Shepard Smith Signs New Deal With Fox News

By Alex Weprin 

Fox News Channel has signed star news anchor Shepard Smith to a new multi-year contract extension.

Smith briefly discussed the agreement on “The View” this morning, saying “Yesterday I just signed a new three year deal with [FNC],” to applause from the audience.

Deadline.com’s Nellie Andreeva first reported the signing this morning, which the network is expected to formally announce this afternoon.

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Smith, who has been with FNC since it launched in 1996, signed a three year deal worth between $7 and $8 million a year back in 2007.

Update: Its official. the press release is after the jump.

SHEPARD SMITH SIGNS MULTI-YEAR DEAL WITH FOX NEWS

FOX News Channel (FNC) has re-signed Shepard Smith to a new multi-year deal where he will continue as the network’s lead news anchor, announced Roger Ailes, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, FOX News.
In making the announcement, Ailes said, “Shep is a rare journalist whose signature style leads the news industry while embodying the traits of great newsmen of past generations. His talent, passion and dedication to journalism is unmatched and we’re proud that he’ll continue in this role for many years to come.”
Smith added, “I look forward to my future at FOX News where Roger’s commitment to journalism has allotted me the freedom and resources necessary to execute the only one-hour newscast in cable news.”
Joining FNC at its inception in 1996, Smith anchors The FOX Report with Shepard Smith, which has served as the network’s signature evening newscast at 7pm since its debut in 1999.  Under Smith’s direction, the program has been number one in its timeslot for more than 100 consecutive months, averaging 1.8 million viewers a night, and routinely beats CNN and MSNBC combined, according to Nielsen Media Research.  In addition to his weeknight newscast, Smith anchors the afternoon news program, Studio B, which also ranks number one in its timeslot.
During his tenure at FNC, Smith has reported from both the Democratic National Convention and Republican National Convention for the 2008 presidential race.  Additionally, he notably covered the approaching Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath from his native region; the Middle East conflict from the Israel-Lebanon border; 9/11 and the subsequent war in Afghanistan; Operation Iraqi Freedom; the Columbine school massacre, and President Clinton’s impeachment and trial. He was one of only two television correspondents to witness the execution of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh in June of 2001.
Prior to joining the network, Smith was a Los Angeles based Fox News correspondent, reporting on a wide range of stories for the FOX affiliate news service, including the crash of TWA Flight 800, the Montana Freeman Standoff, and the Oklahoma City bombing.  Before this, Smith gained extensive local news experience throughout the state of Florida, reporting for WSVN-TV (FOX) in Miami, the former WCPX-TV (CBS) in Orlando, WBBH-TV (NBC) in Fort Myers, and WJHG-TV (NBC) in Panama City, where he began his television career.
FOX News Channel (FNC) is a 24-hour general news service covering breaking news as well as political, business and entertainment news. For over 100 consecutive months, FNC has been the most-watched cable news channel in the country. Owned by News Corp., FNC is available in more than 90 million homes.

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