This Just In ...
Kevin Fischer is a veteran broadcaster, the recipient of over 150 major journalism awards from the Milwaukee Press Club, the Wisconsin Associated Press, the Northwest Broadcast News Association, the Wisconsin Bar Association, and others. He has been seen and heard on Milwaukee TV and radio stations for over three decades. A longtime aide to state Senate Republicans in the Wisconsin Legislature, Kevin can be seen offering his views on the news on the public affairs program, "InterCHANGE," on Milwaukee Public Television Channel 10, and heard filling in on Newstalk 1130 WISN. He lives with his wife, Jennifer, and their lovely baby daughter, Kyla Audrey, in Franklin.
FranklinNOW management messes up
For those of you just waking up, this website exploded in controversy last night.
I have blogged and commented about it.
Bryan Maersch has commented about it.
“It” is FranklinNOW.com blogger Fred Keller’s decision to quit blogging.
Here’s what happened.
As he promised he would every week, Fred Keller posted on his blog a picture, asking people to write in with humorous captions. It is a common website practice.
This particular picture featured Senator Ted Kennedy.
Fred’s blog was flooded with suggestions.
In the middle of a hilarious and successful blog, another local blogger in curmudgeon style pontificated about how awful it was to bring up drinking and driving issues.
Never mind that Kennedy drank, drove, and killed a woman. This reader didn’t think such comments were appropriate. Fine. He didn’t have to read them and could go back to the warmth and safety of his own boring blog.
Keller, in his own inimitable fashion, responded to the curmudgeon’s comments.
Later in the day, the editor of this website and all the community blogs explained that he deleted Keller’s comments for fear of a lawsuit that the person who issued the comment that prompted Keller’s reply would sue the gigantic Journal Company for libel.
Keller, and I don’t blame him, was angry and resigned his blogging on FranklinNOW.com. It is this site’s loss and the community’s.
My take, I hope, is clear. I am happy that I have been treated so well since I’ve started blogging here. I am appalled at how the management here handled the Keller situation and others.
The management fears that the target of Keller’s questionable comment could sue for libel about drinking and driving.
Apparently the management had no problem with a comment left on my blog the day before by a frequent critic identified as, “HAD TO COMMENT,” who, after a day of being ridiculed by my readers on taxes, wrote the following, directed at me and my supporters:
And with that Kevin and his apostles depart from his basement and the great bank of computers they work from all day long. Another hard day tearing apart someone they disagree with under their belts. Remember folks don't drink and drive. DWI is illegal.
The reaction from management hyper-concerned about lawsuits: not a word.
One insinuation is wrong. Another insinuation….not so wrong.
I respect that everyone has been so nice to me. But right is right and wrong is wrong. The management fumbled the ball and lost a popular blogger.
There are no winners here, only losers.
WILL YOU MAKE A STAND TO SAVE LAWS TO PROTECT CHILDREN FROM SEX OFFENDERS?
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