Austin360 blogs > TV Blog > Archives > 2009 > August > 03 > Entry
FOX Austin eliminates ‘7 On Your Side’ unit
Who’s watching out for the watchdogs?
Fox Austin, KTBC, has laid off its “7 on Your Side” unit.
Casualties of hard economic times, six full time positions were cut last week according to a source who asked to be referred to only as a station spokesperson due to FOX policy: two graphic artist technicians, three camera operators and one investigative producer were let go.
“In addition to that, investigative reporter Chris Coffey’s contract was not renewed,” the spokesperson confirmed.
Coffey anchored the consumer watchdog “7 on Your Side” reports for KTBC. The series reported on unethical business practices and scams, including door-to-door alarm system sales; comp time versus overtime pay; credit report scams; and false charity donation solicitors.
“Investigative reporting will continue to be handled by the rest of the news team,” according to the spokesperson.
Permalink | Comments (36) | Post your comment Categories: Local news
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By strangebru
August 12, 2009 2:37 AM | Link to this
Next, they will do away with live trucks and will have everybody hitchhike to the scene so that they can avoid having to pay gasoline, insurance, and maintenance. The nice person giving them the ride that day will be paid in "Fox 7" pencils and notepads because t-shirts are too expensive.
By machoman
August 9, 2009 4:53 AM | Link to this
thank you! I really liked this post!
By johnny
August 7, 2009 4:12 AM | Link to this
Hello. Thank you for this great info! Keep up the good job!
By Wayne Caswell
August 4, 2009 9:09 AM | Link to this
It’s a shame to see investigative journalism suffer as media consolidates and local media outlets rely more on news feeds. Citizen journalism and nonprofit consumer advocacy organizations like Homeowners of Texas will need to take up the slack. We'll need to find ways to publish our findings online using resources like YouTube, but we lack the credibility and reach of broadcast television.
By KieselLover
August 4, 2009 7:46 AM | Link to this
As long as Fox keeps Kathryn Kiesel they are okay in my book.
By Foxy
August 3, 2009 11:02 PM | Link to this
Mmm..certainly a lot of mean comments on here. Guess I'll throw my hat in the ring. At least FOX's reports can avoid not getting pulled over for DWIs after media events or crashing their cars into ditches with cocktails in hand. I'm just saying....
7 On Your Side was a poor choice for FOX to cut, but only one in a long series of poor choices they have made. God help them at this point. They are made up of talented people and a lot of them are falling victim to bad decisions by management.
By L.O.
August 3, 2009 10:09 PM | Link to this
What a damn shame....7 on your side was the only thing worth watching on Fox.
By Jon
August 3, 2009 9:09 PM | Link to this
Thanks to April Molena of "Fox 7 On Your Side" from April 10, 2002. I was falsely accused of
owing over $19,000 in back child support when
I owed NOTHING! The stupid state of texas pled
guilty on April 12,2002 with the following
statement to a williamson county judge........
"SOVERIEN IMMUNITY--STATE OF TEXAS"! Do you
know what this mean's! Yes..the state is guilty,
but we don't have to pay a damn dime for lawyers
fee's,or hospital fees. Bring back April....
she is the best! April, just pull the tape's
from April 10, 2002, and you will know who I am.
Fox 7 at 9:00PM.
By webbie
August 3, 2009 8:19 PM | Link to this
@canned
Yup -- I was a web producer at FOX 7 and my position got cut months ago. Ha!
By Brian
August 3, 2009 7:04 PM | Link to this
Local broadcast is driven totally by viewership eyeballs and ad revenue. TV has lost, online has won, same as with newspapers. These jobs won't be coming back. In fact, there's little point in the local broadcast stations continuing to run competing newscasts. They just read to us from this newspaper anyway. Might as well run sitcom re-runs or infomercials.
By Simian Pundit
August 3, 2009 6:22 PM | Link to this
We watch Fox News only for its entertainment value. I still miss Arzow. Nancy Z just can't compare. Her voice is more annoying, sure, but her reporting is more solid. ("Solid" being a relative term.) What about Loriana Hernandez? Why does she talk as though she's got marbles in her mouth? Half the time I have to guess what she's saying. Delightfully terrible writing, deliciously somnolent editing. I can't wait for nine o'clock every night.
By HelYa
August 3, 2009 6:16 PM | Link to this
They took away the one thing local news is good for, which is watchdog coverage.
By Dbagger
August 3, 2009 5:44 PM | Link to this
The employees at 7 knew about these firings months ago. More will come, especially with their new "automation."
By Brian and Stewie
August 3, 2009 5:42 PM | Link to this
Whoever consistently watches local broadcast news, especially in the morning or at noon, has some serious issues.
