Exclusive: TVNewser has learned Fox News will debut a new program at 9pmET, entitled “Hannity,” featuring Sean Hannity as host. The program premieres January 12.
“Hannity” will include a “Great American Panel” of three nightly in studio guests — a liberal, a conservative and an “X factor.” The show will mix commentary, interviews and special segment like a “Hate Hannity Hotline.”
This is the first time in FNC’s 12-year history it will alter programming at the 9pmET timeslot.
Ever since Alan Colmes announced he was leaving “Hannity & Colmes” on November 24, speculation has run rampant as to what FNC would do in his absence. TVNewser has run a poll since the announcement, and more than 26,000 votes have been cast. Within the last 24 hours, the poll was linked once again on Hannity.com and for the first time, “Hannity Solo” is the leading option.
> Update: In the release, FNC SVP of programming Bill Shine says: “Sean is one of the top television and radio personalities in the business and we’re excited to be working with him on this venture. When Alan Colmes left us with a void last month, we decided to build a new program utilizing Sean’s signature talents rather than take on the monumental task of replacing someone as exceptional as Alan and attempting to rebuild a rare chemistry that is unlikely to ever be matched in cable television again.”
Click continued to see the full release…
FOX News Channel (FNC) will debut a new weekday program with Sean Hannity at 9pm beginning January 12th, announced Bill Shine, Senior Vice President, Programming for the network. This marks the first time in its 12 year history that FNC will alter programming during the 9pm hour after Alan Colmes announced last month that he had decided to step down from the top rated Hannity & Colmes.
The new show, entitled Hannity, will showcase the Great American Panel which will include three nightly in-studio guests—a liberal, an x-factor and a conservative. The program will also offer a mix of commentary, interviews and branded segments such as Hate Hannity Hotline, a compilation of voice mails and videos from dissenting listeners of Hannity’s syndicated radio show.
In making the announcement, Shine said, “Sean is one of the top television and radio personalities in the business and we’re excited to be working with him on this venture. When Alan Colmes left us with a void last month, we decided to build a new program utilizing Sean’s signature talents rather than take on the monumental task of replacing someone as exceptional as Alan and attempting to rebuild a rare chemistry that is unlikely to ever be matched in cable television again.”
Known for his provocative style and his free-wheeling, passionate commentary on politics and the American agenda, Hannity has served as the conservative counterpart to the liberal Alan Colmes on the number one rated Hannity & Colmes for the past 12 years. During that time, he has also become one of the most popular radio personalities in the country as the host of The Sean Hannity Show, syndicated to more than 500 stations in the top 50 markets with a weekly listenership of 13 million.
Hannity added, “While I’ll miss Alan greatly, I’m thrilled to be embarking on a new program during one of the most historic eras of our time and look forward to an engaging debate on the issues throughout the hour.”
During his tenure at FNC, Hannity has interviewed numerous political figures and newsmakers, including President Elect Obama’s former pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, whom he spoke with a year before the controversial story involving him exploded onto the scene during the democratic primary season. He is also the author of two New York Times bestsellers, Let Freedom Ring (Harper Collins, 2002) and Deliver Us from Evil (Harper Collins, 2004).
FOX News Channel (FNC) is a 24-hour general news service covering breaking news as well as political, entertainment and business news. For nearly seven years, FNC has been the most-watched cable news channel in the country, presenting the top seven out of ten programs in the genre for 2008 to date. Owned by News Corp, FNC is available in more than 90 million homes.