The New Nation - Internet Edition

Reuters, Buenos Aires

Argentine President Cristina Fernandez, who is emerging from a four-month political crisis over farm policy, has scheduled the first presidential media conference in five years for Saturday afternoon.

Fernandez and her husband and predecessor ex-President Nestor Kirchner have had a stated policy of not taking questions from groups of reporters, saying they prefer to talk directly to the people in televised speeches.

The president, a poised and powerful speaker who shares her husband's combative style, has seen her popularity ratings slump due to the farm policy conflict and high inflation. Fernandez, who became Argentina's first elected woman president in December after a long Senate career, gave only a handful of one-on-one media interviews before taking office.

Local media have harshly criticized the center-left president over her farm policy, rising prices, and for concentrating decision-making in a small group of ministers.

Fernandez and Kirchner, who have led during a major economic boom, routinely blame the media for the country's problems and in recent months have honed in on media group Grupo Clarin, saying it has tried to undermine the government.

Fernandez does make one exception. She gives special access to satirical television news show CQC, which stands for Caiga Quien Caiga, loosely translated as No Holds Barred, and routinely jokes around with reporters from the show.