Meghan Kelly’s departure from Fox News was a long time coming. Here’s a look at the events that led to her leaving the network.
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The Reasons She Cited
Meghan Kelly made her departure from Fox News official on Thursday, Jan. 3. She’d been at the network for more than a decade, most recently as the host of her own daytime show, Meghan Kelly Today. Here’s everything she said about why she’s leaving.
She was offered a more “authentic” role at NBC
In an interview with THR, Kelly said that her departure from Fox News was in part due to the fact that NBC offered her a more “authentic” role.
“Over the past several months, I have been approached about joining NBC News,” she said. “I recently learned that NBC is expanding its commitment to long-form journalism with a new producing partnership between Brian Williams and Stanley McChrystal. I am excited to join their team as an anchor of a new one-hour program that will air on Sunday nights.”
Kelly added that she will also be working on “special projects” for NBC News and MSNBC.
“This is an opportunity to do something I love — great storytelling with a team of journalists I admire and respect — in a completely different way than I did at Fox,” she said.
She was reportedly unhappy with Fox News’ direction
According to a report from New York magazine, Meghan Kelly was allegedly unhappy with the direction Fox News was heading even before former CEO Roger Ailes left the network amid sexual harassment allegations.
“She wasn’t happy before Roger left, and she isn’t happy now,” one source told New York magazine.
Another source said that Kelly “doesn’t like the direction of the network,” adding that “she wants to be at a place that is more hard news.”
“She has been at Fox for a long time and she wants out,” the source said.
The Reasons We Think She Left
When Meghan Kelly left Fox News, people were surprised. She was a well-known and respected journalist and seemed to be at the top of her career. There are a few theories as to why she left. One is that she was offered a significantly higher salary by another network. Another theory is that she wanted to distance herself from the controversial Fox News.
She was reportedly paid less than her male colleagues
According to Forbes, Meghan Kelly was the second highest-paid host at Fox News, bringing in an estimated $15 million per year. But that number pales in comparison to what some of her male colleagues were making. Forbes reports that Bill O’Reilly, who was the highest-paid host at Fox News before he was ousted amid sexual harassment allegations, was making $20 million per year. Sean Hannity, who is now the highest-paid host at Fox News, is reportedly making $29 million per year.
It’s no secret that there is a gender pay gap in Hollywood and in the news industry. But it’s especially glaring at Fox News, where the top three highest-paid hosts are all men. According to Forbes, the only other woman in the top 10 highest-paid hosts at Fox News is Greta Van Susteren, who is seventh on the list with an estimated $10 million per year.
She may have been pushed out by the Murdochs
There are many reasons people think Meghan Kelly left Fox News. The main reason seems to be that she was pushed out by the Murdochs.
Rupert Murdoch is the chairman and CEO of Fox News, and his son Lachlan is the co-chairman of 21st Century Fox, which owns Fox News. The Murdochs are very conservative, and some people think they did not agree with Kelly’s more moderate views.
In addition, Kelly did not get along with Fox News host Bill O’Reilly. O’Reilly was fired from Fox News in April 2017 after it was revealed that he had settled several sexual harassment lawsuits. Some people think the Murdochs may have pushed Kelly out because they did not want her to be the face of the network after O’Reilly was fired.
Whatever the reason, Kelly is no longer with Fox News. She left in January 2017 to join NBC News.
What Her Departure Means for Fox News
On January 3, 2017, Meghan Kelly announced she was leaving Fox News for a position at NBC. This was a surprising move, as Kelly had been with Fox News since 2004 and was one of their most popular anchors. So, what does her departure mean for Fox News?
Fox News will lose a valuable asset
Meghan Kelly’s departure from Fox News will be a big loss for the network. Kelly was one of the most popular on-air personalities at Fox News, and her show The Kelly File was one of the most-watched programs on the network.
Kelly was also one of the few hosts at Fox News who was willing to take on Republican president Donald Trump. In October 2016, Kelly moderated a presidential debate between Trump and his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton. During the debate, Kelly asked Trump about his treatment of women, and she challenged him on his past statements about women.
Trump did not like being challenged by Kelly, and he later said that she had “blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her… wherever.” The comment led to a public feud between Trump and Kelly, but it also made her even more popular with viewers.
Fox News will now have to find a new host for The Kelly File, and it will be difficult to replace someone with her talent and popularity.
Fox News’ ratings may suffer in the short-term
In the short-term, Fox News’ ratings may suffer without Meghan Kelly. She was one of the network’s most popular hosts, and her departure leaves a big hole in Fox’s lineup. Fox will likely struggle to find a replacement who can match Kelly’s popularity. In the long-term, however, Fox News is likely to continue to be a ratings leader. The network has a strong lineup of other popular hosts, and its loyal viewers are unlikely to abandon the network just because Kelly is gone.
