Shepard Smith will anchor election night coverage on the FOX broadcast network on Tuesday, just as he did four years ago. But TV Week’s Michele Greppi reports it “will be quite different from the other Election Night programs being produced simultaneously from Fox News headquarters.”
Smith tells Greppi he hopes to include reports from KSAZ-TV (Phoenix) and WFLD-TV (Chicago), among other markets, in addition to the use of some FNC correspondents. But there will also be another noted difference.
“Just to get the chattering classes out of the mix will be so refreshing — this tedious back-and-forth at each other, with us admittedly as facilitators, about things that people don’t care one bit about,” says Smith. He says there are economy experts, banking experts and lawyers booked for the night.
Meanwhile Fox News’ coverage will be led by Brit Hume (more details on that to come). Click continued to see Hume’s choice for who should replace him on “Special Report,” and more…
Brit Hume tells the Los Angeles Times’ Matea Gold he believes current White House correspondent (and Friday fill-in), Bret Baier should replace him as anchor of “Special Report.”
“But Roger Ailes has imagination far beyond mine,” he said. “And whatever he decides I’m sure will be the best thing.”
Hume also gives insight into his take on the 2008 race, as he tells Gold: “I probably wouldn’t vote for Barack Obama, but I’m determined to be fair to Barack Obama. I’m a journalist first and a conservative second or third.”
As for his impending retirement, he says, “Family is a big piece of it. And Christ is a big piece of it. And golf is a big piece of it.”
• Earlier: TVNewser’s interview with Hume.