Rupert Murdoch's Fox News Channel surged ahead of arch-rival CNN in the ratings last year, as the right-leaning network's coverage of the presidential election and war in Iraq captured the mood of at least half the nation. However, the Asian tsunami disaster left Fox scrambling.

Not only did the event occur on December 26, a day when most anchors and producers were on Christmas vacation, but it involved part of the world where domestic-focused Fox has none of its own reporters.