2016 presidential election night coverage fox news

Fox News' coverage of the 2016 presidential election night was a significant event in American political history. Here's a summary of their coverage:

Pre-Election Coverage

Fox News began its election night coverage at 6:00 PM ET on November 8, 2016, with a special edition of "Hannity" hosted by Sean Hannity. The network's prime-time lineup included:

  1. "Hannity" (6:00-7:00 PM ET)
  2. "The Kelly File" with Megyn Kelly (7:00-8:00 PM ET)
  3. "Special Report" with Bret Baier (8:00-9:00 PM ET)
  4. "Fox News @ Night" with Shannon Bream (9:00-10:00 PM ET)

Election Night Coverage

At 9:00 PM ET, Fox News launched its live election night coverage, anchored by:

  1. Bret Baier (9:00-11:00 PM ET)
  2. Megyn Kelly (9:00-11:00 PM ET)
  3. Chris Wallace (9:00-11:00 PM ET)
  4. Martha MacCallum (9:00-11:00 PM ET)

The network's coverage featured live reports from key battleground states, including Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. Fox News also had correspondents stationed at the Trump Tower in New York City and the Clinton campaign headquarters in Brooklyn, New York.

Key Moments

Some notable moments from Fox News' election night coverage include:

  1. The network's early call of Trump winning Florida at 9:30 PM ET, which was a crucial state in the Electoral College.
  2. The surprise upset in Pennsylvania, which was initially called for Trump at 10:30 PM ET.
  3. The network's decision to call the presidential race for Trump at 2:30 AM ET, with Trump holding 290 electoral votes to Clinton's 232.
  4. The emotional reaction of Trump and his family, including his wife Melania and children Ivanka, Donald Jr., and Eric, as they watched the results come in.

Controversies

Fox News' election night coverage was not without controversy. Some critics accused the network of bias in its reporting, particularly in its early calls and analysis. Additionally, there were reports of technical issues and glitches during the broadcast.

Ratings

Fox News' election night coverage drew an average of 13.9 million viewers, making it the most-watched cable news network of the night. The network's peak audience was 15.4 million viewers at 11:00 PM ET, when Trump was declared the winner.

Overall, Fox News' coverage of the 2016 presidential election night was a significant event in American political history, with the network playing a major role in shaping the narrative of the election.