Tuesday, November 1st, 2011
Fox News VS Local Fox I've been meaning to write this blog for awhile. But finally after covering an Occupy Milwaukee rally last weekend I decided it's time to get this in writing. Your local Fox is NOT the Fox News Channel.

Since starting at Fox 6 here in Milwaukee 6 months ago... I was warned. You will be harassed. Yelled at. Made fun of. All because of a misunderstanding. People will think you WORK for Fox News.

They were right. I've been called a "liar" before opening my mouth and had crowds of people chant "tell the truth" at me. Last weekend I had a guy walk up to me and call me a "douche" just cause he saw I was wearing a Fox 6 coat. If you've got issues with the Fox News Channel that is fine. But before you walk up to a local reporter to tell him a few of your thoughts on Bill Oreilly there is something you should know. You are coming across as an idiot.

So here it is: The difference between Fox News and your local Fox station.

Your local Fox is NOT the Fox News Channel. In fact, your local NBC, ABC, and CBS are also most likely not MSNBC, ABC world news, or national CBS. Your local affiliate is simply a company that has an agreement to play programming PROVIDED by those networks.

For example: I work for Fox 6 in Milwaukee. From 7-9PM every night we play Fox network programming (Simpsons, X Factor, American Idol). For the other 22 hours of the day, WE are responsible for filling the air. A lot of that is LOCAL news. The rest is syndicated programming (like Judge Judy). But none of it, is Fox News.

Rupert Murdoch is not my boss. I work for a company called Local TV. It is based in Kentucky. The company owns stations all over the country with different network affiliations. The editorial decisions of my company do not come from New York. In fact, they are made locally, by my news director and the general manager in Milwaukee.

I really don't have much of an opinion on Fox News. They are a channel that has dominant cable news ratings, and an equal amount of haters. But I'm like everybody else, a viewer. They don't contribute to my pay check.

A few months ago someone came up to me and said: "I love Fox 6, you guys are fair and balanced." Hmmm, where have I heard that before? Days later I had a guy run up to me and point to a pin he was wearing that had Fox News on it, with a circle and an X through it. Umm... thank you for sharing?

I don't blame people for not knowing the difference. If I didn't work in TV, I don't think I would know the difference. But since I do, I thought I would share.

I don't expect this will stop people from making the mistake and letting me know what they think by calling me the devil, but at least I can direct them to Humzoo.

-Ben