Fox News’ political commentator and TV host Jesse Watters is one of the conservative network’s most prominent figures. Still, a rumor mill with a cynical point of origin began whispering ‘news’ about his decision to ditch the network on Oct. 8, 2024.
Noted for his man-on-the-street reporting as well as his segment-turned-show Watters’ World, he (quite ironically) has become the target of disinformation circulating on YouTube. Watters is no stranger to saying outrageous things and getting away with it, neither are unchecked and unverified internet ‘sources’ — both are often taken at face value, especially by older audiences.
Jesse Watters is not leaving Fox News
There are no official announcements nor hints that Waters plans to leave Fox in 2024. In fact, Watters or his social media team has continued posting Fox News content on his X account following the fake news, and there’s no announcement to be seen.
The disinformation was spread by a clickbait YouTube channel named Clean Tech. It uploaded a video comprised of out-of-context clips of Watters and an uncredited voiceover that told the inaccurate story. None of the statements made have been verified by third parties or reported on by trustworthy sources.
How to recognize disinformation
Being able to spot disinformation is a skill worth honing, particularly because the A.I. boom’s ripple effects will have unforeseen consequences. Whether it’s generated images, bots on X, or videos, there are key signs to watch out for.
The bio of the above video reads, “In today’s video, we look at the surprising admission made by Jesse Watters, one of Fox News’ most famous people, when he announced his decision to leave the network. Watters’ departure surprised many of his ardent fans and coworkers, who knew him for his outspoken opinions, sharp analysis, and years of service to the channel. We’ll look at the reasons for his decision, its potential impact on Fox News, and what it means for his future career in journalism and broadcasting.”
The first thing of note is the lack of reporting accountability. Even rumor-based channels run by scoopers tend to have a face and name attached. Clean Tech’s video credits no reporter, is not attached to a publication, and the video and channel do not put any creator on display.
Additionally, when we ran the full, longer bio text through a simple AI detector (you can test this out yourself by copying and pasting from the video description), Quillbot returned a result of “59% of text is likely AI-generated.” The word likely is important here, but given the fact the bio immediately made us want to check its origin, we’ve got a hunch the detector is spot on.
The voiceover script was likely made the same way: generated and then edited to some degree by whatever human(s) are financially benefitting from the channel. And that monetary gain is something to be kept in mind, as there’s money to be made in spreading lies.
Finally, the channel’s output is a red flag. It posted 10 videos within 10 hours on Oct. 8. Quality commentary or news does not function at that rate without a large team with infrastructure, or AI’s help.
Some people in the comments have fallen hook, line, and sinker, unfortunately. One comment from a viewer says they “Always liked Jesse… hope he goes to work for Mr. Trump.” Another, which could be from a bot, reads, “Oh my.. Jesse is one of my favorites… He’s deep and trustworthy… One you can always rely to listen to.. Hope to hear him soon in a new freedom he found…” Trustworthy… right.
