FOX Unveils The News Deck

Shepard Smith debuted the Fox News Deck, with its 38-foot wall of video and 55-inch touchscreen computer monitors –or BATS (Big Area Touchscreens) — manned by “Information Specialists” (formerly “producers”) as Fox News Channel unveiled its shiny new self on the 17th anniversary of its launch date, according to deadline.com.

“This is the new home of our new program, called Shepard Smith Reporting, which will air every weekday at this time, but more important really, this is the new hub for breaking news coverage for all of Fox News Channel – we call it the Fox News Deck,” Shep said as he kicked off the day of change, making his return to his 3 PM ET slot. We’ve been busy while I’ve been away from your TV box and I’ll show you all we’ve done for you.”

Last month, FNC announced Shep had signed a multi-year deal and would become the network’s main breaking news anchor across primetime, while losing his primetime Fox Report; he would hang on to his 3 PM timeslot, which would now be called Shepard Smith Reporting.

While FNC continues to leave its cable news competitors in its ratings dust, and just celebrated its 47th consecutive quarter in first place, the third quarter of this year saw some FNC programs experience lowest quarterly ratings since ’01: Fox & Friends, Hannity, Fox Report.

Not coincidentally, Fox & Friends has a new co-host, Hannity’s moved to a new timeslot, and Fox Report’s been replaced by Greta Van Susteren. And Megyn Kelly follows Bill O’Reilly at 9.

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