Megyn Kelly has been the subject of rumors for months.
Many media watchers have speculated whether she would jump ship from Fox News when her contract expired in July of 2017.
But no one expected where she would end up.
Some speculated that Kelly was the subject of a bidding war between Fox News, CNN, and ABC.
But news broke yesterday that she has signed a deal with NBC for a three-part TV hosting job.
She will host a daily current events and panel discussion program that will expand its focus beyond politics and news.
Kelly will also host a Sunday night news magazine show.
And she will be part of NBC’s breaking news and political coverage.
USA Today reports:
“The popular cable network personality on Tuesday said she is joining the peacock network, where she will anchor a new, one-hour daytime program, Andrew Lack, chairman of the NBC Universal News Group, said in a statement today.
Kelly was arguably the most prominent TV journalist during the contentious 2016 presidential election, engaging in a public spat with President-elect Donald Trump and disavowing former Fox News chief Roger Ailes over his personal behavior. She also hosted one of the top-rated shows on Fox News Channel. All of that made her a coveted free agent among TV networks as she neared the end of her contract with Fox.
As part of a broad, multi-year deal, Kelly will also anchor a new Sunday evening news magazine show and contribute to NBC’s breaking news, political and special events coverage. Kelly, who was reportedly paid $15 million a year by Fox in the last year of her deal set to expire in July, was seeking $20 million for her next contract, according to the Wall Street Journal.”
Fox News has announced Kelly’s final show will air January 7th.
For many conservatives, Kelly was viewed as agenda-driven and anti-Trump.
Her personal attack at Trump on his treatment of women during the first Republican debate in August 2015 earned her plaudits from the so-called “mainstream” media, but kicked off a feud with him that extended throughout the rest of the campaign.
In fact, Trump eventually boycotted a debate hosted by Kelly just days before the February 1st Iowa Caucus in 2016 because he did not believe she would treat him fairly.
He instead opted to host a fundraiser were just under $6 million was raised for America’s veterans.
After news that Kelly had signed a contract with NBC came out, speculation immediately turned to who would replace Kelly – who, as the host of the 9PM hour show on Fox News Channel, delivered the network’s second highest ratings.
Immediate reports suggested a pro-Trump conservative woman would take over Kelly’s time slot.
Writing in New York Magazine, Gabriel Sherman reports:
“Inside Fox News, staffers are speculating over who will replace Kelly. According to insiders I spoke with today, the consensus seems to be that the Murdochs will choose a woman to fill her 9 p.m. time slot. The leading internal contenders include Trish Regan, Shannon Bream, Sandra Smith, and Martha MacCallum. Two sources said Kimberly Guilfoyle is lobbying for the job.
The one thing Fox insiders are in agreement on is that whoever replaces Kelly will be a pro-Trump conservative. In the wake of Ailes’s ouster, some media observers speculated that 21st Century Fox CEO James Murdoch wanted to reposition Fox to the center, bringing it more in line with his moderate political views. But the selection of a pro-Trump host to fill Kelly’s slot would suggest that Fox is instead doubling down on its right-wing politics and planning to align itself with the new administration. After initially being hostile to Trump, Murdoch has made moves to curry favor with the president-elect. Fox insiders told me that Murdoch personally named pro-Trump anchor Tucker Carlson to replace Greta Van Susteren at 7 p.m.”
Who do you think should replace Megyn Kelly?
Let us know in the comment section.
