FOX News has signed Sean Hannity to a new multi-year deal where he will continue as the host of Hannity and extend his tenure at the network past the 20-year mark, announced Roger Ailes, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the network.
In making the announcement, Ailes said, “Hannity’s years of experience and thought-provoking commentary will continue to engage and excite loyal viewers. He is a remarkable asset to the network and we are happy that he’ll remain in his current role.”
In 1996, Hannity joined FOX News Channel (FNC) as co-host of Hannity & Colmes appearing with counterpart Alan Colmes, who has since moved on to become a liberal commentator across all FOX News properties. In 2008, the program was re-named to the solo-hosted Hannity offering a mix of political analysis, buzz worthy interviews and signature segments such as the Great American Panel. Currently averaging more than 2.1 million viewers each night, Hannity continues to beat CNN and MSNBC combined in viewership and is the second most watched show in cable news.
Hannity added, “It’s been an honor and privilege to work alongside the incredible team at FOX News, whose talent is unparalleled. In true Roger Ailes form, he saw something in me that no one else did and afforded me the opportunity to achieve incredible success. I look forward to many more years to come.”
Apart from Larry King, Hannity is the only cable news host to hold the same primetime slot for the last 15 years. During his tenure, Sean has also become one of the most popular radio personalities in the country as the host of The Sean Hannity Show, syndicated to more than 500 stations in the top 50 markets with a weekly listenership of 13 million.
Hannity has interviewed numerous key political figures and newsmakers including President George W. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, current Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and House Speaker John Boehner. Prior to his role at FNC, he hosted a radio talk show in Atlanta on WGST-AM and was a frequent substitute for fellow talk show host, Rush Limbaugh on WABC-AM in New York. He is also the author of two New York Times bestsellers, “Let Freedom Ring” (Harper Collins, 2002) and “Deliver Us from Evil” (Harper Collins, 2004).
FOX News Channel (FNC) is a 24-hour all-encompassing news service dedicated to delivering breaking news as well as political and business news. A top five cable network, FNC has been the most watched news channel in the country for more than ten years and according to Public Policy Polling, is the most trusted television news source in the country. Owned by News Corp., FNC is available in more than 90 million homes and dominates the cable news landscape, routinely notching the top ten programs in the genre.
