• Chicago Tribune, Monday, May 15, 2006 11:45 AM

The networks have long acceded to presidential requests for air time, but the Chicago Tribune's Phil Rosenthal thinks they may soon start snubbing the White House. He notes that while NBC and Fox are planning to broadcast George W. Bush's Monday night speech--which he's making ostensibly to build support for immigration reform--CBS and ABC have yet to come to a decision. The timing of this address is particularly bad, coming as it does during the May ratings period when ad rates get set. Rosenthal adds that while they have always given in before, "at some point, some network is going to balk when a president asks for airtime unless it's absolutely clear that real news is going to be made." The most likely scenario will be a decision left to local affiliates, he speculates, which could then choose between the speech and regular shows that the network airs nationally. "It might not happen this week or even with this president, but a network someday will hold its ground--and its airtime--taking short-term criticism until everyone shrugs and accepts it, forcing leaders of the future to come up with new ways to convey agendas."

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