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Top Fox News managers depart amid Murdoch's concerns over controversial Arizona election night proje
David Fahrenthold RetweetedFox News correctly predicted Arizona election results earlier than anyone else. So why were the two top editorial voices involved in that projection booted from the company?
Link to tweet
Media
Top Fox News managers depart amid Murdoch’s concerns over controversial Arizona election night projection
By Sarah Ellison
Jan. 19, 2021 at 6:01 p.m. EST
The Fox News executive who oversaw its election night “decision desk” is retiring at the end of the month, a move due in part to what Rupert Murdoch and other top network leaders viewed as a mishandling of the network’s early and controversial Arizona projection for Joe Biden.
Bill Sammon, 62, Fox News Channel’s senior vice president and managing editor in Washington, told staffers Monday morning about his planned retirement. His role will be absorbed by existing editorial staff members. A spokesperson declined to comment on the reason for his retirement.
Sammon previously worked as a White House correspondent for the Washington Times before joining Fox in 2009.
His announcement came as Fox laid off nearly 20 staffers Tuesday, including Fox News political editor Chris Stirewalt, who worked on the decision desk with Sammon. Fox declined to comment specifically on Stirewalt, citing employee confidentiality. His departure shocked many inside the building who bemoaned the loss of a respected Washington voice at a time when the conservative-leaning network is navigating its future without President Trump in office.
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Sarah Ellison
Sarah Ellison is a staff writer based in New York for The Washington Post. Previously, she wrote for Vanity Fair, the Wall Street Journal and Newsweek, where she started as a news assistant in Paris. Follow https://twitter.com/sarahlellison
Top Fox News managers depart amid Murdoch’s concerns over controversial Arizona election night projection
By Sarah Ellison
Jan. 19, 2021 at 6:01 p.m. EST
The Fox News executive who oversaw its election night “decision desk” is retiring at the end of the month, a move due in part to what Rupert Murdoch and other top network leaders viewed as a mishandling of the network’s early and controversial Arizona projection for Joe Biden.
Bill Sammon, 62, Fox News Channel’s senior vice president and managing editor in Washington, told staffers Monday morning about his planned retirement. His role will be absorbed by existing editorial staff members. A spokesperson declined to comment on the reason for his retirement.
Sammon previously worked as a White House correspondent for the Washington Times before joining Fox in 2009.
His announcement came as Fox laid off nearly 20 staffers Tuesday, including Fox News political editor Chris Stirewalt, who worked on the decision desk with Sammon. Fox declined to comment specifically on Stirewalt, citing employee confidentiality. His departure shocked many inside the building who bemoaned the loss of a respected Washington voice at a time when the conservative-leaning network is navigating its future without President Trump in office.
{snip}
Sarah Ellison
Sarah Ellison is a staff writer based in New York for The Washington Post. Previously, she wrote for Vanity Fair, the Wall Street Journal and Newsweek, where she started as a news assistant in Paris. Follow https://twitter.com/sarahlellison
