Obama and the media in 2009

Listening Post

We look at how the media, both inside and outside the US, dealt with the US president.

Last Modified: 28 Dec 2009 07:23 GMT

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The Listening Post this week is devoted to Barack Obama, the US president, and how the media in the US dealt with this constantly developing story in 2009.

His first year in the job had him at the heart of some of the world's biggest news stories - the collapsing American and global financial markets, his reaching out to the Islamic world, health care reform and do not forget Afghanistan and that Nobel Peace Prize.

We start with his inauguration and the first 100 days. When George Washington was inaugurated as the first president of the US in 1789 he was watched by a small crowd of people assembled to witness the event.

When Obama took the oath as the 44th president on January 20, 2009 the entire world was watching.

Healthcare Reform

The healthcare bill received mixed reactions from the American public [GALLO/GETTY]

Obama's healthcare reform was unveiled in July 2009 and has to be the biggest political hot potato of the year.

With the media on his back since his inauguration this announcement sent a shockwave through Middle America.

Fox news was quick to run with the story. Buzzwords like death panels and government takeover led to an all out media dogfight on the subject.

This bill was a catalyst that led Obama and the White House into a media war that is still raging now.

The Fox news channel and the Obama administration have been at each other's throats for months now, but the attack on the president following the announcement of his Nobel Peace Prize appeared to be the last straw.

Another of this year's hot topics has been Afghanistan. While Obama waged a media war on his home turf he also had some hard decisions to make on the future of America's involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan.

He was swift to call an end to any more involvement in Iraq but stalled on Afghanistan and when it came close to announcing his policy on the war, suddenly his administration sprung a leak.

Finally, Obama was not only all over the news last year but also all over the Internet so we have chosen our favourite Obama internet clip of the year for our video of the week. Watch it here.

This episode of The Listening Post can be seen from Friday, December 25, at the following times GMT: Friday: 1230; Saturday: 1030, 2230; Sunday: 0300, 1930; Monday: 0030; Tuesday: 0630, 1630; Wednesday: 0130, 1430; Thursday: 0330, 2330.