Opinion: Snark Decoding…
I’ve been vexxed by this TVNewser “insider quote” regarding E.D. Hill…
E.D. lost a lot of respect from the newsroom and the crew in the last few years. She’s been mailing it in for quite some time
On its face, this “don’t let the door hit you on the way out” type quip is designed to throw E.D. under the FNC bus. But the problem I have with it is that it doesn’t make any sense given her new role. If E.D. was really not pulling her weight and lost respect in the newsroom, then why is she being kept on in such a prominent role? You don’t keep someone on staff who isn’t doing the job, you get rid of them. CNN tried to demote Bill Hemmer off of American Morning into a minor role and Hemmer walked. CNN ate a large chunk of Aaron Brown’s contract rather than retain him in some role on the network (note: I’m not suggesting Brown was a drain on CNN, just that CNN would rather have eaten his contract rather than keep him on the air). MSNBC’s treatment of Ashleigh Banfield when the network soured on her is another example of how to get rid of a “problem”. FNC put out a release making note of Hill’s strengths for her new role; hardly a vote of no confidence by any means. So I just don’t buy the argument E.D. Hill was a problem for Fox and Friends.
Well, not necessarily does the newsroom group agree with change but the upper management most likely chose for this to happen. Just a thought
Comment by Chris — September 22, 2006 @ 8:40 pm
Spud: Glad that you read my post on this subject! :)
Comment by Ira — September 22, 2006 @ 9:05 pm
Just saw an ad on Foxnews.com for E.D. Hill’s book “Going Places”. Guess that title has a new meaning now.
Comment by Philip — September 22, 2006 @ 9:20 pm
I am going to miss E.D. in the mornings! I hope she considers her move to be “onward and upward.” I think she was fabulous on F & F. Why didn’t they take time to wish her well?
Comment by Liv — September 22, 2006 @ 9:40 pm
I don’t buy the argument either that E.D. Hill had lost respect in the FNC newsroom, given her new assignmnent. This is another stage in her career; with a brood of eight children to take care of, this would free her from having to wake up early for her Fox and Friends program. Also, considering her Master’s degree from Harvard, it’s time to switch to a more serious role. She should do well in her new venue.
Comment by RGL — September 22, 2006 @ 10:50 pm
WHY WOULD THEY NOT MENTION E.D.LEAVING ON fOX AND fRIENDS TODAY.
Comment by alice cervantes — September 22, 2006 @ 11:40 pm
ashley banfield should have been shot as a traitor. At least once she had her camera guy throw lights on the IDF as they worked in the dark tracking terrs - she was lucky they didn’t shoot her “by accident”.
with any luck she’l get a Pearl necklace while working for al jazeera.
Comment by boredwithshep — September 23, 2006 @ 12:23 am
Ira, email me a link…I lost the URL to your blog…
Comment by Spud — September 23, 2006 @ 12:35 am
You have got to wonder though why they didn’t say anything. Sounds like a demotion to me and I don’t think that quote is that hard to believe.
Comment by bravesfan — September 23, 2006 @ 8:28 am
Who knows the validity of the insider comment, but remember the article a couple of months ago where Roger Ailes said something about everyone better be in “launch mode” and that includes the talent (or something to that effect)? Well maybe she was one of the people to whom he was referring. Additionally, she seems to be out frequently, so perhaps they felt they could pull in high ratings with or without her.
Comment by Enquiring Minds Want to Know — September 23, 2006 @ 10:44 am
So moving talent that isn’t up to snuff over to another M-Fr slot is going to change that? I don’t see it…
Comment by Spud — September 23, 2006 @ 10:51 am
Here’s a theory. FNC wanted to get rid of ED because of her attitude on and off camera. They booted her to the other show hoping she might just quit. It must be extremely embarrassing for her not even getting to say “goodbye” or “i’m changing shifts”….she probably didn’t even know until after the show. Which kept her from pulling a “Star Jones/The View” move on FNC. And I think its going to be very interesting to see her demeanor on Monday! (if she shows up)
Comment by Terance — September 23, 2006 @ 11:02 am
Yes, but they are moving to her a less high profile position. It’s so hard to tell with F&F because it all seems ad-libbed in the first place, but I can’t help but think this was part of the shake up Ailes alluded to months ago. I would’ve never guessed they’d get rid of her, but who knows what really goes on.
Comment by Enquiring Minds Want to Know — September 23, 2006 @ 11:07 am
I think Brian was very unhappy with ED. I mean after they started at 6am after 911 she would never show up until 7am. I think this is a slap in the face to ED. I mean there was no goodbye and everyone is shocked! She’s probably waiting her contract out and being that they put Gretchen there they needed someone to fill her place!
Comment by semby — September 23, 2006 @ 1:40 pm
Plenty of valid comments and theories above.
Spud: I see this move as more than shuffling chairs. With the constant interaction of three hosts, Fox and Friends is almost like a scripted broadway play and apparently not every “actor” plays the roles well! Apparently Ailes and Company feel that Carlson can do a better job with Doocey and Kilmeade.
Overall, E.D. Hill will have the easier job working with Jon Scott.
Comment by Ira — September 23, 2006 @ 1:45 pm
I question many of TVNewser’s ‘industry insider’ quotes. Anyone from the correct domain name can call themselves and insider, and it’s sure easy to spoof a domain name in your outgoing email. Just saying…
Comment by Arthur — September 23, 2006 @ 3:36 pm
If Gretchen ends up working all three hours each weekday, what would happen to Lauren Green’s one weekly hour of hosting?
Comment by Bob — September 24, 2006 @ 12:39 am
Didn’t they just have a big ad campaign that boosted that their morning anchors “like” each other? It is hard to bu now that there was bad chemistry there.
Comment by fox fan — September 24, 2006 @ 2:59 am
Good comments by all above. I reject the conspiracy ideas, though they are all possible. It’s certain that the loss of any one of the three will decrease ratings. The three of them make the show work. It’s obvious, seeing the trouble on the weekend F&F, that replacing one person of the three doesn’t fix things. They need three people that have that “Steve, E.D., and Brian” chemistry. But that’s very hard - maybe imposible - to find. And it’s not going to automatically be there with Gretchen.
Not having a goodbye send off? I’m sure it was as she wanted it. Especially after seeing Katie Couric’s huge gala event.
Not sure where I saw this, but she did an interview a couple months back about how they went from reading the news to their current format. Those three invented the F&F format.
As for Newser’s ‘industry insider’ quotes, take them with a grain of salt. If they were reliable, Newser would have broken the story days ahead.
Comment by erljr — September 24, 2006 @ 3:26 am
Why must people constantly screw with a good thing? FNC is, was, has been and will kick ass from here to tomorrow and beyond….or a least that WAS my opinion before all the musical chairs began. I feel they’ll be sorry!
Comment by Roger — September 24, 2006 @ 9:02 am
“I question many of TVNewser’s ‘industry insider’ quotes.”
Arthur: You’re catching on, dude. A few anti-FNC items have been utterly preposterous!
Comment by Ira — September 24, 2006 @ 10:50 pm