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new roles: 5+ FOX News Stars in Revamped Weekend Lineup

FOX News has announced a significant shake-up of its weekend programming, assigning several of its prominent personalities to exciting new roles. This strategic revamp, set to launch later this month, affects both daytime and primetime slots, promising a fresh perspective and dynamic energy for its weekend audience. The changes signal a major investment in the network’s weekend slate, promoting familiar faces to expanded responsibilities and introducing new formats.

Weekend Primetime’s Big Shake-up

The most significant changes are happening in the coveted weekend primetime block. The network is clearly aiming to build a powerhouse Saturday night lineup that mirrors the success of its weekday primetime shows. This move involves shifting some of its most popular commentators into new, more prominent positions.

According to a press release from the network, the goal is to “further solidify our dominance in weekend cable news.” These adjustments are not minor tweaks; they represent a complete rethinking of how FOX News approaches its Saturday and Sunday programming, with several anchors taking on challenging new roles.

Examining the New Roles for Key Stars

Among the top talent stepping into the spotlight is Lawrence Jones. Previously a ubiquitous presence across the network as an enterprise reporter and fill-in host, Jones will now permanently anchor a new Saturday night program at 10 PM/ET. This is a major vote of confidence in the young star, giving him a dedicated platform to continue his unique brand of man-on-the-street reporting and insightful commentary.

His new show, tentatively titled “Lawrence Jones Cross Country,” will expand on the segments that made him a breakout personality. The promotion places him in a key primetime slot, a significant step up in his career. This is one of the most-watched new roles in the entire reshuffle.

Joining him in the revamped Saturday lineup is Brian Kilmeade. The “Fox & Friends” co-host will now host his own show, “One Nation with Brian Kilmeade,” moving to the 8 PM/ET slot on Saturdays. Kilmeade’s role on “Fox & Friends” will remain unchanged, making him one of the hardest-working figures at the network. His new primetime show will feature a mix of interviews, historical deep dives, and commentary on the week’s biggest stories.

Another familiar face, Dan Bongino, sees his popular show “Unfiltered with Dan Bongino” move from 10 PM/ET to the 9 PM/ET slot on Saturdays. This change positions his fiery and unfiltered analysis directly between Kilmeade and Jones, creating a powerful three-hour block of conservative opinion and news analysis. This adjustment aims to create a more seamless viewing experience for the Saturday night audience.

Mark Levin’s ‘Life, Liberty & Levin’ Moves

While Saturdays are getting a major overhaul, Sunday programming is also seeing a crucial shift. Mark Levin, a titan of conservative talk radio and television, will see his highly-rated show, “Life, Liberty & Levin,” move to a new time. The program will now air at 8 PM/ET on Sundays.

This move places Levin’s intellectual and constitutional-focused program as the lead-in for the rest of the Sunday night schedule. It’s a strategic decision to capture the Sunday evening audience early with one of its most powerful and respected voices. While not a new show, the new time slot represents a change in strategy and a different responsibility for the veteran host.

The network believes this new position will provide a strong foundation for the entire night, setting the tone with Levin’s in-depth legal and political analysis. The domino effect of this move will likely impact viewership for the shows that follow, a key consideration in the network’s broader strategy. For more analysis on programming changes, see our article on the ongoing cable news ratings wars.

New Faces for Weekend Mornings

The new roles are not limited to primetime. The weekend edition of “Fox & Friends” will also see changes. Rachel Campos-Duffy, Pete Hegseth, and Will Cain will continue as the primary co-hosts, but the network is bringing in a rotating cast of contributors and guest hosts to provide fresh energy.

Additionally, a new weekend daytime show is being launched at 2 PM/ET on Saturdays, hosted by former U.S. Representative and FOX News Contributor Trey Gowdy. His previous show, which aired on Sunday nights, will be reformatted for this new weekend afternoon slot, focusing more on breaking news and legal analysis of the week’s events. Gowdy’s sharp legal mind and prosecutorial style have made him a viewer favorite, and this new role gives him a consistent weekend presence.

What This Means for FOX News Strategy

This comprehensive overhaul demonstrates FOX News’s commitment to winning the weekend. By creating distinct, anchor-driven programming blocks, the network is betting on the star power of its talent to build loyal audiences outside of the traditional weekday news cycle. The promotion of Lawrence Jones, in particular, points to a focus on cultivating the next generation of talent.

The assignment of these new roles is a calculated move to counter programming on other networks and to provide viewers with a consistent, high-energy lineup from Saturday morning through Sunday night. It prioritizes opinion and personality-driven shows, a formula that has proven incredibly successful for the network on weekdays.

Ultimately, this revamped schedule is designed to create appointment television for its base. With established stars in new primetime slots and rising personalities given major platforms, FOX News is doubling down on its winning strategy, hoping these changes will pay dividends in the ratings for years to come.

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