Former White House communications director Hope Hicks has taken a job as executive vice president and Chief Communications Officer at New Fox. Twenty-First Century Fox merger with Disney yielded the new name for the remnant.
Hope Hicks Joins Fox as Chief Communications Officer
Lachlan Murdoch, son of Rupert Murdoch, will take the reigns at New Fox as chairman and CEO. The new company will include its major TV channels: Fox News, Fox Business Network, Fox broadcasting and sports networks FS1 and FS2.
The move is sure to raise even more questions about the cozy relationship between Fox News and the Trump administration. Bill Shine, a former Fox News executive, replaced Hicks as White House communications director in July.
Hicks will report to Viet Dinh, Fox Chief Legal and Policy Officer, and will be based in Los Angeles.
My Take
Hicks was always one of the classier acts in the Trump administration. Her presence in upper management at New Fox would normally be viewed as an increased influence for the President over a major news outlet, but the reality is he already influences them as much as he can. There will be no additional positive coverage of him with the Hicks move.
This is just a new job. Leftist conspiracy theories that Fox News will be under more influence by the President is silly. They already favor him as much as they can without breaking journalistic integrity.
