Megyn Kelly is set to start her primetime Fox News era at 9 p.m., according to the Drudge Report.
Fox News told TheWrap: “We will neither confirm nor deny any programming schedule changes. As previously stated, the network has signed long-term deals with Megyn Kelly, Bret Baier, Shepard Smith, Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity and Greta Van Susteren.”
Fox News Chairman and CEO Roger Ailes also sort of addressed the report at Thursday’s 21st Century Fox investors day conference, saying, “generally, I don’t confirm or deny any rumors, and that is a rumor at the moment.”
He did confirm, however that there would be changes, saying, “One of my jobs is to get the best audience flow between shows and that’s one of the reason I’m making a few changes right now.”
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The channel announced in July that Kelly, who is currently on maternity leave, would be moved to somewhere in primetime in September.
Many thought she’d bump Greta Van Susteren off the schedule, as her show is the lowest-rated of Fox News’ primetime offerings, but Van Susteren insisted that she wasn’t going anywhere. Ailes said “all of our stars will be back,” though didn’t specify what their timeslots would be.
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She may have been right; Sean Hannity is currently in the 9 p.m. slot, though if Kelly took that over, it’s just as likely that he’d be moved to 10 p.m. and Van Susteren would still go. All three of Fox News’ primetime personalities claim they have long-term primetime contracts with Fox News. But someone’s got to go.
Ailes also said that he and 7 p.m. anchor Shepard Smith have been discussing a “new way to deliver the news,” set to “roll out in September.” As that’s also when Kelly’s primetime show will begin, many have speculated that Shepard Smith will lose his 7 p.m. slot to Hannity or even Van Susteren. Smith also has a show at 3 p.m.
If Kelly ends up at 9 p.m., she’ll be competing against Piers Morgan on CNN, Rachel Maddow on MSNBC, and Dr. Drew on HLN.