Shepard Smith To Anchor CNBC Evening News Program After Bitter Departure From Fox News

Shepard Smith is joining CNBC to anchor a new one-hour evening news program. The announcement comes almost nine months after Smith announced his departure from Fox News. The show, which is set to launch this fall, is titled The News with Shepard Smith and will air Monday through Friday at 7 p.m. ET. 

According to a press release, the program will “cover the most significant news stories of the day and will feature the well-respected, fact-based storytelling that has been the hallmark of his 30-year career.”

In his new role, Smith will assume the title of CNBC’s chief general news anchor and chief breaking general news anchor along with serving as executive editor of his program.

Smith said in a statement, “Gathering and reporting the news has been my life’s work. I am honored to continue to pursue the truth, both for CNBC’s loyal viewers and for those who have been following my reporting for decades in good times and in bad.”

He continued by saying, “CNBC Chairman Mark Hoffman, a journalist himself at his core, presented me with CNBC’s vision for a fact-based, hour-long evening news program with the mission to cut through the static to deliver facts, in context and with perspective. I know I found a great home for my newscast. I am excited to be working with the exceptional talent at CNBC and eager to build a team focused on uncovering the news behind the headlines.”

Hoffman said in a statement, “Information is coming at us from every direction. If we’re not careful life-altering decisions will be made based on half-truth, rumor, misdirection or worse. We aim to deliver a nightly program that, in some small way, looks for the signal in all the noise. We’re thrilled that Shep, who’s built a career on an honest fight to find and report the facts, will continue his pursuit of the truth at CNBC.”

“Shep’s newscast will tap into his extensive experience and deep passion for breaking news, in-depth storytelling and incisive interviews and serve as the perfect bridge between CNBC’s daytime investor-focused news programming and the network’s aspirational business-oriented entertainment programs in primetime,” Hoffman continued.

After two decades, Smith left Fox News last October. During his time at Fox, Smith served as chief news anchor of the network, managing editor of the breaking news division and anchor of Shepard Smith Reporting. His slot was replaced by Bill Hemmer.

In a statement about his departure from Fox, Smith said, “Recently I asked the company to allow me to leave Fox News and begin a new chapter. After requesting that I stay, they graciously obliged.”

“The opportunities afforded this guy from small town Mississippi have been many,” the anchor continued. “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.”