Right-wing talk show host Jesse Waters, who has courted controversy with incendiary remarks throughout his career, will be on Fox's new 7 p.m. hosts, the network announced Monday.
Flame-thrower Waters' installment in the key time slot reinforces a strategy Fox launched shortly after President Donald Trump's re-election loss: more right-wing commentary, less news.
Before Trump lost, at 7 p.m. The hour was occupied by a conservative newscast hosted by Martha McCallum. But in the wake of Trump's defeat, when its viewers didn't want to hear the truth about the election results, Fox began to lose its ratings base to some of its right-wing competitors on cable, and viewers felt pressure to change their programming.
The channel's leadership responded by transferring McCallum at 3 p.m. Time slot and place of 7 pm. Hours with a cast of revolving hosts serving right-wing pundits audiences.
After a year's hunt for a permanent host, Fox is moving on with fan favorite Waters, who also co-hosts the channel's popular roundtable talk show "The Five." New evening at 7 pm. The show will be titled "Jesse Watters Primetime", even though prime time is traditionally considered to start at 8 p.m.
Waters, who was first introduced to Fox audiences by doing ambush-style interviews as a producer on Bill O'Reilly's now-cancelled show, said in a statement that he was "thrilled to take on this new challenge." And I'm grateful for the opportunity." The network's chief executive, Susan Scott, praised Waters' "deep connection to the audience."
Waters' promotion comes less than a month after he attracted significant controversy for using violent language at a conservative convention while encouraging attendees to conduct an ambush interview with Dr.
Waters told the students, "Now you go in for the kill shot. Kill shot? Ambush? Deadly. Because he doesn't see it coming."
Fauci responded to the comments, calling them "insane" and that Waters "should be fired on the spot" by Fox. But, at the time, Fauci predicted that Waters would become "unaccountable" at Fox. Fauci was soon proven right as the network soon issued a statement of support for Waters.
It was one of several controversies that Waters has gotten himself into over the years.
In previous years, Waters survived a scandal involving various cultural groups racially stereotyped in man-on-the-street segments, as well as being widely interrupted as sexual innocence for a comment about Ivanka Trump. Happened.
But throughout, Waters has been a ratings success for Fox.
Waters served as one of Trump's most ardent defenders on cable television while the former president was in the White House, earning him accolades and interviews from the former administration and its aides.
And, in turn, Fox has continued to support and promote Waters. Waters was given the Saturday Night Show in 2017. But he will give that program to host the weeknight show. Fox said a replacement for that show would be announced at a future date.