It doesn't happen often in most lines of work and sounds alien in the cutthroat world of cable TV.
But when Fox News surprised Washington in announcing that Shannon Bream would take over the influential Fox News Sunday show beginning this weekend, it was a happy reminder that sometimes, nice people who work hard can finish first.
"When your agent calls and asks, 'Are you sitting down?' you're never really sure how that conversation is going to go," chuckled Bream, Fox's Supreme Court reporter and host of Fox News @ Night. "But I knew that we were doing good work. . I was hoping that all of those efforts were well received."
For Fox, it was a smart business decision to promote Bream. During her guest hostings after Chris Wallace quit for CNN, audiences embraced Bream and her conversational style. Fox said Bream on average "over-delivered" by 20% and hosted the highest-rated Sunday show this year, a 45% jump in the "advertiser friendly 25-54 demo."
It was also a recognition of how hard she has worked in her 14 years at Fox, capped by many 20-hour days reporting and broadcasting from her basement during COVID, often with her husband Sheldon volunteering at the camera controls.
"Shannon shows up every day letting hard work speak for itself, and that kind of work ethic eventually gets noticed. It's a simple message that should inspire others who are trying to navigate Washington," said Republican strategist Ron Bonjean.
"In a town of sharp knives, Shannon is that rare person in Washington where you can't find a single person who will say anything bad about her. She's as nice as she is smart, which is saying something," added political communicator Doug Heye.
A Liberty University undergrad who received her law degree from the Florida State University College of Law, she brings a fresh perspective to Fox Sunday. Her legal and business school background give her insights into Washington events, and her openness about her faith provides an approachable style.
"There's always to me God's guiding hand, trying to move you from place to place," she said. "You just want to do it in a way that is of top excellence for your employer, but for me also, I feel the weight as a Christian to say, 'I want to do this with excellence and respect in a way that honors the heavenly father too,'" added Bream, author of Fox's bestselling The Women of the Bible Speak: The Wisdom of 16 Women and Their Lessons for Today.
Initially, she and her team plan to make a few changes to Fox News Sunday, bringing on voices from outside Washington, including sports and faith leaders. But it will mainly remain a Washington policy hour.
"I think most people out there, most Americans, their whole life isn't centered inside the Beltway. So we want to acknowledge that," said Bream. "Of course, there's going to be heavy focus on policy, but I think we will broaden the net that we cast on stories that we think are important every week."
In the month since Fox announced her appointment, Bream has been trying to adjust from being a night owl to an early bird. So has her dog Biscuit.
"I will say that Biscuit Bream was a little surprised when I went to her at 6:30 this morning to get her up for her walk. It's usually more like 9:30 or 10. But it was nice. The neighborhood was quiet. We went out and did our thing. I'm a night person by, I think, natural rhythm, which is why I've really enjoyed the midnight show. It was a good fit for me. But I have really been very intentional about trying to change that clock and make myself go to bed at a reasonable hour and get up like a normal person. So, the adjustment is fully underway. I think we're almost there," she said.
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Tags: Washington Secrets, Fox News, Fox News Sunday
Original Author: Paul Bedard
Original Location: Shannon Bream takes charge of Fox News Sunday, and everybody's happy