No, there have not been any cases of COVID-19 at Fox News, but the company is still taking appropriate precautions in light of the global pandemic that’s spreading across the country.
Here’s what Fox News is doing:
In a company-wide memo obtained by TVNewser, Fox News Media chief executive Suzanne Scott and Fox News president and executive editor Jay Wallace announced the company had decided to reduce the staff footprint at its News Corp. building headquarters. Some of the network’s bureaus will institute telecommuting altogether, effective this coming starting Monday, March 16 “for all of those departments capable of doing so.”
The network is also reducing in-studio bookings across linear platforms (meaning Fox News and FBN), and where possible shows are being directed to rely on remotes or on Skype.
Departments have also been asked to cancel all in person meetings and summits, and conduct business via Skype or by phone.
On the programming front, the network appears to have followed the lead of other networks when it comes to the suspension of studio audience shows. The network has cancelled the audience for The Greg Gutfeld Show until further notice, although the show itself will continue to air as planned. Additionally, the network we holding any live audience shows for Fox & Friends for the foreseeable future.
In the memo, Scott and Wallace added: “Programming changes will be enacted in the coming days on some of our platforms — our programming leadership team is working on this now and will communicate that accordingly.”