First on TVNewser: John Stossel, the longtime ABC News correspondent and co-anchor of “20/20,” is leaving ABC to join Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network. TVNewser has learned Stossel will host a weekly, one-hour program for the 2-year-old business channel. He’s expected to signed a multi-year deal with Fox which will include regular appearances on Fox News Channel during daytime and primetime. He’ll also host four, hour-long specials on Fox News, much like the business/consumer specials he’d hosted for years on ABC.
Stossel, a libertarian, has been appearing on Fox News for years as a guest on shows including “The O’Reilly Factor,” “Hannity & Colmes” and “The Big Story.”
Stossel joined “20/20” in 1981 and was upped to co-anchor in 2003. TVNewser has learned there was a window in Stossel’s ABC contract which allowed him to jump to Fox.
Stossel’s departure from ABC means there will soon be another anchor vacancy at the network. Last week, Charlie Gibson announced his retirement paving the way for Diane Sawyer to take over on “World News” beginning in January. “20/20’s” other co-anchor Elizabeth Vargas, is one of the top names being mentioned for the GMA slot.
At Fox, Stossel will join another ABC alum, Chris Wallace who made the jump from broadcast TV to Fox in 2003. Last year, ABC News veteran producer Michael Clemente joined Fox News as SVP of News. Clemente had worked as a senior broadcast producer with Stossel on “20/20” during his 11 years at ABC.
Perhaps FNC’s most notable ABC hire is Brit Hume, who spent 23 years at ABC News before joining Fox News when it launched. Hume stepped down from his daily “Special Report” anchoring last year and now appears as an analyst on the network.
OFFICIAL: Fox and ABC News statements after the jump. Roger Ailes: “John has done meaningful and important work throughout his career. His thoughtful and charismatic style has carved a unique niche in the world of television.”
First on TVNewser: John Stossel, the longtime ABC News correspondent and co-anchor of “20/20,” is leaving ABC to join Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network. TVNewser has learned Stossel will host a weekly, one-hour program for the 2-year-old business channel. He’s expected to signed a multi-year deal with Fox which will include regular appearances on Fox News Channel during daytime and primetime. He’ll also host four, hour-long specials on Fox News, much like the business/consumer specials he’d hosted for years on ABC.
Stossel, a libertarian, has been appearing on Fox News for years as a guest on shows including “The O’Reilly Factor,” “Hannity & Colmes” and “The Big Story.”
Stossel joined “20/20” in 1981 and was upped to co-anchor in 2003. TVNewser has learned there was a window in Stossel’s ABC contract which allowed him to jump to Fox.
Stossel’s departure from ABC means there will soon be another anchor vacancy at the network. Last week, Charlie Gibson announced his retirement paving the way for Diane Sawyer to take over on “World News” beginning in January. “20/20’s” other co-anchor Elizabeth Vargas, is one of the top names being mentioned for the GMA slot.
At Fox, Stossel will join another ABC alum, Chris Wallace who made the jump from broadcast TV to Fox in 2003. Last year, ABC News veteran producer Michael Clemente joined Fox News as SVP of News. Clemente had worked as a senior broadcast producer with Stossel on “20/20” during his 11 years at ABC.
Perhaps FNC’s most notable ABC hire is Brit Hume, who spent 23 years at ABC News before joining Fox News when it launched. Hume stepped down from his daily “Special Report” anchoring last year and now appears as an analyst on the network.
OFFICIAL: Fox and ABC News statements after the jump. Roger Ailes: “John has done meaningful and important work throughout his career. His thoughtful and charismatic style has carved a unique niche in the world of television.”
FOX NEWS & FOX BUSINESS NETWORK SIGN ABC NEWS’S JOHN STOSSEL
Stossel to Host Program on FOX Business Network Along With Appearances on FOX News Channel
FOX News Channel (FNC) & FOX Business Network (FBN) have signed a multi-year deal with award-winning journalist John Stossel to anchor a weekly program on FBN and make regular appearances on FNC, announced Kevin Magee, Executive Vice President.
The one-hour FOX Business program, entitled Stossel, will debut during the fourth quarter of 2009 on FBN’s primetime line-up, featuring in-depth reports and discussions surrounding libertarian issues in the United States and abroad. Each week Stossel will be joined by experts to explore consumer-focused topics such as free-market economies, civil liberties, the business of health care, social security, and free trade.
Stossel will also make regular daytime and primetime appearances on FNC as well as host and produce a series of one-hour specials for the news network. In addition, his blog Stossel’s Take, will be published on both foxbusiness.com and foxnews.com.
