Suzanne Scott has been named chief executive officer of Fox News and Fox Business Network.
Lachlan Murdoch, Chairman of 21st Century Fox and the Chairman and CEO of the proposed New Fox, made the announcement this morning.
Scott will report jointly to Lachlan Murdoch and Rupert Murdoch, 21st Century Fox Executive Chairman, Executive Chairman of Fox News and Co-Chairman of the proposed New Fox.
“Suzanne has been instrumental in the success of Fox News and she has now made history as its first female CEO,” said Lachlan Murdoch in a statement. “Her vision and innovation have helped create some of the most popular and lucrative prime time programs on cable and as we embark on the era of the proposed New Fox, I am confident that Suzanne’s leadership will ensure the dominance of both Fox News & FBN for years to come.”
“I am incredibly honored and humbled to take on this new role and very thankful to Rupert and Lachlan for their leadership and confidence in me to run Fox News,” Scott said in a statement. “I am beyond proud of our incredible team and the success we have built as a network.”
Scott has been president of programming since last May, following the departure of longtime programming chief Bill Shine. At that time, Rupert Murdoch also promoted Jack Abernethy to co-president of Fox News and Jay Wallace was named president of News. Both men also are taking on new roles with today’s announcement.
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Wallace will be president of Fox News and Executive Editor, while Abernethy will continue as CEO of the newly expanded FOX TV stations group, and will relocate to Los Angeles to work closely with FOX Broadcasting Company and FOX Sports.
The broadcasting and cable news and sports entities of Fox will become New Fox, while the remainder of 20th Century Fox is being sold to Disney for $52 billion.
Lachlan Murdoch says Abernethy “has been a steadying force at Fox News during the last 21 months, establishing extensive policies and procedures while streamlining management and installing respected industry executives in key roles, all of which achieved our goal of a creating more transparent work environment.”
Fox News has had a tumultuous last couple of years, starting in July, 2016, with the filing of a sexual harassment lawsuit by former anchor Gretchen Carlson, which led to the dismissal of channel co-founder, and CEO, the late Roger Ailes. On Tuesday, the network settled a racial discrimination lawsuit filed by several employees, for $10 million.
Scott has risen through the ranks at Fox News since joining the network in 1996. She helped launch Greta Van Susteren‘s show in 2002, first as ap, producer and senior producer of On the Record. She was promoted to VP of programming in 2007.
Wallace also joined FNC at launch in 1996. “With more than two decades of experience in newsgathering and production where he helped build and transform the news division, Jay Wallace’s editorial leadership and passion for journalism will serve FOX News well into the future,” Lachlan Murdoch said in his statement.