Today, at the 2017 Hall of Fame Breakfast of the Emma Bowen Foundation, retired Fox President of Station Operations Dennis Swanson (l) was inducted into foundation’s Hall of Fame. He's shown with Fox Television Stations CEO Jack Abernethy. Among its activities, the Emma Bowen Foundation recruits promising students of color and place them in multi-year paid internships at some of the nation's leading media and technology companies, providing the media and tech industries with a pipeline of young talent and emerging leadership, and advocate for best practices in diverse hiring, retention and advancement.
Comments (10)
Matthew Castonguay says:
June 27, 2017 at 3:58 pm
Well-deserved recognition for an extremely worthwhile effort/foundation. Dennis played a huge role for many years. I was privileged to speak to this group of young people one year and found it very rewarding (and gleaned some valuable market feedback). Congrats Dennis!
Sean Smith says:
June 27, 2017 at 4:19 pm
A true icon in the business of successful television for many, many years.
Dan Levitt says:
June 27, 2017 at 4:25 pm
How is a YOUNG Pipeline of talent DIVERSE? Ya, Dennis is Credited with “Discovering” Oprah, I wonder who is claiming credit for Dennis – politics is the only reason for hiring anybody, as if we all owe everything to people that hired us – a lot of that is being in the right place at the right time – we all gravitate to people we get along with or trust, TALENT is a Plus but it’s NOT the major factor in hiring. The times determined Diversity in hiring NOT Dennis (who also made more blunders than Discoveries). Affirmative Action had all to do with what we now call “Diversity” – NOT any one person. Maybe next year they can posthumously Award Roger Ailes next year for all the women he hired at FNC.
John Bagwell says:
June 27, 2017 at 4:54 pm
Geez…you have to make every story on here something negative. Did you even know him? I heard nothing but amazing things about him and it sounds like that is mostly consensus.
Joe Adalian says:
June 27, 2017 at 5:10 pm
Mrfixit is in a long line of industry people who believe they are smarter than anyone else – yet for some reason – probably their attitude – nobody picked them. Now he sits around and teaches us all how thing really are.
I worked with Dennis several times. He is a wonderful person and one of the smartest people in the industry.
Mrfixit – stop blaming other people for your lack of success.
Dan Levitt says:
June 27, 2017 at 6:49 pm
Ya, I worked for a News org with him. Swanson, Moonves etc.- they are ALL responsible the demise of TV News – didn’t have the foresight to see the writing on the wall. Dennis once told me about his college days when he managed the Basketball Team – he would SELL the 6 tickets he got for Huge Profit (scalping). That told me a lot – that he was all about him and had no loyalty to a TEAM. Anybody who feels they OWE something to the person that hired them is because they probably didn’t deserve the job in the first place. And actually – he’s the Dumbest TV Exec I ever met… NOT smart at all, perhaps LUCKY a few times, but theses guys led a 30+ year slide in the Biz.
Dan Levitt says:
June 27, 2017 at 6:57 pm
I worked under Dennis for a few years and had spoken to him at times BUT not many others did. Jeez, if the Guy ever Came down to the newsroom ONCE in all the years we worked together i would have known about it. Totally detached and oblivious to what was going on – which is why he got The Boot. Actually, he got the Boot from 3 news orgs in a matter of a few years From ABC to NBC to CBS to FOX, tell me I’m wrong
Dan Levitt says:
June 27, 2017 at 7:10 pm
ShameOnUs is typical cookie cutter news mentality of today – making judgements and accusations out of thin air with No FACTS. Actually it is YOU that think you know everything, analyzing comments like you have a PhD in Psychology, we all know that person in the newsroom like you, the gossip and the conspiracy theorist all in one.
Sean Smith says:
June 27, 2017 at 9:42 pm
Geez, Mr. Fixit… is there anybody in television that knows MORE than you do about it? What are YOUR OWN accomplishments? What did you do in the business to better the news coverage at your station(s), improve reporting in your newsroom(s), sharpen up photography to NPPA standards, and serve the public interest(s)? What shows of yours were Number 1 and not just totals in the DMA.. women 18 to 49 and women 18 to 34? Enough of your opinions… WHAT HAVE YOU DONE THAT WAS SUCCESSFUL IN TELEVISION NEWS? Are you in the news business now? What have you done for me lately? Geez, put up…. or shut up.
Dan Levitt says:
June 27, 2017 at 10:10 pm
YOU claim I know more than anybody NOT me – you are SPINNING my comments in True present news fashion. since when do I or anybody here have to PROVE anything to anybody else? Are you actually proud of the way Journalism has deteriorated over the last 30+ years? Are you Proud today to say that you are a member of the Press? I mean, I’ve seen the deterioration in progress – interns hired on staff rather than seasoned veterans, Rampant Sexual harassment by coworkers and Upper Management, Editorializing instead of unbiased reporting, rampant drug and alcohol abuse on ALL levels, Advertising disguised as news content, Inflated Circulation numbers etc. – ALL under the Noses of the Zuckers, The Swansons, The FNC Heads, The Moonves types etc. Yes, I am unhappy with the Media Downfall. You talk about #1 shows? What does Number 1 mean when the Viewership is HALF of what is was just 5 years ago? Are you serious? I’ve Survived all this insanity and in my chosen comfort zone and made a good living and manged a great family lifa and I am the Measuring Stick others compare themselves to (without divulging my credentials, which is None Of you Business). Funny, because 90%+ of my colleagues are all miserable, which doesn’t make THEM so successful regardless of whatever “Awards” and accolades or position they may have attained. Was Bill Shine Of FNC successful? Roger Ailes? think about that, they are the Poster Children of the fall of TV News Values and Credibility. You must be part of the problem newsoldie, otherwise you wouldn’t be so defensive. You play the politics, your view is slanted and YOU are the one judging people. My opinion is my opinion, that is wht there is a comment section here. If you don’t like my opinion than you are a biased journalist.