Nexstar’s cable channel NewsNation will get its first unique presidential main debate and has tapped former Fox Information anchor Megyn Kelly to average.
Nexstar introduced Thursday that the talk, set for Dec. 6 in Tuscaloosa, Ala., may also air on the CW, the printed community it acquired final yr. In Los Angeles, it will likely be carried on KTLA-TV Channel 5 along with NewsNation.
Kelly will average the occasion alongside Elizabeth Vargas, who joined NewsNation as an anchor earlier this yr, and Eliana Johnson, editor-in-chief of the Washington Free Beacon.
Elizabeth Vargas, who joined NewsNation as an anchor earlier this yr, may also be a moderator of the Dec. 6 presidential main debate.
(NewsNation)
The controversy shall be a return to TV information for Kelly, who turned a significant star at Fox Information throughout her run from 2004 to 2017. Her sharp questioning of former President Trump within the first 2016 Republican main debate — held in August 2015 — angered the candidate. Kelly’s stature was raised much more because the occasion scored 24 million viewers, the most important viewers ever for a main debate.
The lawyer-turned-journalist can be one of many girls who spoke out about sexual harassment at Fox Information, resulting in the ouster of its founding chief govt, Roger Ailes.
Kelly left Fox Information in 2017 for NBC Information, the place she was given a primetime journal present and her personal hour on the morning franchise “In the present day.” Her stint was over in two years after she made on-air remarks defending using blackface as a Halloween costume. Regardless of an apology, she was compelled out with $30 million left on her contract.
Kelly at the moment has a each day program on SiriusXM. She just lately signed a brand new multiyear take care of the satellite tv for pc radio supplier. She just lately delivered news-making interviews with Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, his high rival for the Republican nomination. She often delivers her opinions on social media platforms.
Kelly has privately mentioned she is blissful along with her present initiatives and has no want to return to each day TV. However a significant nationwide information occasion will possible put her again within the dialog a couple of future function.
Touchdown the talk is a coup for NewsNation, which launched in 2020 with the purpose of being an opinion-free various to CNN, Fox Information and MSNBC. The community has been vying for one of many occasions because the marketing campaign season started. Whereas its scores are a fraction of its established opponents, Nexstar is sticking with the enterprise that is alleged to be worthwhile.
NewsNation averaged 118,000 prime time viewers in October, up 23% from a yr in the past in response to Nielsen knowledge.
Trump, who’s main within the polls for the 2024 Republican nomination, has not appeared within the three main debates held to date, two of which have aired on Fox Information and one on NBC.
However the scores have been surprisingly sturdy, with 12.8 million viewers for the primary occasion on Aug. 23 and round 9 million viewers for the second on Sept. 27. NBC’s occasion, held Wednesday night time in Miami, scored 6.9 million viewers.
Based mostly on curiosity for the earlier candidate conferences, NewsNation will possible get the most important viewers in its quick historical past from its debate. It’ll additionally get vast publicity by way of clips proven on different networks.
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