Megyn Kelly Leaves Fox News for NBC News: A Major Career Shift

In a stunning move that has reshaped the media landscape, Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly has announced her departure from the cable network to join NBC News.

The decision marks the end of her 12-year tenure at Fox, where she built a formidable reputation as one of the most prominent faces in conservative media.

Kelly revealed her decision in a heartfelt statement on her Facebook page, saying, “I have decided to end my time at FNC, incredibly enriched for the experiences I’ve had.”

Her transition to NBC comes as she seeks to expand her role beyond the political and opinion-driven content that has defined her career thus far.

Her new role at NBC News will be multifaceted. According to reports, Kelly will host a daytime news and discussion program, anchor a Sunday night news show, and take part in the network’s coverage of breaking and political news.

This move signals a shift in her career trajectory, as she moves from Fox’s highly partisan environment to a broader audience at a network often perceived as more centrist or left-leaning.

Kelly’s decision to leave Fox News follows a tumultuous period at the network.

She was at the center of controversy when she publicly accused former Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes of sexual harassment.

Her allegations, alongside those of former colleague Gretchen Carlson, led to Ailes’ resignation in 2016. The fallout from this scandal created uncertainty about the future of Fox News and its internal culture, raising questions about Kelly’s long-term commitment to the network.

In addition to the Ailes controversy, Kelly also found herself at odds with Fox News’ handling of then-presidential candidate Donald Trump. During a Republican primary debate in 2015, she confronted Trump with tough questions about his treatment of women. Trump responded with personal attacks, igniting a feud that lasted for months. Kelly later expressed disappointment in Fox News for failing to support her against Trump’s repeated attacks, including those from high-profile Fox hosts like Sean Hannity.

Kelly’s contract at Fox News was set to expire in the summer of 2017, and the network reportedly offered her more than $20 million per year to stay. However, NBC News chairman Andrew Lack successfully lured her away by offering a unique opportunity to diversify her career.

According to The New York Times, Lack’s offer included the chance to host her own shows while also participating in NBC’s major political and special event coverage. This move allows Kelly to break free from the rigid political commentary format of Fox News and establish herself as a broader, more versatile journalist.

Kelly’s departure leaves a significant gap at Fox News, where she had become the second-most-watched host after Bill O’Reilly. Her exit comes at a time when the network is undergoing major transitions following Ailes’ departure. The question remains: How will Fox News fill the void left by one of its biggest stars?

As Kelly embarks on this new chapter, media analysts will be watching closely to see how she adapts to NBC’s platform and whether she can attract a similar level of success outside of Fox News’ conservative stronghold. Her ability to navigate this shift will determine whether her move is a triumph or a gamble in the ever-evolving world of broadcast journalism.

Megyn Kelly Is Leaving Fox News To Join NBC News

Chris Carlson
/
AP

Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly is leaving the network for NBC News, where she will host two new shows along with participating in breaking and political news coverage. She’s shown here on Jan. 28, 2016, before the start of the Republican presidential primary debate in Des Moines, Iowa.

Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly is leaving the cable network for a role at NBC News.

In a statement Tuesday on her Facebook page, Kelly said, “I have decided to end my time at FNC, incredibly enriched for the experiences I’ve had.”

Kelly has been an icon for conservatives, but her decision to move to NBC, a network that President-elect Donald Trump and some conservative pundits have branded as “liberal,” is not a complete surprise.

As NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik reports, Kelly’s career change follows a period of turbulence in her relationship with the network:

“[Kelly’s move] comes in the aftermath of her explosive accusations that former Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes had sexually harassed her earlier in her career. And that was on the heels of her colleague Gretchen Carlson alleging the same in a lawsuit. That led to the departure of Ailes and to significant questions about what path Fox News would take forward. Her departure only raise the stakes for Fox.”

Kelly butted heads with Ailes and her network colleagues at other times as well. When Trump, angered by a question she asked him during a debate, attacked her repeatedly during the campaign, Kelly said she didn’t feel supported by the network. In an interview with NPR’s Kelly McEvers, she said, “My boss, Roger Ailes, was not able to stand Trump down. My friend Sean Hannity, who is a big Trump booster as you know, he was not able to stand Trump down. No one was able to stop his antics.” In the interview, Kelly said she received threats from Trump supporters for months.

Kelly’s move to NBC News was first reported by The New York Times.Her contract with Fox News expires this summer, and the Times says rival networks were not prepared to match Fox News’ offer, reported to be “more than $20 million a year.” The newspaper adds:

“The NBC News chairman, Andrew Lack, wooed Ms. Kelly away from Fox News by offering her a triple role in which she will host her own daytime news and discussion program, anchor an in-depth Sunday night news show and take regular part in the network’s special political programming and other big-event coverage.”

The exact terms of her new contract are not yet known.

Kelly started at Fox News 12 years ago as a legal correspondent and quickly rose through the ranks to become one of the network’s biggest stars. Since October 2013, she has hosted her own nightly program called The Kelly File, becoming the second-most-watched host on cable news after her Fox News colleague Bill O’Reilly, according to TVNewser, a website that tracks TV ratings.