. . should no longer treat Fox as a bona fide news outlet, the comments generated only a single, tangential question at the White House’s daily briefing for reporters.

Still, the comments set off alarm bells with some journalists and media analysts.

“I can never remember a White House urging news organizations to boycott other news organizations. That strikes me as unprecedented,” said Thomas DeFrank, a Washington journalist who has covered eight presidents and now serves as the bureau chief of the New York Daily News.

“I see it as bullying a news organization, by the time you get to telling ABC or some other news organization how they should behave to another news organization,” said Da...

. . should no longer treat Fox as a bona fide news outlet, the comments generated only a single, tangential question at the White House’s daily briefing for reporters.

Still, the comments set off alarm bells with some journalists and media analysts.

“I can never remember a White House urging news organizations to boycott other news organizations. That strikes me as unprecedented,” said Thomas DeFrank, a Washington journalist who has covered eight presidents and now serves as the bureau chief of the New York Daily News.

“I see it as bullying a news organization, by the time you get to telling ABC or some other news organization how they should behave to another news organization,” said David Zurawik, media critic for the Baltimore Sun. “Someone should tell them: you’re one branch of government. We’re something else over here. Don’t lecture us about how we should behave towards one another.”

“I’ve become more puzzled by the week about what this is ultimately all about,” said David Gergen, an adviser to four presidents who now teaches at Harvard’s Kennedy School and is a paid contributor on CNN.

“It does seem to me when CNN, MSNBC or anybody else—over the air networks—report on the Glenn Beck-Van Jones fight, that’s legitimate news,” said Gergen, referring to Obama’s “green jobs” czar, who later resigned. “Fox was a player in the resignation of Van Jones…..I think it would be irresponsible to avoid that story.”

Tom Rosenstiel, (a former Los Angeles Times media critic who now runs the Project for Excellence in Journalism) said no one should doubt that the White House’s critiques have a political agenda.

“You should beware of politicians playing press critic. There’s always an ulterior motive, even if they’re sincere,” he said. “They’re working the refs.”

Glenn Beck Video

[url=http://www.foxnews.com/video/index.html?playerId=videolandingpage&streamingFormat=FLASH&referralObject=10847750&referralPlaylistId=ad020...

Tom Rosenstiel, (a former Los Angeles Times media critic who now runs the Project for Excellence in Journalism) said no one should doubt that the White House’s critiques have a political agenda.

“You should beware of politicians playing press critic. There’s always an ulterior motive, even if they’re sincere,” he said. “They’re working the refs.”

Glenn Beck Video

Brit Hume Video

Read more >>>