Shepard Smith announced Friday his departure from Fox News after 23 years on-air; saying he had requested an “immediate release from his contract.”
“Recently I asked the company to allow me to leave Fox News and begin a new chapter,” Smith said. “After requesting that I stay, they graciously obliged. The opportunities afforded this guy from small town Mississippi have been many. It’s been an honor and a privilege to report the news each day to our loyal audience in context and with perspective, without fear or favor. I’ve worked with the most talented, dedicated and focused professionals I know and I’m proud to have anchored their work each day — I will deeply miss them.”
Smith’s last broadcast will be today.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
‘LIBERAL MEDIA WAR’: New York Times Blocks Reporters from CNN, MSNBC; Says ‘Too Partisan’
The New York Times is reportedly “blocking” its reporters from appearing on certain programs aired by MSNBC and CNN; saying specific shows are simply “too partisan” when covering political issues.
“The New York Times is reportedly blocking its reporters from appearing on liberal cable news programs such as MSNBC’s ‘The Rachel Maddow Show’ and ‘CNN Tonight’ with Don Lemon because they’re ‘too partisan,’ but critics think the Gray Lady needs to look in the mirror,” reports Fox News.
“This isn’t a news story, it’s a sitcom plot. The nation’s most liberal paper is suddenly concerned that the wacky network filled on air with its employees might be too far left,” said Media Research Center’s Dan Gainor. “The Times is liberal on the opinion and news pages on every major issue facing the nation — from abortion to taxes. Yet, MSNBC is even further left? Does anyone at The Times read their own paper?”
“INCONSISTENT, INCOHERENT, AND POORLY CONCEIVED”: AS THE TIMES CLAMPS DOWN ON REPORTERS GOING ON MSNBC, IS THIS A LIBERAL-MEDIA WAR?” asked Vanity Fair.
“The Times has come to ‘prefer,’ as sources put it, that its reporters steer clear of any cable-news shows that the masthead perceives as too partisan, and managers have lately been advising people not to go on what they see as highly opinionated programs,” adds the article.
The New York Times stunned readers just last week, publishing an op-ed that blamed America’s “unlivable cities” on “wealthy liberals.”
An op-ed published in the New York Times last Wednesday blamed the horrific conditions in America’s cities on “wealthy liberals,” saying their policies are directly related to rising crime, homelessness, and public drug use.
“To live in California at this time is to experience every day the cryptic phrase that George W. Bush once used to describe the invasion of Iraq: ‘Catastrophic success.’ The economy here is booming, but no one feels especially good about it. When the cost of living is taken into account, billionaire-brimming California ranks as the most poverty-stricken state, with a fifth of the population struggling to get by. Since 2010, migration out of California has surged,” writes columnist Farhad Manjoo.
Read the full report at Vanity Fair.
ALL BY HIMSELF: Jim Acosta Makes ‘Surprise’ Bookstore Appearance, No One Shows Up
CNN White House Correspondent Jim Acosta made a “surprise” visit to a local bookstore outside the nation’s capital in Arlington, Virginia Wednesday evening; waiting to sign copies of his new book to a near-empty store.
“Surprise signing at Arlington, Virginia Barnes & Noble!” posted Acosta.
Surprise signing at Arlington, Virginia Barnes & Noble! pic.twitter.com/8UCrbfwsQ4
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) June 13, 2019
The ratings at Acosta’s network have plummeted in recent days, with new data showing viewership down 33% from the same period last year.
According to Ad Week, the Cable News Network lost one-third of its primetime viewers compared to the same period in 2018.
“Versus the comparable week in 2018, Fox News was -4% in total prime time viewers, MSNBC was -4% in total prime time viewers, and CNN was -33%. In total day viewers, Fox was -7%, MSNBC was -5% and CNN was -21%,” reports the industry website.
In total daytime viewers, CNN fell behind Fox News, MSNBC, Nickelodeon, HGTV, and Investigation Discovery.
MSNBC is also experiencing a massive drop in ratings.
“Maddow lost nearly 500,000 viewers for her first episode following the release of Barr’s letter. Then she plummeted 13 percent in April compared to the same month in 2018, according to TVNewser, falling behind “Tucker Carlson Tonight” in the process. In May she averaged 2.6 million – her worst month since Trump took office – and a far cry from the 3.1 million viewers she averaged during the first quarter of 2019,” reports Fox News.
“MSNBC is standing by her because she still has a large viewership emotionally invested bringing down Trump,” said one Cornell professor. “That some reporters refuse to go on her show is important, but is unlikely to change her behavior. Maddow long ago carved out her faux-intellectual paranoid niche, and she’s stuck in it.”
President Trump slammed CNN during his overseas trip to the UK earlier this month; posting “Just arrived in the United Kingdom. The only problem is that “@CNN is the primary source of news available from the U.S. After watching it for a short while, I turned it off. All negative & so much Fake News, very bad for U.S. Big ratings drop. Why doesn’t owner @ATT do something?”
Just arrived in the United Kingdom. The only problem is that @CNN is the primary source of news available from the U.S. After watching it for a short while, I turned it off. All negative & so much Fake News, very bad for U.S. Big ratings drop. Why doesn’t owner @ATT do something?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 3, 2019
“I believe that if people stoped using or subscribing to @ATT, they would be forced to make big changes at @CNN, which is dying in the ratings anyway. It is so unfair with such bad, Fake News! Why wouldn’t they act. When the World watches @CNN, it gets a false picture of USA. Sad!” he added.
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