Bill Hemmer Inherits Shepard Smith's Afternoon Slot

Bill Hemmer

Bill Hemmer will anchor “Bill Hemmer Reports” on Fox News Channel weekdays at 3 p.m. ET starting on January 20, the network announced on Monday.

“Bill is an incredible newsman and his ability to cut to the heart of the story while humanizing major events has made him a standout talent in news. As we start gearing up for the 2020 election, we are thrilled to have him lead our news division through what will sure to be an eventful year,” Fox News Media president and executive editor Jay Wallace said in a statement.

Hemmer will lead all breaking news coverage in addition to hosting the straight-news program from the network’s FOX News Deck.

“As a journalist, l am extremely grateful for this opportunity. 2020 will undoubtedly be a year of great significance,” Hemmer said in a statement. “Leading our breaking news division with a signature hour has enormous value to me, personally, and to our audience. We’ve got a fantastic team here and I am excited to get to work.”

FOX News Deck is a state-of-the-art newsgathering facility that will allow Hemmer, a fan favorite of Fox News loyalists, to oversee all breaking news on FNC. FOX News Deck and the 3 p.m. ET timeslot were previously occupied by Shepard Smith, who left the network in October.

Hemmer will oversee a team of journalists and producers ready to interrupt regular programming with breaking news as needed. As part of the move, Hemmer will depart “America’s Newsroom” with a rotating journalist joining Sandra Smith until a permanent co-anchor is announced.

Hemmer, 55 years old, joined Fox News in 2005 after anchor stints at CNN, serving as co-anchor of “CNN’s American Morning,” anchor of “CNN Live Today” and “CNN Tonight.” A graduate of Miami University in Ohio, Mr. Hemmer won a national Emmy Award in 1996 for his coverage of the Olympic Centennial Park bombing in Atlanta and began his career as a weekend sports anchor for WCPO in Cincinnati.