hosts and commentators on the network who have been supportive of President Trump seem to want to name the person they believe to be the whistleblower, but Fox’s guidelines have said not to do so.

A representative for Fox declined to comment.

Not only are Fox hosts not allowed to name the whistleblower, but management is making sure that it doesn’t appear on any graphics either:

But, on October 31, a Fox executive sent an email to staffers that said the network had not “independently confirmed [the] name or identification of the anonymous whistleblower.” A copy of the email was obtained by CNN Business.

The executive further advised production staffers to “NOT fulfill any video or graphic requests” related to the whistleblower’s identity.

Such guidance has been extended to Fox’s prime time talk shows, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. Hosts like Sean Hannity have been told not to name the person they believe to be whistleblower on the air.

Some of the hosts have alluded to this guidance while on Fox. “Justice” host Jeanine Pirro said last Friday that the network’s hosts “apparently can’t say” the person’s name. And Fox Business Network’s Maria Bartiromo said last week that they were “not naming” the person on Fox.

Hannity said on Monday that he had “confirmed independently” the identity of the whistleblower, but stopped short of naming the person on air.

CNN reports that “no mainstream news organization has identified the whistleblower” and that their own management has disallowed it as well.

According to the Daily Caller, the NY Times has said they won’t unmask the so-called whistleblower either:

The executive editor for The New York Times told The Washington Post that the outlet doesn’t plan on unmasking the whistleblower, despite President Donald Trump urging the media to do so.

Dean Baquet, NYT’s executive editor, said he’s “not sure” he sees the point “in unmasking someone who wants to remain anonymous,” according to an article published Tuesday evening by WaPo. He did not deny that the publication has the name of the whistleblower.

“I’m not convinced his identity is important at this point, or at least important enough to put him at any risk, or to unmask someone who doesn’t want to be identified,” Baquet said. “Pretty much everything has now been discussed or confirmed on the record, multiple times, by others in the administration. So I’m not sure I see the point of unmasking someone who wants to remain anonymous.”

It’s like a big game. Everyone in the media knows who the so-called whistleblower is but refuses to say his name.

Shifty Schiff has really done a number on the media and I’m sure he’s quite proud of it.


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