Bill O'Reilly & Sean Hannity To Remain With FOX News For Four More Years

Hannity & O'Reilly

In a story destined for the "not so surprising" folder here on TV Rage, Deadline.com is reporting that highly rated conservative firebrands Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity are set to re-sign with the network all the way through the 2016 Presidential election, all to the tune of millions upon millions of dollars. The two respectively host the #1 and #2 shows on both FOX and all of cable news.

While again, it's not surprising that FOX would cut a huge check to retain its star players, what is noteworthy is just how long these two men have controlled cable news. It's well known that FOX reguarly outstrips competitors MSNBC and CNN by very large ratings margins, and nothing crushes the competition like the O'Reilly and Hannity tag team. Also of note is that 2016 will mark the 20 year anniversaries of both men with the cable news giant. O'Reilly started out hosting a program entitled The O'Reilly Report (which makes Stephen Colbert's choice of title doubly funny), that eventually morphed into the Factor that we all know today. Hannity of course began as the conservative side of Hannity & Colmes in which the hosts would debate and offer opposing views on the issues of the day. Colmes eventually got axed, and now Hannity anchors his own self-titled program.

O'Reilly's position over the last few years has only grown stronger, as there have been many shakeups in the 8pm timeslot. Keith Olbermann (who usually placed #3 in the primetime ratings before his abrupt exit from MSNBC) had another tiff with Current and is now unemployed. Lawrence O'Donnell attempted to replace Olbermann valiantly, but was mercilessly destroyed by O'Reilly on a nightly basis. Then came Ed Schultz, who's show does only slightly better. With these new multi-year deals, FOX News seems poised to rule cable news with a iron fist for years and maybe even decades to come.

Do you watch either O'Reilly or Hannity's programs? What about these two men do you think draws people in in such numbers?

Details

Person:
- Sean Hannity
- Bill O'Reilly
Show:
- Hannity & Colmes
- The O'Reilly Factor
Network:
- Fox News

Written by: Michael Stevenson
Apr 19th, 2012, 2:10 pm

Anonymous

Message Posted On May 13th, 2013, 1:11 pm

No two people in all of television media, have been more responsible for hate and fear than these guys. They recklessly report their opinions as facts and refuse to acknowledge facts unless it comes from their overlords. The hate and bitterness they spew causes more damage often enough times than the event or person they are "reporting on." They are loud mouthed and never retract or apologize for their lies or falsehoods when caught being way off base. At least on left minded news channels they own up to getting something wrong. If you watch all the news channels you will notice something though, on every network but Fox the opinions and news offered changes by show and/ or host, where as on Fox they keep the same opinion and talking points as dictated to them from the GOP or corporate masters. And if it isn't fanning the flames of fear and hatred or the condemnation of President Obama for eating a bagel after lunch, it isn't news. But hey, they play to their audience whom I can only assume cannot form full sentences or opinions of their own.

Anonymous

Message Posted On Mar 5th, 2013, 12:38 pm

I am a right leaning conservative, but I had to stop watching the factor because Oreilly interrupts EVERYONE and it was too annoying. Hannity is just a big mouth that can sometimes go on and on and on and on about one topic on and on and on and on........

Anonymous

Message Posted On Oct 7th, 2012, 6:05 am

from the great north, americans who laugh at fox dont really watch it from start to finish, but hear commits from the liberal media that their rasist looking it from canada view point only if we had people like this in canada long live fox news for the truth.

Anonymous

Message Posted On Jul 30th, 2012, 12:50 pm

I only watch those shows because they bring me more laughs than comedy central. Its hilarious watching these two small minded individuals act like their views are respect. Its amazing to see how diminutive the human mid can get.

Anonymous

Message Posted On Apr 21st, 2012, 5:06 am

poor liberals they just cannot figure out how to beat these two Cable News Giants maybe its because liberals are a dying breed only 18% of the American population. for me i watch Fox so i can get both sides of the story not just the left view like you get on all the networks and MSNBC and CNN

jerryd0228

Level 1 (1%)
Since: 11/Jul/09

Message Posted On Apr 20th, 2012, 7:36 pm

Not everyone wants to get their news from the very left-wing and liberal news media (CNN,HNN,

ABC,CBS,NBC,ETC.

Anonymous

Message Posted On Apr 20th, 2012, 4:57 am

Well, you might not agree with their politics like i do, but it's no surprise they got renewed, after all they have lot of viewers and fox news is not shy about being right winged