Despite Jamie Horowitz’s firing, Fox Sports still forging ahead with its programming strategy

The sports media world is still buzzing over Jamie Horowitz’s dismissal from Fox amid sexual harassment allegations. And while Fox Sports is dealing with the ramifications, President Eric Shanks told Sports Business Journal that it’s full speed ahead for the division and FS1.

Shanks countered reports that morale was low:

“There’s been an odd re-energizing to succeed and execute our playbook,” Shanks said. “We have a great team here that has bought into our strategy. … It’s tough to find people who are walking around and moping.”

He also stated that he’s in no hurry to replace Horowitz. Shanks has taken over many of Horowitz’s duties and has met with the talent that was brought in under his tenure. And he stressed that even without Horowitz, he plans to continue with the strategy that was put into place:

“Everyone here has set this strategy and vision,” Shanks said. “We have the playbook right in front of us. We are recommitting ourselves to execute the playbook that we started.”

So it doesn’t mean reversing what’s happened at Fox Sports Digital which changed from a newsgathering site to an all-video portal.

“That was a strategic decision totally endorsed by me and the entire company,” Shanks said. “Our unique consumer proposition is that we make premium video.”

Shanks says he signed off on many of the decisions that were made under Horowitz and says that he owns them. So there is no plan to flick the switch and change course at this time. The shows that were created under Horowitz, Undisputed and Speak for Yourself will remain on the schedule and there are no plans to halt the plans for the FS1 morning show, First Things First with Cris Carter and Nick Wright that will premiere in September.

Shanks realizes that people are watching how Fox emerges from this and how it will react. He says Fox will move forward and stay on course.

[Sports Business Journal (subscription req.)]