From L>R, Suzanne Scott, Jay Wallace, and Jack Abernethy. Images courtesy of Fox News Channel
Fox News announced changes to their leadership team on Thursday morning with new positions for Suzanne Scott, Jay Wallace, and Jack Abernethy. Suzanne Scott, currently the president of programming for the network, has been named CEO of Fox News. Jay Wallace, currently the president of news for Fox News, has been named president of Fox News and executive editor. Jack Abernethy, who has been co-president of Fox News in addition to his responsibilities with Fox Television Stations, will no longer be with Fox News, instead now serving as the CEO of the Fox Television Stations Group.
“Suzanne has been instrumental in the success of Fox News and she has now made history as its first female CEO,” 21st Century Fox chairman Lachlan Murdoch said in a statement. “Her vision and innovation have helped create some of the most popular and lucrative primetime programs on cable and as we embark on the era of the proposed New Fox, I am confident that Suzanne’s leadership will ensure the dominance of both Fox News & FBN for years to come.”
“I am incredibly honored and humbled to take on this new role and very thankful to Rupert and Lachlan for their leadership and confidence in me to run Fox News,” Scott said in a statement. “I am beyond proud of our incredible team and the success we have built as a network.”
In her role as president of programming, Scott was the primary person responsible for Fox News’s primetime programming. Under Scott’s watch, Fox News significantly retooled its primetime schedule by cutting ties with Bill O’Reilly, shifting Tucker Carlson Tonight to 8, moving Hannity to 9 PM, and starting The Ingraham Angle at 10 PM.
While Scott has been part of a leadership team, she will now be the top person at Fox News and report to Lachlan and Rupert Murdoch. Scott will be the only female head of a major television news organization in the United States as MSNBC, CNN, ABC News, NBC News, and CBS News are all headed by men.
Abernethy has been co-president of Fox News since Roger Ailes’s dismissal in 2016. Under his watch, Fox News went through major changes behind the scenes and on-camera. He also established new HR leadership and recruited new general counsel for the news organization.