Eric Burns: 'I Was Given No Reason'
It was reported yesterday by Inside Cable News that Fox News Watch is going to be revamped, and that long-time host Eric Burns will be leaving FNC:
ICN has learned that FNC has not renewed their contributor agreement with Fox News Watch host Eric Burns which is set to expire later this spring. I'm told the program will remain focused on media criticism but will be revamped with a new host and more of an eye on the evolving new media. Fox News Watch handily beats CNN's Reliable Sources…proving that Fox is not afraid to tweak even successful programming.
Mr Burns, who did background pieces during the early years of News Watch, took over hosting duties in 1998 following the death of Eric Breindel.The media analysis program has bounced around the weekend schedule of late, though as of now it is back in its familiar 6:30 pm Eastern slot. Oddly, programs that are less popular (like the Journal Editorial Report) are given multiple plays over the weekend, while News Watch gets just one airing.
Eric Burns confirmed to J$P that the ICN report is accurate, and told us:
Fox News has told me that my contract will be terminated within the next 2 months, perhaps sooner. I was given no reason. It certainly has nothing to do with ratings; the last episode of Fox News Watch was the second highest-rated weekend show on on all 3 cable news networks and the program has almost been in the top 4 or 5. I have no theory, none, why they are getting rid of me. Although I heard rumors, I have never heard reasons.Before joining Fox, Mr Burns was a correspondent for NBC News. He won an Emmy award for media criticism, and is is also a respected author (Virtue, Valor, and Vanity and Infamous Scribblers, among others).
You can tell Fox if you agree with this decision at comments@foxnews.com.
Addendum: Fox News Watch has provided us with a host of memorable video clips. Just a few:
