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Columnist Fired For Reviewing Pirated Movie

Hugh Pickens writes "Roger Friedman, an entertainment columnist for FoxNews.com, discovered over the weekend just what Rupert Murdoch means by 'zero tolerance' when it comes to movie piracy. On Friday, the film studio 20th Century Fox — owned by the News Corporation, the media conglomerate ruled by Mr. Murdoch — became angry after reading Friedman's latest column, a review of 'X-Men Origins: Wolverine,' a big-budget movie that was leaked in unfinished form on the Web last week. Friedman posted a mini-review, adding, 'It took really less than seconds to start playing it all right onto my computer.' The film studio, which enlisted the FBI to hunt the pirate, put out a statement calling Friedman's column 'reprehensible' while News Corporation weighed in with its own statement, saying it had asked Fox News to remove the column from its Web site. 'When we advised Fox News of the facts,' the statement said, 'they promptly terminated Mr. Friedman.'"

23 of 466 comments (clear)

  1. FTFA by OzPeter · · Score: 4, Funny

    "When we advised Fox News of the facts," the statement said, "they promptly terminated Mr. Friedman."

    Now that's harsh

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    1. Re:FTFA by krou · · Score: 5, Funny

      Yeah exactly. Since when have Fox News ever paid attention to the facts?

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      'If Christ had tweeted the sermon on the mount, it might have lasted until nightfall.' - John Perry Barlow
    2. Re:FTFA by SupremoMan · · Score: 5, Funny

      I can only assume that by "terminated" they mean they sent an android back in time to kill his mother before he was ever conceived.

  2. Re:He should have seen that coming. by Joe+the+Lesser · · Score: 5, Funny

    He foolishly thought in-depth investigative reporting would be welcome at Fox.

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  3. Sloppy journalism by codeButcher · · Score: 5, Funny

    they promptly terminated Mr. Friedman.

    Now did they terminate HIM or only his EMPLOYMENT?

    If the former, I begin to get an inkling of America's problem with the copyright mafia.

    --
    Free, as in your money being freed from the confines of your account.
  4. Re:He should have seen that coming. by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 5, Funny

    His review must not have been fair and balanced...

  5. Re:Lol by monoqlith · · Score: 3, Funny

    'Wow, what a moron.'

    Yeah, that goes without saying. We're talking about an entertainment columnist from Fox News. Seriously.

  6. Re:Not fired? by Samschnooks · · Score: 5, Funny
    Friedman tells Variety that he hasnÃ(TM)t been terminated and from the sounds of things, itÃ(TM)s business as usual for him over at Fox

    I'd like to know when Slashdot is going to fix their scripts so that when folks post quotes, it doesn't post like someone with one of those cheap fake Italian accents. Or make it better...

    Friedman tells Variety that hesa hasnÃ(TM)t been terminated anda from ah the sounds of things, itÃ(TM)s business as ah usual for hima over at Foxa

  7. Re:Lol by MightyYar · · Score: 4, Funny

    We're talking about an entertainment columnist from Fox News.

    Hey, not every person with a B.A. degree can go on to become a barista.

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  8. Love it by Quiet_Desperation · · Score: 2, Funny

    The media reaction is priceless. Some of the talking heads are acting like this guy raped a child and killed a nun by firing starving kittens at her with an air cannon. Damn but I love it when the media goes nuclear bipolar and feeds on itself! :-)

  9. Re:He should have seen that coming. by mochan_s · · Score: 4, Funny

    That was stupid of him. What did he expect would happen?

    The fact is that there are people who download and watch movies. Do we want our movies reviewed by such people? Do you want your children to read review by such people, or have your children go to school with these people? To be taught by these people. Ladies and gentlemen, the truth is these people are real, and they are among us.

  10. Re:He should have seen that coming. by Mike73 · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's clearly a form of radical journalism, providing an avant-garde commentary on movie piracy.

    Genius, really.

  11. Re:He should have seen that coming. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    A movie review is now "in-depth investigative reporting?"

    Take a look at whats typically on Fox News and I think you'll agree that a movie review would be the most in-depth investigative reporting that the network has ever done.

  12. Re:Lol by FatdogHaiku · · Score: 4, Funny

    Given the state of the news media right now, that guy'll never work in the field again.

    Maybe The Pirate Bay can start a reviews section and he could get a job there!

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  13. It has a plot? by wiredog · · Score: 2, Funny

    Why ruin it with a plot?

  14. Re:The News by somersault · · Score: 4, Funny

    wtflox, please don't tell me Firefox is owned by Rupert Murdoch too?

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    which is totally what she said
  15. Re:The Review -- SPOILER ALERT! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    He is a professional writer who depends on cliches and bloated prose. I could go on, but simply put, ...

    I see what you did there.

  16. Re:Not fired? by Pinky3 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Friedman tells Variety that he hasnÃ(TM)t been terminated and from the sounds of things, itÃ(TM)s business as usual for him over at Fox

    I'd like to know when Slashdot is going to fix their scripts so that when folks post quotes, it doesn't post like someone with one of those cheap fake Italian accents.

    I'd like to know when posters are going to start previewing their posts and removing all the crap that Slashdot puts into pasted quotes. Oh, that's right, this is Slashdot. Never mind.

  17. Re:He should have seen that coming. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I dunno - I was pretty impressed when they uncovered that Michael Moore and Rush Limbaugh were actually both characters being played by Fred Savage...

  18. Re:ha ha by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    He must be using firefox...

  19. Re:More citizens should understand democracy. by mrsurb · · Score: 2, Funny

    The biggest question, in my opinion, is what to do about people like Rupert Murdoch, who owns Fox News. He has found that he can exploit ignorance and weakness to make money. He is extraordinarily destructive to his country and to humankind in general.

    Which is why we in Australia are glad that since 1985 he is no longer an Australian citizen and thus less destructive to our country!
    There is a hilarious sketch in the British show "A Bit of Fry and Laurie" (staring Stephen Fry and Hugh "Dr House" Laurie) which is a take-off of "It's a Wonderful Life". There the angel visits a suicidal Rupert Murdoch and shows him how things would have been different without him - like a pub filled with happy people of different races playing chess. Murdoch says, this is great, I can make heaps of money off these people! And the angel pushes him off the bridge.

  20. Re:Lol by MightyYar · · Score: 2, Funny

    Please don't make me explain my joke.

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    W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
  21. Re:Why is a movie more secret than a CIA agent? by hebertpa · · Score: 2, Funny

    Because the washington post isn't making money off the CIA.

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