After a 12-year stint, Fox News host Megyn Kelly has decided to move on to greener pastures. Ms. Kelly, the host of “The Kelly File” on Fox News, is leaving the news network to work for NBC. “The Kelly File” was one of Fox News’ most popular programs, coming in second in ratings to “The O’Reilly Factor” hosted by Bill O’Reilly.
Ms. Kelly leaving Fox News delivers a blow to the powerful news organization and is certainly a win for NBC. During the 2015-16 election cycle, Ms. Kelly played an important role in delivering campaign news and providing an objective voice that is not often found in today’s media. Ms. Kelly has been doing this for years and is one of the best in the news business.
Fox News was home to the first GOP debate last August where Fox News’ Megyn Kelly, Bret Baier, and Chris Wallace served as debate moderators and asked the myriad candidates pointed, yet fair, questions. It was during this debate that Ms. Kelly was thrown into the national media’s spotlight as certain questions that she directed towards Mr. Donald Trump, now President-Elect Trump, were criticized by ardent Trump supporters but approved of by “Never Trump” supporters and the political left.
Though she received negative feedback, Ms. Kelly never apologized for her tough and straightforward line of questioning. When people refused to watch her show, when people called her vulgar names on social media that should not and will not be repeated, and when the Trump campaign and even Trump himself leveled personal attacks against her, Ms. Kelly stayed strong and in the eyes of everyone but die-hard Trump supporters, came out on top.
Fox News is undoubtedly a Conservative news source but Ms. Kelly, while many say she leaned Conservative, maintained her objectivity and stayed true to Fox News’ “Fair and Balanced” mantra. With the departure of Ms. Kelly from Fox News, there are not many objective voices at the network to report the news during primetime. Whether Fox News and the employees that work there want to admit it or not, Fox News has become the Trump News network. There are many anchors who are doing exactly what they condemned the Left for doing. Objectivity has been traded in for cheerleading for the President-Elect. While Fox News has unabashedly shown its support for President-Elect Trump, there are many objective voices that remain. Bret Baier, Chris Wallace, Dana Perino, Guy Benson, and Greg Gutfeld, among others, are still worth listening to.
There are mixed reactions to Ms. Kelly’s departure from Fox News. Some Fox News viewers are happy she will be leaving while others are wishing her all the best. Ms. Kelly is a steal for NBC and she will do just fine with the new opportunities that will be offered to her. Fox News has lost an objective voice and NBC has gained an anchor that will bring objectivity to a left-leaning network. The American people should follow objective news sources wherever they may be. When Ms. Kelly is on air America should tune out from Fox News and tune into NBC to watch Ms. Kelly do what she does best.
