Will Cain’s video podcast show on Fox News might inspire others to follow him

For more than a quarter century, Neil Cavuto was a guest in a New York studio on the Fox News Channel at 4 p.m., a veteran anchor who was never afraid to call balls and strikes. His successor, Will Cain, will host the hour from a very different cable news locale — Dallas, Texas — and probably throw in a few swings.

“The Will Cain Show” premieres Tuesday at 4 p.m. Eastern with what is likely to be a significantly different look. Fox News said the show will carry “a distinctive podcast style,” and Cain acknowledges that people looking for the usual cable news supplements may see something different. “It’s not a sermon, it’s a conversation,” he says of the format, adding: “There is no claim to perfection. Nothing I have to say is the Word of God. I’m on a journey with everyone else in search of the truth.”

If Cain’s new program is well received, the feeling is that other traditional television news networks would be happy to join him on his journey. One could view Cain’s new show as something of an experiment to see whether cable news diehards will embrace a program that has already been embraced by vast digital viewers and has grossed millions of dollars for personalities from Pat McAfee to Joe Rogan.

“I think people will really watch to see how this works,” said Jaime Spencer, chief operating officer at Magid, a market research firm with long-standing ties to the media industry.

Viewers will likely see the “exposed microphone” that has become a staple of video podcasts, says Cain, who notes that he will solicit real-time feedback and interactive commentary during the broadcast. “I want to check myself. I will welcome guests to tell me what I did wrong. I will be honest with the audience if I ever do something wrong,” he says.

There’s no question that video podcasts have a consumer base. The trick is to get the majority of cable news viewers interested.

Younger consumers are looking for content that is modern, entertaining and authentic, says Magid’s Spencer. To attract them, traditional media companies need to start “breaking the mold and getting past this decades-old idea that there’s a stuffed shirt, a desk and a teleprompter and that there has to be a certain level of professionalism,” he says. “Just look at how everyone, but especially young people, consume podcasts. There’s just a level of authenticity that’s always been desirable, but more so today.”

Cain’s new show could represent an inevitable direction for many cable news programs, which over the years have evolved toward so-called “hot talk” formats and away from traditional news presentation concepts. In recent years, when anchors leave or shows are canceled, the three major cable news networks tend to replace them with concepts that emphasize opinion, analysis and perspective rather than pure news reporting. And the programs place more emphasis on personality, which is the focus.

MSNBC and CNN often reject some of the views expressed on Fox News’ conservative opinion programs, but they are not afraid to emulate their concepts. “The Five,” a roundtable program, is the most-watched program on Fox News, recently reaching around 4 million viewers per program. And the network increased its focus on comedy, with shows led by Greg Gutfeld and Jimmy Failla enjoying ratings success.

MSNBC has attempted its own version at various times, including a roundtable program with Symone Sanders-Townsend, Alicia Menendez and Michael Steele, and “The Cycle,” a late-afternoon program that aired last decade and featured a young Ari Melber, Steve Kornacki and SE Cupp., among others. CNN’s newest concepts include “NewsNight,” a roundtable program that brings together guests from different parts of the opinion spectrum, and “Have I Got News For You,” a comedic poll of the week’s headlines led by Roy Wood Jr.

The hour when Cain takes power typically drew around 1.8 million viewers each day under Cavuto – one of the most-watched cable news programs on the schedule. Fox Corp. executives supported outlets undoubtedly feel they can generate an even larger audience that they can then feed into The Five. The new program launches as Fox News captures the majority of cable news viewers. The channel reached more than 60% of the prime-time cable audience between January 6 and January 12.

However, the future is never guaranteed. While Fox News has the largest viewership among cable news networks when it comes to the traditionally younger demographic – people 25 to 54 and people 18 to 49 – the average age of cable news networks tends to be in the mid to late 60s. Of course, Fox has News survived many significantly more complex anchor transitions. However, it’s not clear whether Cain will attract younger viewers to linear television, says Spencer, so the focus needs to be on whether he can get existing viewers to watch over longer periods of time. “The consumer is very receptive to this production format,” he says, but “will this make the consumption of a 45-year-old look more linear?” I don’t know anything about that. Could it lead a 68 or 70 year old to something that looks and feels a little more traditional? It could be.”

There are other reasons why news organizations might use such a concept, says Spencer. On the one hand, this could keep costs low. “It’s a lot cheaper to hang a bunch of microphones on a desk” and “upload memes,” but “it’s a fraction of the cost of a $3 million set and $100,000 studio cameras, makeup people and teleprompters runner and four production producers,” he says. “It can still provide the same effective information and feel and relieve the same excitement as the more produced show.” When critical news emerges that requires something more serious, a network can always have something more sophisticated at the ready at headquarters, says Spencer .

With Cain, Fox News is hiring a 49-year-old anchor who has a different background than many of its other on-air employees. He spent the early part of his career acquiring, managing and selling community newspapers and gained greater prominence working for ESPN, presenting a conservative view of debates surrounding sports culture while appearing on his own radio show as well appeared on the sports media company’s popular show. First shot.” ​​In 2020, he joined “Fox & Friends” as a weekend host.

Cain recognizes that the new format may present challenges. He will probably have more room to express his opinion on things. He may get something wrong or overstate something during a free-flowing section. “It’s a balancing act and threading the needle,” he says. “It’s relaxed but professional. It is immediate but deep and analytical. It’s fun but also serious.”

McAfee, who has made waves on ESPN and sometimes been embroiled in major controversy along the way, is “a pioneer” in the format, Cain says. McAfee and Rogan are “role models from the digital space who inspired us,” he says. Still, Cain has no plans to trigger explosions, even though he realizes he might wade into them. Controversy “I think is something that happens to you and you don’t look for it,” he says. “I will not apologize for taking a stand. I’m not going to shy away from topics because, ‘Oh my God, this might be controversial.’ But I’m not looking for it.”

Maybe he’s starting to walk a tightrope. Fox News and its new afternoon anchor must balance a new, contemporary approach with very old rules for delivering news on television. However, there is a chance that others will line up behind Cain after he takes a few steps.