By ollo
August 3, 2009 5:33 PM | Link to this
At least Nationwide is still on my side. And, for some reason, I just find Nancy Zambrano hypnotizing.
By cd
August 3, 2009 5:28 PM | Link to this
the 7 on your side was the best part of the news
By austin_lady
August 3, 2009 5:23 PM | Link to this
Amen on getting rid of Nancy Zambrano. Her voice annoys the heck out of me.
By texgal61
August 3, 2009 5:13 PM | Link to this
I say get rid of that Nancy Zimbrano. Her voice sounds like, well I can't explain it. It's just irritating. No disrescpect intended, I'm sure she is a nice kid, but jeez, that voice.
By kenny
August 3, 2009 5:05 PM | Link to this
Between the relentless dribble, and the slack reporting, you have shameless self promotion, useless American Idol promos, some loser in short pants that doesn't bathe telling about the overrated music scene in Austin, way too much weather done my 9 year olds...I mean, do I really have to go on? Everything BUT news. This is what we've come to people. The society we live in has given us what you see on the old boob tube day in and day out. Speaking of which, is where I am ...out.
By Leslie
August 3, 2009 5:02 PM | Link to this
I am shocked and saddened to see that FOX has eliminted the 7 on your side segment. Chris Coffey and his team did a great job providing us the news that the community "needed" to hear. What a loss for FOX and the community. I will also miss seeing Chris fill in as the morning anchor when needed. He did a great job. The other station that hires Chris will be getting a great reporter.
By joeblow
August 3, 2009 5:00 PM | Link to this
7oys is the best part of the KTBC news.
By Kate
August 3, 2009 4:39 PM | Link to this
That is a huge loss for Fox 7! Chris Coffey is our favorite reporter. I hope another local station grabs him!
By Lori
August 3, 2009 4:36 PM | Link to this
Bummer! We love the "7 on your side" segment & especially Chris Coffey. He is a great reporter & will definitely be missed.
By Tracy
August 3, 2009 4:35 PM | Link to this
I'm really disheartened to see Chris Coffey and the "On Your Side" team go. I'm not much of a fan of FOX, but I always tuned in for the "On Your Side" segment because I thought it showed the station was committed to the community and to producing valuable journalism. Now that I see that's not the case, I'm committed to tuning to another station (hopefully one that hires Coffey and crew!)
By Dennis
August 3, 2009 4:24 PM | Link to this
Fox 7 News is horrible.
Scrap the whole thing and move on.
By grueneapfels
August 3, 2009 3:52 PM | Link to this
Several administrative positions were already eliminated earlier this year --- Fox 7 is having as tough a time as any other media outlet.
By canned
August 3, 2009 3:30 PM | Link to this
Hey AAS, you scooped Fox 7! They don't even mention this 'news' on their website. Maybe they laid off their webmaster too.....
By paper_poster
August 3, 2009 3:21 PM | Link to this
Companies in every industry are using the recession as an excuse to downsize. The media is an easy target because advertising is always the first to go when businesses cut back.
By banno
August 3, 2009 3:17 PM | Link to this
i guess Fox7 is no longer on my side.
By Jimmy
August 3, 2009 3:08 PM | Link to this
The only time local news is useful is during major thunderstorms. Aside from that, it's about as informative as the national news. Do people still watch network news broadcasts, local and national?
By Joe Jance
August 3, 2009 2:52 PM | Link to this
I don't watch local TV news if I can help it. In fact, the national TV news has devolved to such a lack of quality I hardly watch it anymore. Good riddance to bad rubbish.
By keith
August 3, 2009 2:47 PM | Link to this
From what I had seen about the 7 On Your Side lately, I'm glad its been cut. They seemed to have been doing stories about stupid things that they should never have done. I'm not against checking up on things and making sure they are legit - that's one thing I'll give media credit for, because they can actually get more action than me individually can do, but still.....it wasn't worth it anymore
By purple78
August 3, 2009 2:33 PM | Link to this
the need to cut the horrible morning show!!
By Josh
August 3, 2009 2:31 PM | Link to this
I call shenanigans.... the economy is starting to come around, after 2 years, only now do they cut positions? Maybe they should've cut the silly "get fit with Loriana" segment so they could actually do real news and not be the laughing stock of local news world.
By Kim
August 3, 2009 2:22 PM | Link to this
I think there is a lot of value in the "7 on your side" segment. I hope that Fox continues to broadcast this information in one manner or another. Someone needs to be out there looking out for us!
By enyaw60
August 3, 2009 2:19 PM | Link to this
We hate to see "7 On Your Side" gone from our favorite local news station. It was a feature some of my family members, friends and co-workers enjoyed discussing after each story was aired. We will have to search the airwaves to find another local station that can report on issues we appreciate heaing about. We do not notice any administrative positions being eliminated, so guess things are really not that tight at FOX7.....