HBO - FOX NEWS MANAGEMENT WARNS STAFF ABOUT "SERIES OF MISTAKES"

FOX NEWS MANAGEMENT WARNS STAFF ABOUT "SERIES OF MISTAKES"

The management of Fox News Channel has sent a stern memo to staffers warning them that there will be "zero tolerance for on-screen errors." The memo observed that a "series of mistakes" had gone out on the channel in recent months. "We have to all improve our performance in terms of ensuring error-free broadcasts," it said. Implying that management was not targeting individuals, the memo said that if on-air errors occur in the future, disciplinary action would be taken "against those who played significant roles in the 'mistake chain,' and those who supervise them. That may include warning letters to personnel files, suspensions, and other possible actions up to and including termination." In order to ensure against such errors, it continued, "we will start by going to air with only the most essential, basic, and manageable elements. ... We may then build up again slowly as deadlines and workloads allow so that we can be sure we can quality check everything before it makes air, and we never having [sic] to explain, retract, qualify or apologize again." A copy of the memo was sent to FishbowlNY.com, which posted it Monday.

24/11/2009