Posted on 07/15/2008 12:35:37 PM PDT by kristinn
Brit Hume, a top anchor and executive with Fox News since the channel was launched 12 years ago, plans to step down at year's end. But he won't disappear entirely.
Sources familiar with the situation say that Hume, 65, will give up his job as Washington managing editor and anchor of "Special Report." They say he is near a deal to continue with Fox in a senior statesman role, not unlike that of Tom Brokaw at NBC, for roughly 100 days a year.
In his new role, Hume would be a senior political analyst, substitute for Chris Wallace as host of "Fox News Sunday" and anchor special events.
A former ABC correspondent who never hid his conservative views in his mainstream media days, Hume has been a central part of Fox's success. He has anchored on election nights and at political conventions and moderated a number of presidential debates. Hume has enjoyed good access to top Bush administration officials; when Vice President Cheney was under intense criticism after accidentally shooting a hunting companion two years ago, he did one interview, with Hume.
Fox News chairman Roger Ailes has made no decision on whether "Special Report," which began as a temporary program during the Clinton impeachment, will continue, or who would anchor it if it does, the sources said.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
NBC would be wise to tap him for Meet the Press.
This is a disaster for Fox News, nothing less. Even with Brit there, the channel has been going downhill. I like looking at beautiful women too but there should be enough well-informed ones to put on the air without the many mistakes one hears. One example of a stupid decision was getting rid of the Heather Nauert and John Gibson program which used to come at 2:PM, Pacific. These two both are very sophisticated and very well-informed persons and don’t fall for the liberal nonsense that their successors at 2:PM can’t recognize because they just are poorly informed. Shep Smith is quite likable but hardly well-informed. Without Brit and Gibson, FNC has lost a lot of smarts. They would do well to promote Heather Nauert and Catherine Herridge to more prominent positions and to get Gibson back.
Despite my miscontents, Brit Hume has provided the channel with great sophistication and the highest intelligence. Try as I might, I can’t think of anyone anywhere who adequately could replace him. Happily, he’ll still be around for awhile on a part-time basis. But sooner or later, he’ll be fully retired. I hope to see a book from him.
Brit, Tony Snow, Neil Cavuto and John Gibson were the only reasons to watch Fox.
I do wish Brit well. He has earned this.
Son of a buck. Brit is awesome.
I really enjoy Jim Angle & think he’d make a great host of Special Report, although no one can really replace Brit. Jim always looks like he’s trying to hold back from laughing out loud at the nuttiness of the stuff he has to report!
If anyone gave you the answer, please ping me to it....I'm not about to run through this (now) very long thread; but we've been wondering the same thing.
Unlike Kurtz who runs around with bought-and-paid-for DNC operatives.
First we lose Tony Snow.
And now we lose Brit Hume.
Not quite the same..........but my favorite two commentators.
**let Shep do another hour of his show **
Heavens sake no!!!!!!
She referred to the Obama "fist bump" as a "terrorist fist bump" and got called on it by Obama. FNC low-profiled her for a while, but I think she's back.
-PJ
And besides Russert, Hume's old ABC colleague John McWethy died in a skiing accident earlier this year.
-PJ
CHARLES kRAUTHEIMER..THAT’S IT.
I respect Hume soooo much. He is literally their Anchor!
I can see how he could get disgusted with politics though.It must be all he can do to not sneer when covering Obama, the NYT, Reid, etc.
and a wonderfully DRY sense of humor !
same here... I rush home to see it. It’s a ritual.
With big lips and very short skirts!
I was thinking the same thing.
Brit claimed a year ago that in order to be a journalist, you have to have passion. He said that he no longer had much passion for politics. All I can say is that it doesn’t appear so in his work. He is obviously a consummate professional to do the job he does each night and yet not have a passion.
Agree completely with you.
also the woman on the morning show is very real and bright.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.