Fox News faced criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump's campaign and its allies on Tuesday for projecting that Arizona's 11 electoral votes would go to Democratic challenger Joe Biden, as other news networks sought more evidence before making a call.
Fox Corp's Fox News chief White House correspondent John Roberts said the Trump campaign was "livid" that the network projected Arizona for Biden, saying: "Pushback is a very light word to use."
The Associated Press backed Fox's call on Arizona three hours later.
In an appearance at the White House, Trump falsely claimed he had won re-election. Networks carried his remarks live but quickly corrected him, noting that a handful of key states remained too close to call as of early Wednesday morning.
Some Trump supporters said there were too many outstanding votes for Fox to project Arizona for Biden. Jason Miller, a senior adviser to Trump's campaign, said Fox's projection came when there were 1 million ballots remaining to be counted.
"It’s far too early to call the election in Arizona," Arizona's Republican governor, Doug Ducey, said on Twitter. "Election Day votes are not fully reported, and we haven’t even started to count early ballots dropped off at the polls."
The director of Fox News' decision desk, Arnon Mishkin, defended the call on-air, saying that the president "is not going to be able to win enough votes to take over that lead".
The Arizona projection could exacerbate tension between the president and the news network, controlled by press baron Rupert Murdoch, whose opinion hosts are usually supportive of Trump.
In recent months Trump has publicly criticized the network, in August tweeting: "The people who are watching @FoxNews, in record numbers (thank you President Trump), are angry. They want an alternative now. So do I!"
According to reports in the Wall Street Journal and elsewhere, Trump allies are exploring opportunities to fund a conservative media venture or Trump-themed media outlet.
Fox anchor Chris Wallace also criticized Trump's victory claim. "This is an extremely flammable situation and the president just threw a match into it," Wallace said.
CNN's Jake Tapper said: "Almost everything President Trump said in his declaration of victory was not true."
On Walt Disney Co's ABC, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican who supports Trump, called Trump's move a "bad strategic decision."
"There's just no basis to make that argument tonight," Christie said. "There just isn't."
Fox was faster than the other U.S. TV networks in projecting winners in various states, calling states including Alabama, West Virginia and Mississippi hours before others.
Shortly after 2:30 a.m. ET, it had projected Biden with 238 electoral votes and Trump with 213. CNN had also projected a Biden lead with 220 votes and Trump with 213.
In this year’s contest, TV networks faced heightened pressure to report results accurately and without unwarranted speculation.
This is the first presidential election in which the major TV networks received data from different providers. Fox News and the Associated Press no longer used in-person exit polls, instead relying on online and telephone surveys that aimed to reach early and Election Day voters. The news organizations combined that survey data with real-time results tabulated by the AP to help make projections.
The three broadcast news networks and CNN were part of the National Election Pool consortium, which is relying on the firm Edison Research for exit polls and results from each precinct. Reuters has a distribution deal with the NEP for 2020 election data.
Reuters
Wed Nov 04 2020
Times Square is pictured, as the coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19) continues, in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., June 29, 2020. REUTERS Pic
Berita tempatan pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Berikut adalah berita yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang Ahad, 19 Mei 2024.
Faridah pergi dalam keadaan baik, kami reda - Keluarga
Keluarga Sarjan Faridah Abd Rahman yang meninggal dunia di Lubnan semalam, reda sambil menyifatkan arwah pergi dalam keadaan yang sangat baik.
Regu Malaysia mudah tempah tiket ke suku akhir
Skuad negara melangkah ke peringkat suku akhir acara regu divisyen premier kejohanan Piala Dunia Sepak Takraw 2024 apabila muncul juara Kumpulan B dengan menundukkan Brunei 2-0.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah antara yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Kastam Kelantan rampas daging babi bernilai lebih RM200,000
Jabatan Kastam Diraja Malaysia (JKDM) Kelantan merampas sebanyak 11,396 kilogram daging babi sejuk beku dianggar bernilai RM227,920 dalam Operasi Palang Timur pada 5 Mei lepas.
Peraturan EU yang lebih ketat mengenai eksport sisa kepada bukan negara EU berkuat kuasa Isnin
Peraturan yang lebih ketat mengenai eksport sisa dari Kesatuan Eropah (EU) ke negara bukan EU akan berkuat kuasa pada Isnin, lapor Agensi Berita Jerman (dpa).
Pentadbiran Israel kini kacau bilau
Tekanan demi tekanan daripada masyarakat dan kepimpinan dunia mula menunjukkan impak terhadap kedudukan pengurusan rejim Israel.
Inisiatif 1 Rumah 1 Jalur Gemilang semarakkan lagi semangat sambutan Bulan Kebangsaan
Kementerian Komunikasi akan mengetegahkan inisiatif 1 Rumah 1 Jalur Gemilang (1R1JG) bagi menyemarakkan semangat sambutan Bulan Kebangsaan tahun ini.
[TERKINI] Helikopter dinaiki Presiden Iran dilapor terhempas
Helikopter yang membawa Presiden Iran, Ebrahim Raisi serta delegasi terpaksa melakukan pendaratan cemas pada Ahad. Puncanya pendaratan yang disorot media-media antarabangsa sebagai 'hard landing' itu bagaimanapun masih belum jelas. Pihak kecemasan telahpun digegaskan ke lokasi bagi memberikan pertolongan sewajarnya kepada kesemuanya yang terlibat.
Komuniti Madani sebagai medium menyalurkan maklumat yang sahih
1,878 komuniti Madani ditubuhkan untuk bantu salurkan mesej daripada Kerajaan Persekutuan sampai ke peringkat akar umbi khususnya seperti isu 3R
Pilihan raya AS: Biden, Trump setuju dengan dua Debat Presiden
Joe Biden dan Donald Trump setuju mengadakan dua Debat Presiden pada Jun dan September ini sebagai sebahagian daripada kempen pilihan raya.
Hakim tangguh perbicaraan dokumen sulit Trump
Perbicaraan berkemungkinan tidak akan bermula sebelum pilihan raya presiden AS pada November.
Biden rancang untuk berdebat dengan Trump
Sebelum ini, Biden tidak komited untuk berdebat dengan lawannya, Trump.
Lelaki bertindak bakar diri di luar mahkamah New York
Max Azzarello yang berasal dari St. Augustine, Florida, dilaporkan telah diselamatkan dan berada dalam keadaan kritikal.
7 juri dipilih dalam bicara kes wang sogok yang dihadapi Trump
Tujuh juri dipilih dalam perbicaraan kes wang sogok Donald Trump di New York, perbicaraan jenayah pertama terhadap bekas presiden Amerika Syarikat.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Perbicaraan skandal Donald Trump - bintang porno bermula
Donald Trump menjadi bekas Presiden Amerika Syarikat pertama yang menghadapi perbicaraan kes jenayah.
Bicara kes bayaran tutup mulut yang dihadapi Trump bermula dengan pemilihan juri
Donald Trump akan menjadi bekas presiden pertama dalam sejarah Amerika Syarikat (AS) yang dibicarakan atas tuduhan jenayah.
Trump gagal tangguh, perbicaraan tetap berlangsung 15 April ini
Ini merupakan kali pertama bekas Presiden AS dibicarakan melibatkan bayaran menutup mulut kepada seorang bintang filem lucah.
Biden menang pemilihan peringkat awal di Dakota Utara
Dalam pemilihan peringkat awal di Dakota Utara, terdapat 13 perwakilan ditawarkan dan kebanyakan pengundian dilakukan melalui undi pos.