Fox Journalist Fired Over Wolverine Review

[Abstract]

Fox has hit a new low in my book.

http://blog.newsarama.com/2009/04/05/declawed-roger-friedman-fired-for-wolverine-review/

 

[malgal3000]

i'm glad!

 

[Hugh'sMrs]

Apparently he's not fired.

http://cinemablend.com/new/Fox-Backpedaling-Roger-Friedman-Not-Fired-12638.html

On Friday, Fox News columnist Roger Friedman did the unthinkable, posting a review of an illegally downloaded version of Fox’s big summer movie Wolverine, and all but recommending his readers skip the theater and do the same. The outrage over this hypocrisy was instant, with this site and many others calling for his firing. More on that here.

And at first, it seemed like Fox was doing the right thing. Saturday night they issued a statement claiming that Friedman had been fired. Everyone nodded their heads and went back about their business. Now though, the situation is suddenly much less clear.

Friedman tells Variety that he hasn’t been terminated and from the sounds of things, it’s business as usual for him over at Fox News. In fact Fox now seems to be backing away from their initial statement entirely. Today they issued this statement in place of their affirmation of Friedman’s firing: “This is an internal matter that we're not prepared to discuss at this time.”

Something stinks here. More on this story as it develops.

 

[November Rain]

looks like he'll get a slap on the wrists or asked to retract his bits about the ease of downloading.

as illegal as it is to download something, at least it isn't been sold off as pirates, yet.

it's also not like the people who viewed it aren't going to watch it again at the cinema.

fox has to learn to roll with the punches instead of this stupid version of damage limitation

 

[danoyse]

Oh, Fox....

There are just no words.

 

[squeekness]

That is so lame.

 

[Stretch2643]

Frankly I think he should be fired. It's one thing to download something illegally, but as a professional in the industry you don't 1. broadcast that you do it or 2. encourage others to do it from your parent company. Don't want to get fired? Here's a though: try not being an idiot.

 

[WeaponXProject]

He should be fired. The more its reported the more people know about it and the more people will download it. The man also claims to download other movies so he should be fired. He is in a public position of acclaim. Admission of quilt is the key. He should be fired but we all know how Foxnews is. They defend there employees even when there wrong.

 

[TNC9852002]

How long has this guy been around?

Because even though he did something really stupid, I don't know if he should be permanently discharged if he's been in the game for a while. One could assume that he did receive some sort of punishment either way...

Hmmm...I don't know how things work between FOX News/20th Century FOX.

If he's still employed, then it's probably up to the FBI and not FOX News to discipline him.

 

[3 Dev Adam]

This guy would be an embarassment to Fox... IF Fox could be that embarassed. Remember the Valkyrie brouhaha?

 

[WeaponXProject]

Dude...it's a federal crime. You ever read what FBI warning before a feature presentation of a DVD/VHS? It is a big deal to admittingly do so.

 

[3 Dev Adam]

FBI should go after the Federal Reserve. Did you guys watched ZEITGEIST?

 

[danoyse]

How long has this guy been around?

Because even though he did something really stupid, I don't know if he should be permanently discharged if he's been in the game for a while. One could assume that he did receive some sort of punishment either way...

Hmmm...I don't know how things work between FOX News/20th Century FOX.

If he's still employed, then it's probably up to the FBI and not FOX News to discipline him.

No, it's absolutely up to Fox to fire him, and he should be fired.

He reviewed a bootleg version of the film - something that Fox is making any other site take down and threatening big trouble if they don't. Why should the rules not apply to one of their own?

You can't release a statement calling it a "misrepresentation" of the actual film and then let one of your own columnists go on about how great it was.

And to make matters worse, he basically advertised how easy it was to find and download not only Wolverine, but any other movie in the Top 10 and how he planned to download more.

It's totally irresponsible for Fox not to fire this person. They can't make other sites take reviews down and then allow one of their own to do the same and get away with it. That level of hypocricy is astounding.

 

[squeekness]

Maybe they just slapped him with a major fine. Like that would deter anyone...

 

[3 Dev Adam]

They should fire the guy who let the review go online in the first place.

 

[Hugh'sMrs]

No, it's absolutely up to Fox to fire him, and he should be fired.

He reviewed a bootleg version of the film - something that Fox is making any other site take down and threatening big trouble if they don't. Why should the rules not apply to one of their own?

You can't release a statement calling it a "misrepresentation" of the actual film and then let one of your own columnists go on about how great it was.

