Fox addresses baby mama drama: Producer used 'poor judgment'

[sabra]

Source: Politico

Since Salon's Alex Koppelman caught Fox News characterizing Michelle Obama as "Obama's Baby Mama," there's been an uproar over use of such an offensive term.

“A producer on the program exercised poor judgment in using this chyron during the segment,” Fox's Senior Vice President of Programming Bill Shine said in a statement to Politico.

In addition to being insulting, the phrase "baby mama" is also inaccurate. The Urban Dictionary defines "baby mama" as"the mother of your child(ren), whom you did not marry and with whom you are not currently involved."

Although Shine doesn't name anyone responsible, the show's producer is Jessica Herzberg. A Fox staffer said that others internally were bothered by describing the potential first lady and very accomplished women — as the senator's "baby mama."


Read more: http://www.politico.com/blogs/michaelcalderone/0608/Foxs_addresses_baby_mama_drama_Producer_used_poor_judgment.html

[Tempest]

1. The rightwingers keep shooting themselves in the foot

I hope they continue until the election.

[RedLetterRev]

8. Don'tcha wish that for once

they'd miss and hit their nads...

[delete_bush]

10. Problematic...

the target's way too small even for an errant shot.

[nomorenomore08]

2. Sad, just sad. You can smell the desperation on these guys.

nt

[Supersedeas]

21. these are the pathetic tactics that Repigs reach to while compensating for a pathetic candidate

[sinkingfeeling]

3. So when is Bill Shine firing Herzberg? Chirp..chirp...

[zeemike]

14. They don't fire people like that they promote them n/t

[Whoa_Nelly]

4. Oops! We're sorry

yeah...right :grr:


You can't unring a bell, you FAUX FUCKERS!

[Diane R]

5. So....that's all? Just a statement? No action or reprimand?

[defendandprotect]

6. The producer approved the "chyron"/graphics that appeared . . .

[pimpbot]

7. Looks like Jessica used to work for CBS

Attention: Jessica Herzberg

Title: Producer

News Source: Early Show

Address: CBS News, 524 West 57th Street

City: New York

State: NY - New York

Zip: 10019

Country: USA

Phone: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

[Mojambo]

9. I shudder to think where Fox News will go if Obama chooses to make a speech on someone's front porch

I wouldn't put it past them at all.

[MotorCityMan]

19. That is such a sad thought, and you're probably right

But, let's face it, this election will make 2000 look like a day at the beach. It is going to be racist as hell, and I doubt they will be subtle about it.

Meanwhile, saw the "maverick's" commercial yesterday. Message: I don't like war. First off, I don't believe you; secondly, how sad is it that he has to do a commercial like that?

These monsters have had all that money and power for eight years; they are not going to give it up easily.

[CoffeeCat]

11. I wonder if "baby mamas"...

...do the "terrorist fist jab"...or is that another demographic?

[sandnsea]

12. Where's NOW? Where's Gerry?

Where's the suspension?

[TechBear_Seattle]

13. "Poor judgement" has long been Faux News' business model

It is just that nowadays, people are not letting them get away with it.

[SemperEadem]

15. I call BS on this

“A producer on the program exercised poor judgment in using this chyron during the segment,”

Ok, so what about the chyron operator who typed it up and positioned it on the graphic background?
What about the director and the technical director who previewed it before putting it on air? What about the Executive Producer who is over the line producer, which is what Herzberg is? Obviously, everyone's judgement is poor if it got past those 4 and still made it to air.

A Fox staffer said that others internally were bothered by describing the potential first lady and very accomplished women — as the senator's "baby mama."

Staffers don't decide what goes on the air there. The news managment decides that... and clearly, there is an air of "anything goes" because they know what to aim at their audiences. It's aimed at those who are prone to think this way already about accomplished, black of both sexes.

[knixphan]

16. ex-ACT-ly.

[underpants]

22. Ding! of course this was no mistake

This is the third such offense by Fox in two weeks

the "terrorist fist jab" and the light threat against Obama himself.

[tblue37]

17. Here is an interesting take by someone with news production experience:

This letter is not mine. It was posted over at Salon.com

I'm Not Buying It
"A producer exercised poor judgment." That's FNC's defense.

I work in TV; I've been in live studios and control rooms. To get anything on air requires several independent judgments.

There is a Line Producer who is responsible for keeping the broadcast together, the overall traffic cop herding individual recorded packages, live interviews and the anchors' copy organized, to time, and on point.

There is usually a Supervising or Executive Producer in the control room as well, although usually they may not be involved in too many operational decisions for the broadcast; they spend their time mostly on phone calls or emails dealing with the management side of the bropadcast. Their presence is meant to ensure no snafu's on air such as happened here.

There is usually a rather lower-level Control Room Production Asssitant or Associate Producer working with the Chyron operator (who is responsible for the physical act of typing the text in and getting it processed in the character generator) on correct spellings, titles, numbering the individual slides that appear on air.

The Associate Director marshalls all of the various elements of the broadcast (cameras, tape playback machines, satellite links, chyron, etc.) and is charged with making sure everyone and everything is ready for the time that the Director calls for them. A critical position, but mostly a technical one, although the AD can also call an element into question if it is incorrect, poorly executed, or just doesn't feel right.

The Director calls the shots, literally: selecting the cameras, cuing anchors, music, requesting the chyrons up and out, setting the pace of the show from moment to moment. Similar to the AD, the Director can also stop things from showing up on air. Or, if a mistake does show up once, prevent it from going up again. It is a fast-paced job, but by the time you direct a national live broadcast, you have to be pretty good.

Overall I would say there are at least 3-4 "Producers" who have to concur with getting something on air. Otherwise, there are many others who can stop an element from getting on air.

For something like the "Baby" slug to show up, not once but many times, is not the work of one producer, but an entire news operation.

-- kevmornj

http://letters.salon.com/politics/war_room/2008/06/12/fox_response/view/?show=all

[stanwyck]

23. Thanks for your post!

I appreciate the explanation.

[MiniMandaRuth]

18. Fox is so upset about it they hired Huckabee who

made that "joke" in front of the NRA.

[gratuitous]

20. Lots of poor judgment over at Fox nowadays

They're melting down, and it's every bit as pretty as watching the Wicked Witch of the West dissolve.