White House Media Tracker Temporarily Removed After Incorrectly Attributing Questions to Fox News

The White House's newly launched "media tracker" website, designed to highlight perceived media bias and errors, was temporarily taken offline and then re-launched with alterations after it incorrectly attributed questions from a press conference to a Fox News reporter. The incident occurred shortly after the site's debut, prompting Fox News to request a correction from the White House. Media reporter Scott Nover, whose tweet highlighted the issue, noted that a 404 error appeared where the page once was.

The controversial "media offenders" section of the White House website, which launched on Friday, aimed to publicly criticize and catalog media organizations for what it deemed distorted coverage. The site featured an "Offender Hall of Shame" and a leaderboard, categorizing stories under labels such as "bias" or "malpractice." This initiative marks the latest escalation in the administration's ongoing conflict with major news outlets.

According to reports, the error involved the White House incorrectly stating that a Fox News reporter had posed specific questions during a press conference. Following the complaint from Fox News, which is often seen as a Trump-aligned outlet, the White House removed the specific reference. The site was briefly inaccessible, displaying a 404 error, before reappearing with the correction implemented.

Critics have voiced concerns that the media tracker, titled "Misleading. Biased. Exposed," undermines journalistic integrity and press freedom. Advocacy groups like the Freedom of the Press Foundation have suggested that such a platform could lead to self-censorship among reporters. The incident with Fox News, a network typically favored by the administration, highlights the challenges and potential for inaccuracies within the White House's own media monitoring efforts.