Much-mocked tagline introduced by founder Roger Ailes is replaced with ‘Most watched. Most trusted’

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

Fox News has dropped its “fair and balanced”, a slogan that for many appeared at odds with a rightwing roster of current and former hosts that included Bill O’Reilly and Glenn Beck, a spokesman has confirmed.

The tagline was introduced by the US channel’s founder, Roger Ailes, when he set it up in 1996.



It was frequently mocked by critics because many of the channel’s most successful shows had hosts with a clear rightwing agenda.



Its replacement is “Most watched. Most Trusted.”



The switch, which was decided on in August 2016, was reported by New York magazine, which said it followed Ailes’s removal as chairman the previous month over allegations that he sexually harassed numerous subordinates, including the former host Gretchen Carlson and star anchor Megyn Kelly. It said executives believed the slogan was too closely associated with Ailes.

Ailes, who reportedly received a $40m payout for his departure, died last month aged 77.

A Fox News spokesperson said “fair and balanced” had not been used in external marketing or on-air promotions since August 2016, but “the shift has nothing to do with programming or editorial decisions”.