In making the announcement Magee said, “John Stossel is one of the most talented and thought-provoking journalists in the field and we are extremely excited to welcome him to the FOX Business team. His insights on consumer-related issues are unparalleled and will be a natural complement to our business programming.”
Roger Ailes, Chairman and CEO of FOX News, added, “John has done meaningful and important work throughout his career. His thoughtful and charismatic style has carved a unique niche in the world of television.”
Stossel, best known for his work as co-anchor of ABC News’s 20/20, has been praised for his reporting on issues affecting the heart of America. His investigations and consumer themed programming have focused on small business owners and American taxpayers, including specials such as Greed, Trouble with Laywers, Freeloaders and Is America Number 1, which have rated among the top news programs.
Stossel commented, “I’m thrilled to join FOX News and look forward to inventing a new show for FOX Business.”
Prior to 20/20, Stossel held consumer reporter positions for Good Morning America and WCBS-TV in New York City after starting his career as a researcher for KGW-TV in Portland, Ore. He has received 19 Emmy awards and has been honored five times for excellence in consumer reporting by the National Press Club. He is also the recipient of the George Foster Peabody Award and the George Polk Award for Outstanding Local Reporting.
FOX Business Network (FBN) is a financial news channel delivering real-time information across all platforms that impact both Main Street and Wall Street. Headquartered in New York – the business capital of the world – FBN launched in October 2007 under the leadership of FOX News Chairman & CEO Roger Ailes and is now available in nearly 50 million homes in major markets across the United States. Owned by News Corp, the network has bureaus in Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington, DC and London. On the web at www.foxbusiness.com
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FOX NEWS & FOX BUSINESS NETWORK SIGN ABC NEWS’S JOHN STOSSEL
Stossel to Host Program on FOX Business Network Along With Appearances on FOX News Channel
FOX News Channel (FNC) & FOX Business Network (FBN) have signed a multi-year deal with award-winning journalist John Stossel to anchor a weekly program on FBN and make regular appearances on FNC, announced Kevin Magee, Executive Vice President.
The one-hour FOX Business program, entitled Stossel, will debut during the fourth quarter of 2009 on FBN’s primetime line-up, featuring in-depth reports and discussions surrounding libertarian issues in the United States and abroad. Each week Stossel will be joined by experts to explore consumer-focused topics such as free-market economies, civil liberties, the business of health care, social security, and free trade.
Stossel will also make regular daytime and primetime appearances on FNC as well as host and produce a series of one-hour specials for the news network. In addition, his blog Stossel’s Take, will be published on both foxbusiness.com and foxnews.com.
In making the announcement Magee said, “John Stossel is one of the most talented and thought-provoking journalists in the field and we are extremely excited to welcome him to the FOX Business team. His insights on consumer-related issues are unparalleled and will be a natural complement to our business programming.”
Roger Ailes, Chairman and CEO of FOX News, added, “John has done meaningful and important work throughout his career. His thoughtful and charismatic style has carved a unique niche in the world of television.”
Stossel, best known for his work as co-anchor of ABC News’s 20/20, has been praised for his reporting on issues affecting the heart of America. His investigations and consumer themed programming have focused on small business owners and American taxpayers, including specials such as Greed, Trouble with Laywers, Freeloaders and Is America Number 1, which have rated among the top news programs.
Stossel commented, “I’m thrilled to join FOX News and look forward to inventing a new show for FOX Business.”
Prior to 20/20, Stossel held consumer reporter positions for Good Morning America and WCBS-TV in New York City after starting his career as a researcher for KGW-TV in Portland, Ore. He has received 19 Emmy awards and has been honored five times for excellence in consumer reporting by the National Press Club. He is also the recipient of the George Foster Peabody Award and the George Polk Award for Outstanding Local Reporting.
FOX Business Network (FBN) is a financial news channel delivering real-time information across all platforms that impact both Main Street and Wall Street. Headquartered in New York – the business capital of the world – FBN launched in October 2007 under the leadership of FOX News Chairman & CEO Roger Ailes and is now available in nearly 50 million homes in major markets across the United States. Owned by News Corp, the network has bureaus in Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington, DC and London. On the web at www.foxbusiness.com
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ABC NEWS STATEMENT ON JOHN STOSSEL
John has been an important part of the ABC News family for decades and we will miss him. He has engaged, and occasionally enraged, our audience with thought provoking opinions and analysis. John is a unique figure in American journalism and will be an asset to Fox News in this next chapter of his terrific career. We wish John the very best and look forward to hearing his take on the great issues of the day from his new home at Fox.