And to make matters worse, he basically advertised how easy it was to find and download not only Wolverine, but any other movie in the Top 10 and how he planned to download more.

It's totally irresponsible for Fox not to fire this person. They can't make other sites take reviews down and then allow one of their own to do the same and get away with it. That level of hypocricy is astounding.

I agree with you. Especially this part:

You can't release a statement calling it a "misrepresentation" of the actual film and then let one of your own columnists go on about how great it was.

 

[TNC9852002]

No, it's absolutely up to Fox to fire him, and he should be fired.

He reviewed a bootleg version of the film - something that Fox is making any other site take down and threatening big trouble if they don't. Why should the rules not apply to one of their own?

You can't release a statement calling it a "misrepresentation" of the actual film and then let one of your own columnists go on about how great it was.

And to make matters worse, he basically advertised how easy it was to find and download not only Wolverine, but any other movie in the Top 10 and how he planned to download more.

It's totally irresponsible for Fox not to fire this person. They can't make other sites take reviews down and then allow one of their own to do the same and get away with it. That level of hypocricy is astounding.

I'm not saying that he didn't do something wrong. It's clear that he ****ed up in a major way. I'm just not totally an expert on the legal system that's involved here.

I mean, if he's a substantial writer for FOX news and has been an asset to the company for a long time, I wouldn't think they would permanently fire him (they are certainly within their rights to do so, I'm not saying that they aren't). I would think that if otherwise, he'd pay like a huge fine or something and get temporarily suspended, but I don't know the system too well.

 

[danoyse]

I'm not saying that he didn't do something wrong. It's clear that he ****ed up in a major way. I'm just not totally an expert on the legal system that's involved here.

I mean, if he's a substantial writer for FOX news and has been an asset to the company for a long time, I wouldn't think they would permanently fire him (they are certainly within their rights to do so, I'm not saying that they aren't). I would think that if otherwise, he'd pay like a huge fine or something and get temporarily suspended, but I don't know the system too well.

He's not a substantial writer, he's a gossip columnist. They can get another one.

It was utterly irresponsible what he did. He was promoting illegal activity, he did everything Fox was supposedly condemning when they released their statement. It would be an absolute disaster for them if they kept him on.

 

[Parkdaledude]

The only reason they're not firing him is because he seems to be the only person whose seen it that thinks it's any good.

 

[RomyFan]

Frankly I think he should be fired. It's one thing to download something illegally, but as a professional in the industry you don't 1. broadcast that you do it or 2. encourage others to do it from your parent company. Don't want to get fired? Here's a though: try not being an idiot.

I agree.

 

[danoyse]

Roger Friedman has officially been fired:

http://news-briefs.ew.com/2009/04/roger-friedman.html

Fox News issues statement saying it has parted ways with columnist Roger Friedman
Apr 6, 2009, 05:51 PM | by Tim Stack

Categories: Current Affairs, Film, Movie biz, Movies, Television

In the wake of last week's Wolverine leak and Fox News columnist Roger Friedman's review of the unfinished version, the network has confirmed that Friedman no longer works there. This afternoon, Fox News issued the following statement, "Fox News representatives and Roger Friedman met today and mutually agreed to part ways immediately. Fox News appreciates Mr. Friedman's ten years of contributions to building foxnews.com and wishes him success in his future endeavors. Mr. Friedman is grateful to his colleagues for their friendship and support over the past decade."

 

[BestGirl]

The only reason they're not firing him is because he seems to be the only person whose seen it that thinks it's any good.

Lol!

Roger Friedman has officially been fired:

http://news-briefs.ew.com/2009/04/roger-friedman.html

Totally justified. I'm surprised people giving are dogging Fox for this given that Friedman broke the law, damaged his company, and wrote a ridiculous review. Calling WO better than TDK alone should be grounds for dismissal.

 

[Deaths Head II]

He deserves to get fired. What a dope.

 

[Abstract]

I don't think he should be fired. Reprimanded, but not fired.

Would he have been fired if Wolverine had been another studio's film?

 

[danoyse]

I don't think he should be fired. Reprimanded, but not fired.

Would he have been fired if Wolverine had been another studio's film?

Well, his article said he planned to download another studio's film (I Love You, Man) and watch it that night because it's easier than going out in the rain, so he potentially got them in trouble with another studio by encouraging piracy.

The smart thing to do would have been to review a completed version of the film and then rave about how much better that is than the workprint. That would only support their statement that the workprint was a "misrepresentation of the film".

It was an idiotic move, and Fox really had no choice in the matter.