Isaac Lee: Fusion ‘Is not going to be traditional news’

By Alex Weprin 

Fusion CEO Isaac Lee talks to B&C’s Jon Lafayette about the plans for the channel, including distribution and ad sales. Lafayette also asks about how much of Fusion’s programming will be news, and how the parent companies will come into play.

How much of what you’re going to be doing is going to be traditional news?

I think that the key part is not going to be traditional news. We are going to be covering current events, but we are going to be doing it through the filters that I mentioned. Things do not have to be boring to be well done. You can be funny and relevant. You need to be consistent and you need to be outstanding and perceived to be authentic as well.

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Will viewers know Fusion is the product of Univision and ABC News?

I don’t think it matters to the audience really. We are going to be transparent. If we’re asked, we’re going to be telling the truth and if we are going to be using an ABC resource, we are going to be giving them the right credit, and we’re going to be proud of having their help. And the same with Univision News. We don’t expect people to believe that Jorge Ramos is a part of Fusion only and that George Stephanopoulos is just doing Fusion. We are going to be grateful to our partner. [Viewers] don’t care who is behind what. They care if it’s good and if it appeals to them or not.

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