Fox News, in Bid for Harris-Trump Debate, Is Open to Muting Mics

variety.com:

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor Fox News, known for the primetime hot talk backed by primetime regulars like Sean Hannity and Jesse Watters, is ready to enforce silence — for a good cause.

The Fox Corp.-backed cable-news outlet is vying for a presidential debate between former President Donald Trump and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, and top news personnel say they are willing to consider muting the candidates’ microphones when they are not responding directly to questions.

The condition, which has not been traditionally employed, appeared to be a key one that helped CNN land its June 27 debate between Trump and President Joe Biden. “It seems as if they liked it,” says Jay Wallace, president and executive editor of Fox News Media, and one of the executives who recently sent a letter to both the Biden and Harris campaigns proposing a debate on Fox News Channel for Sept.

17 — one week after ABC News had reserved a date between Biden and Trump that Harris seems intent on keeping. “I don’t think it was a horrible thing.” Wallace’s letter, sent last week, told each campaign that “We are open to discussion on the exact date, format and location — with or without an audience.” Presidential debates have long been august, staid affairs, with the non-partisan Commission on Presidential Debates organizing the affairs in each election cycle.