Megyn Kelly leaving Fox News, will host 2 shows on NBC
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Megyn Kelly poses for a portrait in New York. Kelly, the Fox News star whose 12-year stint has been marked by upheavals at her network and personal attacks on the campaign trail, is headed to NBC News. She is expected to take on a multi-faceted role at NBC.
NEW YORK >> Megyn Kelly, the Fox News star who’s had a contentious relationship with President-elect Donald Trump, said Tuesday that she’s leaving the network for NBC News, where she will host a daytime talk show and a weekend newsmagazine, as well as contribute to breaking news coverage.
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NBC News made the announcement Tuesday, ending months of speculation over whether she would re-up with Fox, where she has flourished while suffering bruised feelings in recent months, or start a new chapter in her career. Her contract with Fox expires this summer. Her last show on Fox will be Friday night.
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Kelly’s departure deprives Fox News of its second-most-watched host, behind only Bill O’Reilly, and a hole at 9 p.m. in its prime-time lineup.
“While I will greatly miss my colleagues at Fox, I am delighted to be joining the NBC News family and taking on a new challenge,” Kelly said in a message on Twitter on Tuesday.
Rupert Murdoch, executive chairman of Fox, said that “we thank Megyn Kelly for her 12 years of contributions to Fox News. We hope she enjoys tremendous success in her career and wish her and her family all the best.”
Kelly became one of Fox’s hottest properties and a flashpoint in the presidential campaign after Trump objected to her questioning in the first Republican presidential debate a year and a half ago. He tweeted angry messages about her and boycotted another Fox debate after the network refused to replace her as one of the debate moderators.
She also became a central figure in the downfall of former Fox News chief Roger Ailes, telling in-house investigators of inappropriate conduct by Ailes that supported women who had made similar accusations.
Details about Kelly’s new jobs at NBC will be revealed in upcoming months, said Andrew Lack, chairman of the NBC Universal News Group.
“Megyn is an exceptional journalist and news anchor, who has had an extraordinary career” Lack said. “She’s demonstrated tremendous skill and poise, and we’re lucky to have her.”
Kelly wasn’t immediately available for comment about what made her choose to leave Fox. But she said in an interview with The Associated Press in November that the factors she was weighing “mostly involve a 7-, 5- and 3-year-old,” her children. Her Fox show airs live at 9 p.m., giving her no time at home with her children in the evenings.
As a star in demand, Kelly was no doubt able to seek a schedule that would give her more time at home in the evening.
A former lawyer who was raised in upstate New York, Kelly turned to television and got a job in Fox’s Washington office. She was noticed by Ailes, and given a daytime show. Her poise and sharpness, and willingness to ask tough questions of all political sides, made her a star and led Ailes to give her a coveted prime-time slot on cable news’ most-watched network.
Her contentious relationship with Trump began when she asked the Republican businessman about statements he had made about women, infuriating him. He tweeted his disdain for her and although they made peace when Kelly interviewed Trump for a prime-time special last May, the relationship never became warm. Trump made Kelly’s prime-time colleague, Sean Hannity, his preferred stopping place for interviews during the campaign and didn’t come on her Fox News Channel show.
“I really had to choose — am I going to be an honest journalist … or am I going to suck up to Trump?” she told the AP. “I chose the former, and it’s worked out fine for me.”
It put Kelly in an awkward position with Fox News Channel viewers who favored Trump, however. At one point during a Hannity interview with Trump, a live audience at a Trump rally booed the mention of her name.
Kelly’s immediate silence after Gretchen Carlson’s lawsuit last summer alleging unwanted advances from Ailes, at a time other Fox News personalities were supporting their boss, was telling. She told investigators that Ailes had made sexually suggestive comments to her and tried to kiss her, then made an angry reference to her contract when she rebuffed him. Ailes has denied any untoward advances involving Kelly.
Her move was a big boost for broadcast network news divisions, which had struggled somewhat during the presidential campaign given the non-stop coverage provided by the cable news outlets.
NBC News had recently been experimenting with a new Sunday night newsmagazine, “Dateline NBC: On Assignment,” hosted by Lester Holt in a traditional format with a mix of news and feature stories, a template Kelly is expected to use. Weekday “Dateline” editions focus on criminal justice stories.
The move was a blow to Fox and its parent company, 21st Century Fox, whose leaders James and Lachlan Murdoch had made re-signing Kelly a priority and were believed in the industry to be offering her more money to stay. In her tweet on Tuesday, Kelly said she was deeply grateful to Fox News, its leaders and Fox’s viewers, “who have taught me so much about what really matters.”
Kelly gave a signal of her future direction with last May’s interview special on the Fox broadcasting network. It wasn’t a critical or commercial success, however.
Fox News does make in-house talent development a priority, however, and recently installed Tucker Carlson as a 7 p.m. host following the abrupt departure of Greta Van Susteren last summer. With Kelly taking a break over the holidays, Fox used Sandra Smith, Shannon Bream, Martha MacCallum and Trish Regan as substitutes.
