Fox News has taken a major step forward: it hasn’t renewed former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s contract:
Fox News has cut ties with former vice presidential nominee and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) who served as a contributor for the network, Politico reported Wednesday.
Palin, who will continue to make appearances on the network, did not have her contributor contract renewed after it expired on June 1, Politico reported.
A Fox News spokesperson confirmed to Politico that the network had amicably parted with the outspoken Palin.
According to Politico, Palin made frequent appearances when she was at the peak of her popularity. Fox seemed so committed to the partnership that they reportedly installed a camera in her home for the purpose of her appearances.
Politico reported that Palin’s departure was a result of her diminished relevancy and the time difference with Alaska, which often complicated her appearances on the network.
Palin’s “commentaries” on Foxs — for which she was paid handsomely — were an laughable –and I’m not talking at all in terms of political position or ideas. I’m talking about a real lack of ideas. She was getting paid big bucks to delivery commentaries that sounded as her research was reading a single tweet or watching Sean Hannity or scanning a demonizing conservative blog post. Homework schmomework was her unspoken motto — the same attitude that made her one of the few prominent figures in American life who never seemed to have the slightest desire to a)extend and build her constituency, b)off a long lost of alternative polities or affirmative ideas that weren’t just taking jabs at Democrats and liberals.
In short, Palin was seemingly on the network because had morphorped from a political figure who many felt was important to watch to a political celebrity. She was to serious political discussion what Zsa Zsa Gabor was to serious acting. Palin was a political celebrity and having her on the tube talking like she was reading a facebook post or a short tweet didn’t enhance Fox News’ news image.
But she’ll be here on some TV shows, occasionally on Fox and still be to many GOPers a woman who talks common sense and couuld appeal to own voters, when in reality she talks in Tweets and Facebook posts and polls have shown she only appeals to the partisan choir. Yes there are still some Republicans absolutely smitted and her potential. But that potential long withered on a far-right-leaning vine.
Let’s consider the decision to let her contract lapse a Fox News an upgrade.
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.