I have just today, March 15th, learned of the departure of Eric Burns from Fox News Watch.

A fan of Fox since the news channel first began, and also a recipient of the Fair and Balanced tee shirt that was mailed out to subscribers then, I quickly began hooked on the stations format and personnel as they came, went and evolved.

When Fox News Watch began I made it a point to avidly watch every weekend episode of this show. If I was going out in the evening, I recorded the show so I could watch it later. The format was terrific and the concept of reporting on the news media itself was great for me. I knew early on that the catalyst was Eric Burns. His intelligent delivery, rapport with the panel of four, humor and attitude made it work for me.

Sure, I know all of the Fox gang now and like them, save for two; Geraldo and the fellow from Louisiana. Both are grandstanders and hence not my cup of tea. But everyone else I enjoy - and at the top of the list was Eric Burns. I typed was because he is there no more. I have watched two shows without him and thought that his replacement was temporary until I just now typed his name with Fox and departure on google.com and learned the sad truth. The new monitor is a Fox regular and a good fellow, but he is not Burns and I will not watch the show, once my favorite, again. I never met Burns nor know anyone who knows him personally but I wish him the best and will be puzzled hereon why his option was not picked up.

This was written fair and balanced.

George Koch
Middle Village, NY

Ira, that made me laugh out loud. Thanks.

Haile: Jim Pinkerton began solely as a columnist for Newsday. I enjoy him on Fox News Watch, he always does his homework, and hope he will return from the doomed Huckabee campaign soon.

It will be interesting to see how they fill the Gabler seat. If you remember, after Jeff Cohen left, they tried about 10 different people before settling on Gabler. Since Jane Hall is more of a mainstream liberal, I wouldn’t mind somebody on the far-left (maybe elmonica can do TV!); it makes for a better show.

FOX seems to like people who can pull double duty… especially if they have a lower rated program. Think of all the people who host their own program, but also appear on other programs… all the people who are one multiple times a day, in different capacities.

Eric Burns’ only role was NewsWatch. I know some people are saying that he was on another program occasionally, but that doesn’t sound like it was consistent enough to really fit the FNC mold. More for your buck, seems to be the FNC way. That’s my theory.

But perhaps he was not strong enough in challenging the Fox-bashing that sometimes goes on in that show. Wasn’t an earlier panelist fired for that reason? That’s the cost of having partisan conservatives and liberals on a media watch show. Liberals love to single out Fox because it’s the only non-liberal network, which hurts Fox, whereas conservatives speak of a usually vague ‘liberal media’, which does little harm to any one organization.

To be fair to Fox, what it needs is a group of non-partisan objective analysts. One of their “media analysts” is so partisan he’s now working for the McCain campaign. That doesn’t sit well with me. Some on that show seem to want to earn their street cred with the liberal elites in the media by disproportionately bashing Fox. Enough already. They can get on MSNBC and do that, bring some objective voices in.

Does he still appear on Fridays? If Burns is only reduced to hosting Fox News Watch maybe he is considered overpaid.

I’ve always liked this show - I think it’s much better than the deadly dull “Reliable Sources” so I just hope they don’s screw it up!

As for Eric Burns, he seems like a nice guy, but that show never captured my interest.

I wonder if Mr. Burns has been complaining about his show not getting repeats during the weekend, while less highly rated shows do, and if that’s been why his contract isn’t being renewed. It’s just speculation on my part, but when I look at other people Fox has fired… usually it’s been due to their complaining.

I’m sick of them moving Fox News Watch and Beltway Boys all over the schedule. You used to be able to catch both of them Saturday evening, and again in the late night.

Now, you’re lucky if it airs in the same time slot two weeks in a row. It’s one of the only news programs I watch on Saturdays.

I hope MSNBC picks him and gives him a show.

I honestly will admit, I am part of the crowd who believes in the whole FNC bias thing, but News Watch has probably been the one show on the network where everything is put into perspective, it’s ran through different media analysts from fringe to fringe (Gabler/Thomas), and it was purely interesting. Reliable Sources is interesting, but it doesn’t have that feel, and I’m scared to see what FNC is going to do with it.

Either way, Eric deserved some information on why they are kicking him to the curb, I mean, like Lurker said, the guy’s been working there for roughly 10 years!