Fox News Makes Announcement About Sean Hannity Amid Prime-Time Shake-Up
Fox News has announced that host Sean Hannity will remain in his normal time slot when the network’s new primetime lineup launches next week.
In the nearly three months since the network ousted its most popular host Tucker Carlson, Fox News has shaken up its schedule.
Beginning on Monday, Jesse Watters will take Carlson’s old 8 p.m. ET slot while Laura Ingraham will move from 10 p.m. ET to six o’clock.
“Gutfeld!” is moving to 10 p.m. while “FOX News @ Night” with host Trace Gallagher will begin at 11 p.m.
But the network reported Wednesday morning that “Hannity” will continue to hold the 9 p.m. ET hour he’s called home for 25 years.
“Sean Hannity, who has been with Fox News Channel since it launched in 1996, will stay put at 9 p.m. ET when the network’s revamped lineup launches on July 17, providing viewers with a bedrock in the middle of primetime,” the network said.
Fox News did not address Carlson’s departure in the announcement, which celebrated Hannity’s longevity as part of its primetime lineup.
“Last year, Hannity broke a longstanding record previously held by famed talk show host Larry King to become the longest-running primetime cable news host in television history,” Fox News said.
The network added, “At the time, Hannity hosted a primetime program on Fox News for 25 consecutive years, six months and 15 days. He hasn’t slowed down, and the streak seems insurmountable in the modern cable news era.”
While commenting on his daily routine and staying put at nine o’clock, Hannity said, “Honestly, I’m grateful. I’m doing what I love.”
Fox News has struggled since Carlson’s exit.
The newly vacated 8 p.m. ET time slot attracted only 1.3 million total viewers last Thursday, according to Mediaite.
On any given evening with Carlson at the helm, the hour attracted an average of three million people.
“Hannity” and other programs also suffered from Carlson’s April departure but have since rebounded considerably.
On Thursday, “Hannity” attracted just under two million total viewers and more than his competitors on CNN and MSNBC combined.
Time will tell if Fox News’ revamped lineup and the upcoming Republican primary will bring the network back to pre-Carlson ratings.
The network’s parent company, the Fox Corporation, was given some bad news on Monday when Wells Fargo analyst Steve Cahall downgraded its stock.
“Fox’s earnings are mostly Fox News earnings, and Fox News is facing viewership and share pressures,” Cahall told his clients, as Yahoo Finance reported. “With ecosystem risks also elevated we find our estimate outlook more negative and below the Street.”
Cahall said his decision was partially based on cord-cutting, but he also cited Carlson’s departure for his decision to downgrade the stock.
“Fox News was 52% of cable news primetime viewership for 2020-22, 51% in Jan’23 and that has slid to a low of 38% in June ’23 post-Tucker Carlson,” Cahall said. “Fox News’ share of conservative news viewers has fallen from 94% to 84%. While the new primetime lineup could drive a rebound, we think Fox News is a Show Me viewership story.”
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