NewsNation, the cable news upstart that has positioned itself as a “centrist” alternative to CNN and MS NOW (formerly MSNBC), has once again dipped into the Fox News well to fill out its programming lineup.
Days after the network announced that former CNN anchor Ashleigh Banfield was stepping down from her primetime hosting duties to lead its “true crime digital vertical,” NewsNation revealed that Banfield’s old 10 p.m. ET time slot would be taken over by longtime Fox News contributor Katie Pavlich.
Pavlich will be the second ex-Fox personality to host a primetime show for the Nexstar-owned cable outlet. Leland Vittert, a former Fox News anchor and correspondent, currently hosts On Balance at 9 p.m. ET.
“We’re pleased to give our primetime viewers an additional hour of political news and analysis that helps them make sense of the day’s most important headlines,” Nexstar Networks president Sean Compton said in a statement. “NewsNation has always been committed to delivering straightforward, fact-based journalism for all Americans, which includes presenting diverse viewpoints and original ideas. Katie is a seasoned journalist and commentator, and we believe her unique voice will be a tremendous asset to our primetime audience.”
In a press release touting the hiring of Pavlich, who also spent 16 years as the news editor of right-wing site Townhall, the network stated that Pavlich would “offer her sharp insight on major news and current events, covering topics such as free speech, culture, immigration, national security, and foreign policy.”
The network also noted that Pavlich’s new show, which will debut in early 2026, will “feature spirited debates along with dynamic panel discussions and in-depth conversations with key newsmakers.”
During her time at Fox News, besides serving as a political analyst, Pavlich regularly was a co-host of the conservative cable giant’s top-rated panel show The Five and filled in as a host for several of the network’s opinion programs.
“I am honored to join NewsNation during this dynamic period in its development, and the opportunity to anchor a primetime program is an exceptional privilege,” Pavlich said in a statement. “I look forward to bringing a fresh perspective on the news to Americans across the country, while presenting a venue for thoughtful debate across a wide spectrum of opinions. It’s a front row seat to history – I can’t wait to buckle in and get started.”
Since its launch a few years ago, NewsNation has positioned itself as a middle-of-the-road option for viewers who felt the cable news landscape was too partisan. At the same time, Nexstar chief Perry Sook acknowledged that this meant that the network would appear to be more conservative when compared to many of its would-be rivals.
“Sook told staffers that the goal from the start was to produce a telecast that reflects centrist views. As such, NewsNation would naturally lean more to the right than other mainstream news outlets because, in Sook’s view, the political perspectives of journalists in most newsrooms lean to the left,” Variety reported in March 2021, noting staffers in the early days of NewsNation were worried about “conservative bias” at the network.
Meanwhile, Pavlich joins a growing roster of ex-Fox News hosts and correspondents at the network, which has seen a steady growth in its ratings over the past year. In September, for instance, the channel saw a 23 percent bump in its primetime audience and an eight percent increase in the key demographic of viewers aged 25 to 54.
Besides Vittert, other one-time Fox employees hosting shows on NewsNation include former Fox Business Network correspondent Blake Burman, ex-Fox Business anchor Connell McShane, former Fox & Friends Weekend co-host Anna Kooiman, and longtime Fox News correspondent Laura Ingle.
The network’s political director is Chris Stirewalt, who was fired from Fox News after defending the network’s early but accurate Arizona call for Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. Additionally, Geraldo Rivera – who left Fox News after 20+ years in 2023 amid a feud with host Greg Gutfeld – joined NewsNation last year as a correspondent-at-large.
Of course, the network isn’t completely manned by denizens of the Murdoch-owned right-wing empire, especially as it pushes its brand of centrism and both-sides news analysis as a key selling point.
The channel’s most-watched show is anchored by ex-CNN star Chris Cuomo, who has increasingly become more critical of liberals since returning to primetime television. Cuomo, who was dismissed from CNN for advising his then-governor brother on how to handle sexual harassment allegations, has raged that Democrats are “dead” following Andrew Cuomo’s mayoral primary loss to Zohran Mamdani.
“At 7 p.m. ET, anchor Elizabeth Vargas will continue to lead the network’s nightly newscast delivering the day’s biggest news stories with agenda-free reporting,” NewsNation said in its statement on Pavlich's hiring. “Host Chris Cuomo will continue to anchor CUOMO at 8 p.m. ET, bringing a no-nonsense approach to the day’s top news headlines while On Balance with Leland Vittert at 9 p.m. ET will keep exploring issues from both sides of the political aisle.”
Pavlich joins NewsNation shortly after the network brought on so-called “MAGA leftist” Batya Ungar-Sargon to host a weekend show. The network called Ungar-Sargon a “brilliant voice who understands the current sentiment of the country” when announcing her new program earlier this year.
Meanwhile, Banfield – who had been hosting her primetime show at NewsNation since early 2021 – will transition to leading “true crime digital content” for the network, which will include her sharing content from her Drop Dead Serious podcast with NewsNation. She will remain with the channel as a contributor and anchor her final broadcast of Banfield next month.
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