Seattle        My morning started with a long call with a young producer and 8-year veteran of Fox News Special Reports explaining to me why the special reports in depth documentaries were different from the regular whack Fox News.  What a job?  Her real pitch is that they had been “tasked,” as she said with doing a documentary on ACORN and she wanted to convince me that they were “fair and objective,” and I should be interviewed for the show based on my new book, Citizen Wealth.
Yes, I know that none of this should be trusted or taken at face value, so let’s get past that and look at the pros and cons.  I want your advice!
My publishers, Barrett-Koehler were the original contact.  They did what they could.  They worked out a tentative agreement that we would be able to get the general questions in advance and that the book had to be the framework, but my editor and the publicity guy were clear with me on the phone from Seattle that this was a first for them.  Fox News had never had any interest in any of their authors.

The producer was an advocate for her cause.  The format would be a “relaxed setting” with the interviewer and me sitting in chairs in a studio.  I told her my policy over the last year had been to not comment or get involved in any discussion of ACORN’s actions after I resigned, so they quickly agreed that there would be no question to me about anything after I left.  She is sending me an example of what kinds of questions they would have for me.  Hmmmm.

Most communications pros these days advise you to go on the air with the hateraters, because they have a significant audience that includes regular folks and that is who you try to connect with directly.  Judy Duncan of ACORN Canada and I were sobered when we asked our great Toronto leaders Marva and Kay and both of them said, “Yes,” they watched Fox News even in Canada.

Most of my friends and all of my family, say, “whoa, nelly,” ride past this dude.

The cons are that the incoming is ugly making it not fun.  Of course they will say the same with a picture of the book and a background picture of me anyway, whether I’m on or not.  The pros might be some big league exposure for the book, a chance to connect with friends and neutrals, and speak past the din to folks willing to listen and support the work.
Heads or tails.   What’s your advice?