Brit Hume took over Fox News’ “On the Record” Tuesday night following Greta Van Susteren’s surprise decision to leave the network, and ratings went up by double digits across the board.
If viewers were tuning in to see whether Hume would address the Van Susteren situation, they were in luck as 2.4 million people tuned in to hear the veteran broadcaster tell viewers, “I count Greta a friend and I’m sorry to see her go.”
It’s clearly not an apples-to-apples comparison, and it’s also only one episode, but viewers don’t exactly seem turned off by Hume. Tuesday’s “On the Record” averaged 429,000 in the key demo of adults age 25-54, up 83 percent compared to the same day last year. The show also grew 38 percent in total viewers in the same period.
Hume dominated his cable news competition on Tuesday, as CNN’s “Outfront with Erin Burnett” averaged only 828,000 total viewers and 249,000 in the demo and MSNBC’s “Hardball with Chris Matthews” drew 1.17 million viewers and 268,000 in the demo at 7 p.m. ET.
That time slot for Fox News was up 20 percent in viewers and 30 percent in the demo on Tuesday compared with 2016 to date.
Van Susteren wrote a Facebook post on Tuesday explaining that the network “has not felt like home to me for a few years,” and saying she wants to continue her broadcasting career.
“On Thursday night, I made my decision and informed Fox News of my decision that I was leaving Fox News Channel per my contract,” Van Susteren wrote.
The former “On the Record” host added, “I took advantage of the clause in my contract which allows me to leave now. The clause had a time limitation, meaning I could not wait.”
11 Women Who Have Left Fox News Shows, From Megyn Kelly to Laurie Dhue (Photos)
Fox News has enhanced the careers of numerous women who have served as hosts. All were hired by Roger Ailes, the former network boss who exited in August 2016 amid a sexual harassment scandal.
Greta Van Susteren -- who had been one of Ailes' most stalwart defenders -- left in early September 2016 after saying that Fox had "not felt like a home" for years.
Laurie Dhue was a familiar presence on Fox in the early 2000s but left the network in 2008. She has reportedly been shopping a tell-all book this year.
Outspoken host Elisabeth Hasselbeck left "The View" to join "Fox & Friends" in 2013, which she exited at the end of 2015.
Andrea Tantaros, former co-host of "The Five," filed a lawsuit saying that Fox News operated like a "sex-fueled, Playboy-Mansion-like cult."
Alisyn Camerota hosted a number of Fox News programs during a 16-year run that ended in 2014. She now hosts "New Day" on CNN.
Rudi Bakhtiar jumped from CNN to Fox News in 2006. She claimed she was sexually harassed by correspondent Brian Wilson and later spoke out against Fox News' culture after the Ailes scandal broke. She now works at Reuters.
Kiran Chetry was a Fox News host from 2001 to 2007. She was reportedly also an aspirant for a role on "Fox & Friends," the network's morning show.
Libertarian commentator Jedediah Bila appeared on Fox's "Outnumbered" and later turned up on ABC's "The View."
Her lawsuit started it all: Former Fox host Gretchen Carlson claims Ailes repeatedly sexually harassed her. Her suit was later settled for a reported $20 million.
Megyn Kelly ended her 12-year run with Fox News in early 2017 in exchange for a weekday show at NBC. She turned down a four-year, $100 million offer to stay with Fox News saying that one of the reasons for her departure was to spend more time with her kids. Kelly said she was among those at Fox News sexually harassed by Ailes.
"Happening Now" anchor Jenna Lee announced that she was leaving the Fox News after working there for 10 years. Lee said she still loves being a journalist and that she has "some really big ideas on how to better serve you in that particular arena" without Fox News.
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The Roger Ailes and Bill O’Reilly scandals have cast even some old departures in a new light
Fox News has enhanced the careers of numerous women who have served as hosts. All were hired by Roger Ailes, the former network boss who exited in August 2016 amid a sexual harassment scandal.