23 responses to “Megyn Kelly leaving Fox News, will host 2 shows on NBC”
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That Kelly left Fox News is not a surprise. Looking forward to watching her on NBC News.
She was one of the few on Faux News that showed any objectivity or smarts. I wish her well and I think without the sexual pressure from Ailes and the demand that she forfeit her brain, she will become a solid journalist.
Megyn “Santa Claus and Jesus are White” Kelly is bringing her brand of Fox News to NBC. http://www.salon.com/2013/12/12/fox_news_megyn_kelly_insists_santa_claus_is_white/
Good riddance!
Good riddance. Typical talking head who are legends in their own minds. For reasons unknown, Fox News seems to have a thing with “ice princess” blondes.
It will be interesting to see who steps up next for Fox News. Hope they try something different.
She became full of herself during the primaries. I’m sure she felt her opening question in the debates about Trump calling women “pigs and slobs” (really talking about the public dispute with Rosie O’donnell), was going to derail Trump’s bid for the Presidency, and she could boast of her Candy Crowley moment. Unfortunately, it didn’t work. She’ll fit in perfectly at NBC. Time will tell if she’s successful.
Your Comment is Awaiting Moderation.
Megyn Kelly began sinking during the presidential campaign; The First Fox News Debates. She went on the Offensive at PE Trump Remember that? Then days later realizing what she had done and “On Bended Knees” her along with Roger Ailes visiting the Trump Tower begging that Donald Trump to give her another chance for an upcoming interview? An Exclusive! Remember that?
This was the first wave….
After that! Her show began declining,only to have Sean Hannity surge past her on the evening ratings. …This was Second wave.
The Third wave and “Over the Falls”. Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Asking for what was an insurmountable amount of 20 million dollar a year? (Please correct me if I’m wrong on the amount)! psst ,pssst Megyn is NOT Worth 20 Million dollars a year period! BTW How much did NBC settle on the amount Ms. Kelly will be getting? It’s not in this story, don’t you think that may be of some importance? And what happened to CNNs’ offer? They were “Drooling” over Megyn Kelly when they first got word.
I say Happy New Year & Good luck to Megyn Kelly,she’ll fit right in with NBC…..”Out Of Sight , & Out Of Mind”.
Oh, Oh wait, is it true that Bill Oreily could be stepping down as well and soon? Retirement? IMUA
It was down hill for her after she got her boy haircut. Good move by Fox.
………..Bills’ Been taking a lot of Days off lately,kinda like what Megyn Kelly was doing before leaving.
A rock star in her own mind.
Yawn. Does anyone really care? Replace her with Shannon Bream and move on.
Replace her with Donna ‘The Good Christian Woman’ Brazile.
You mean that woman who knows how it’s feels to be a persecuted Christian Woman? She’s Full Of It. Send her to CNN or NBC where all the Liars lay
CNN rolled her under the bus.
(MS)NBC already met their Shibai Quota with Lyin Brian.
At FOX she can fill the African/Woman/Dem/Persecuted/I Love Hillary diversity card.
I can only deal with one, so Fox better decide to keep Juan Williams or replace him with Donna. No Mas
Megyn’s 1st interview on NBC should be with Rosie O’Donnell.
It’s always a hoot to read the comments from you Trump and Fox News sycophants.
They are just jealous she is leaving Fox, poor losers and sour grapes.
MSNBC ……… Mighty Stupid and No Body Cares.
Let’s see:
Fox News Shining Star – College Dropout
MSNBC Shining Star – Rhodes Scholar
Sorry, but you’re the mighty stup!d one…
I have always been a big fan of Megyn Kelly, she is a great moderator, but she suffered from an overblown ego. Time will tell whether she will do well at NBC, it seems that many Fox News personalities that move to a different network just disappear. That will probably happen to Megyn, but Fox News should remain the top source for news, they do it so well and are unbiased in their presentation. If you just read what the leftist posters say, and you never watched, you would think it was the Republican News Network, but you will have missed out in a lot of news that the MSM filters out in order to support liberal causes, including Megyn’s new network NBC.
BINGO! and she knows what’s she’s doing in never settling for less! It’s all about her and her ratings to advance her herself. She played a heavy hand on TheDonald and you look how she never really got down on Lying Cheating Hillary! She used Donald in a way to advance herself and couldn’t do that with Hillary how probably never gave her the time of day. hahhahaha, and you have to give a hand to Megyn playing the only candidate she the chance to talk to and interview. Hillary had a lot on her plate but never gave Megyn the chance personally to confront the problems.
Time the equalizer, will determine whether this move by Kelly pans out. Independence is much lost at liberal networks. Will money buy this independence or suggestive persuasion and money win? Loved her independence, but——???????? money$$$$$$ wins?