Logo

NBC News, TVWeek, Twitter

Fox Talent Unhappy With Fox News

Jun 19, 2018  •  Post A Comment

“Two creators of major television shows affiliated with 21st Century Fox say they are increasingly embarrassed to work for the same company that owns Fox News, especially because of the news outlet’s favorable coverage of President Donald Trump’s policy of separating immigrant children from their parents at the U.S. border,” NBC News reports.

“Seth MacFarlane, creator of a variety of Fox network shows including ‘Family Guy,’ and Steve Levitan, co-creator of ‘Modern Family,’ which is produced by 20th Century Fox TV, both recently expressed their personal conflicts in working under 21st Century Fox, which owns the Fox television network as well as Fox News,” the story reports.

After a Fox News segment in which Tucker Carlson told viewers to believe the opposite of what the media reports, MacFarlane sent out a tweet in which he wrote: “In other words, don’t think critically, don’t consult multiple news sources, and in general, don’t use your brain. Just blindly obey Fox News. This is fringe shit, and it’s business like this that makes me embarrassed to work for this company.”

Levitan referenced a comment Monday by Fox News host Laura Ingraham, who said immigrant detention centers are “essentially summer camps.”

“Let me officially join @SethMacFarlane in saying I’m disgusted to work at a company that has anything whatsoever to do with @FoxNews,” Levitan tweeted. “This bullshit is the opposite of what #ModernFamily stands for.”

Levitan also suggested that he intends to part ways with Fox after “Modern Family” ends its run, although he later softened his position.

Others in the business including filmmaker Judd Apatow and producer and director Paul Feig expressed similar sentiments, and Mat Baxter, global CEO of the ad agency Initiative, suggested the criticism of Fox News may be spreading to 21st Century Fox.

NBC News quotes Baxter saying: “A lot of people are embarrassed to be associated with the brand because of Fox News.” He also described the relationship between Fox TV partners and Fox News as a “commercial and corporate challenge.”

Added Baxter: “Yes, they get good ratings and there’s a certain segment of the audience that watches. But we have a lot of clients in the last six to 12 months who have pulled their business off Fox News and will now not support Fox News because it is too risky.”

8 Comments

  1. I’m a little sick of the whining in Hollywood about anything political and that is why I do NOT watch their garbage tv. One day soon I hope someone will start making decent programming but in the meantime, I will continue to boot Netflix, cable and all things pro-progressive liberal as well as the news until such time as I deem it worth of my time and money to watch.

  2. If I was truly upset about some of the things my company did, I’d resign. But I’m not making as much of these guys. I guess their pocketbook overrules their professed moral indignation. If they truly feel the way they say they feel, let their actions speak louder than their words and quit.

  3. How about putting their money where their mouths are. Create a production company in Central America or Mexico to create jobs so these people won’t need to enter the US illegally? Work within those countries to end the corruption in government and fight the drug lords running everything. Oh, wait, that would take actual work and risks. They would have to give up their luxuries and lifestyle. Much easier to sit in comfort and complain.

    • And that’s somehow different from what you do? I mean, other than the fact that nobody gives a shit what you say, what’s the difference, really?

  4. I am going to watch this situation with great interest. Complaining and criticizing are easy, especially in our social network connected world. Having the courage of one’s conviction on the other hand is just as difficult as it has always been. If FOX “fires” MacFarlane and/or Levitan for what they have said, will Seth and Steve come under criticism for expressing their views which lead to all the people that work on their shows being unemployed? I already see in the comments here criticism of these two because they didn’t walk away from FOX implying that they stay for the money and personal gain. No one mentioning that there are probably hundreds of people who’s lives would be negatively impacted if they did quit. It seems that no matter what one’s convictions are, if they stand up for them there are always plenty of people willing to criticize and condemn. I don’t agree with all everything my employer says or does, should I quit or should I stay engaged? If I stay engaged, I can try and change their minds (assuming they need changing) or change my mind (assuming it needs changing)? If I quit, I give up an opportunity to make a difference. The choices aren’t easy, especially when you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t.

  5. I would like to address those who complain about the Hollywood elite. Many, if not most, of those “elite” worked very hard to get to where they are now. More never succeeded. But, they worked hard often by waiting tables or as construction workers to support their dreams. Because they have come from hard work and sleeping on the floor at friends’ apartments they understand what it takes to succeed – commitment, passion, and a love of their country because the freedom allowed them to pursue their dreams. Now, they have a platform from which to speak and they are using it for many of us. No one should ever listen to only one news organization and FOX is notoriously slanted. I watch it at times to get a balance. I have noticed, however, that when half a dozen other news organizations cover a “hot story” that is negative to Trump and/or the Republicans, Fox offers a human interest story to avoid dealing with negative information about their people. Also, many do put their money where their mouths are by supporting candidates or organizations they believe win. By making bold statements, they might lose their jobs but with their incomes, they will survive without much issue. Those who work for them will have a much bigger problem. These are very troubling times anew should all speak so that we can find common ground again.
    If you are only watching FOX news you are operating blindly in the world.

    • Actually, Fox is very close to neutral, where the networks and CNN are hard left, with MSNBC being on the lunatic fringe side of things.

  6. Gee, hard left Fox personnel dislike Fox News.

    In other breaking updates, the sky is blue.

Leave a Reply to Panama Red Cancel Reply

Email (will not be published)