Fox News is breaking further into local markets.
The cable news network will produce a 90-second news briefing to air across owned-and-operated Fox stations. The segment, titled “Fox News Report,” will air at 5:58 p.m. local time and feature Bill Melugin covering an array of national headlines across politics, breaking news, entertainment and sports for the local markets out of the network’s Washington, D.C., bureau.
Fox Corp., Fox News’ parent company, owns 18 stations affiliated with the Fox broadcast network — including in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and D.C., among other top markets — through its Fox Television Stations division. All of these stations will be required to air “Fox News Report,” while it will be offered to the 11 Fox affiliate stations that are not associated with the Fox broadcast network.
The segments will begin on Feb. 23.
The briefing is the latest effort in Fox News’ quest to compete in broadcast stations. The network sometimes compares its ratings to broadcast networks, and its Bret Baier-led “Special Report” beat the revamped “CBS Evening News” in the ratings in 15 markets last month. The network also airs its Sunday morning program, “Fox News Sunday,” on Fox stations first before its rebroadcast on the cable news network that afternoon.
It’s also the newest responsibility for Melugin, who was promoted to congressional correspondent last year.
Other broadcast companies have required “must-run” segments in local markets.
Sinclair Broadcast Group, which counts 185 owned and operated stations across the country, has required its stations air segments on local news programs examining politics and terrorism, as well as commentaries fromDonald Trump ally Boris Epshteyn early during the president’s first term
The post Fox News to Launches News Briefing with Bill Melugin For Local Fox Stations appeared first on TheWrap.
