An NBC News spokeswoman has confirmed that Megyn Kelly is heading to NBC News after more than a dozen years at cable’s most-watched network: Fox News Channel. The New York Times’ Jim Rutenberg was first to report.
NBC News has sent out the following press release:
Megyn Kelly, one of America’s most prominent news anchors, will join NBC News, it was announced today by Andrew Lack, Chairman of the NBCUniversal News Group.
Kelly will become anchor of a new one hour daytime program that she will develop closely with NBC News colleagues. The show will air Monday through Friday at a time to be announced in the coming months.AdvertisementAs part of the multi-year agreement, Kelly will also anchor a new Sunday evening news magazine show and will become an important contributor to NBC’s breaking news coverage as well as the network’s political and special events coverage.
Details about both of Kelly’s news programs will be unveiled in the coming months.“Megyn is an exceptional journalist and news anchor, who has had an extraordinary career” Lack said. “She’s demonstrated tremendous skill and poise, and we’re lucky to have her.”
Kelly joins NBC News at a time when all four broadcasts in the division – “TODAY,” “NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt,” “Meet the Press,” and “Dateline NBC” – are leading in the key 25-54 news demo and the coveted 18-49 demo in the 2016-17 season to date. All four shows also won those same two demos in the November sweep period, the first time that has happened since 2002.
Kelly has consistently delivered top ratings while maintaining a uniquely strong connection with her viewers and an important voice on social media. Since 2013, Kelly has anchored FOX News Channel’s (FNC) The Kelly File, which she helped to create. The Kelly File is consistently the number one news program in overall viewers on cable news and first among the critical 25-54 demo audience. It is also the number two show in all of cable news. She joined FNC in 2004 as a Washington-based correspondent.
Kelly is one of media’s most recognizable personalities, not just in the world of television news, but across television in general. She hosts the second-most-watched cable news program for 2016, The Kelly File, and became a household name in 2015 for her role as co-moderator of the first GOP primary debate of the election cycle, as well as for her conflict with the now-President-elect Donald Trump.
Additionally, Kelly was named 2016 News Anchor of The Year by TVNewser’s parent publication Adweek.
The first question of our 2017 TVNewser Challenge is: “Where Will Megyn Kelly Be Working At the End of 2017?” As of January 3rd, only 5.9% of respondents believed her eventual landing place would be NBC News or MSNBC. The polls are open until January 6th. You’re better than this, TVNewser readers!
*UPDATE: Below is a statement from Rupert Murdoch regarding Megyn Kelly, who will be hosting The Kelly File through Friday, January 6:
“We thank Megyn Kelly for her 12 years of contributions to Fox News. We hope she enjoys tremendous success in her career and wish her and her family all the best.” – Rupert Murdoch, Executive Chairman, 21st Century Fox.