Levitan lays into Fox over news coverage

Modern Family has been renewed by ABC for a 10th season

The co-creator of Modern Family has pledged to cut ties with 21st Century Fox once the hit US sitcom ends after its 10th season because of the company’s ownership of Fox News.

Steve Levitan, who co-created Modern Family alongside Christopher Lloyd, is one of numerous creatives working in TV to distance themselves from the company due to the output of Fox News.

“Fox Studio has been a wonderful home for most of my career – so many amazing people there who share the concerns about Fox News but aren’t in the position to speak out,” Levitan tweeted yesterday.

“I have no problem with fact-based conservatism (such as WSJ), but Fox News’s 23-hour-a-day support of the NRA, conspiracy theories and Trump’s lies gets harder to swallow every day as I drive on to that lot to make a show about inclusion.

“I look forward to seeing Modern Family through to the end and then, sale or no sale, setting up shop elsewhere,” said Levitan, who has also been responsible for Just Shoot Me! and was an executive producer on Frasier.

Fox Studio has been a wonderful home for most of my career – so many amazing people there who share the concerns about @FoxNews but aren’t in the position to speak out.

— Steve Levitan (@SteveLevitan) June 19, 2018

I have no problem with fact-based conservatism (such as WSJ), but @FoxNew’s 23-hour-a-day support of the NRA, conspiracy theories and Trump’s lies gets harder to swallow every day as I drive onto that lot to make a show about inclusion.

— Steve Levitan (@SteveLevitan) June 19, 2018

Levitan followed up the tweets by releasing a statement via his agent, UTA co-president Jay Sures, to clarify his position.

“I have great respect and admiration for Dana Walden, Gary Newman, Peter Rice and everyone at 20th Century Fox TV studio who have all treated me so well for almost two decades. For now, I will take some time to see where these people land, and at that point I will make a decision about my future,” said Levitan.

Modern Family was renewed by ABC for its 10th and final season earlier this year. The series has been a consistent performer for 20th Century Fox Television during its run and has also been sold to broadcasters around the world.

Other figures to criticise Fox News include Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, who tweeted that he was “embarrassed to work” for Fox following its coverage of Donald Trump’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy.

Meanwhile, producer, writer and director Judd Apatow has called for showrunners of Fox shows and the talent working on them to speak out against the network over Fox News’ output.