Notable Past Female Anchors at Fox News
Gretchen Carlson was a lead anchor on Fox & Friends and later filed a high-profile sexual harassment lawsuit against Roger Ailes in 2016, resulting in a reported settlement of around $20 million. Andrea Tantaros was a co-host of Outnumbered and The Five before her departure in 2016, after which she filed a lawsuit alleging sexual harassment by senior network executives. Megyn Kelly anchored The Kelly File from 2004 to 2017 before leaving for NBC News and later returning to conservative media with a daily show on Daily Wire. These women shaped daytime and prime-time programming while navigating high-pressure news cycles and public scrutiny. Their exits often coincided with broader discussions about workplace culture at major cable news networks.
Shannon Bream currently serves as a Supreme Court correspondent and anchor for Fox News, having previously anchored Fox News Live and Fox News Sunday. Martha MacCallum anchored The Story with Martha MacCallum and previously The Real Story with Gretchen Carlson before taking over the main evening slot. Sandra Smith anchors America Reports and has been a frequent face of business and political coverage since joining the network in 2007. These anchors represent a mix of legal, business, and political reporting backgrounds that defined their on-air roles. Their career trajectories illustrate the typical progression from daytime to prime-time slots at major cable news operations.
Salary Data, Rankings, and Public Records
Gretchen Carlson's reported settlement with Fox News in 2016 was one of the most expensive individual agreements tied to a workplace complaint at a cable network. Andrea Tantaros filed a lawsuit in 2016 that cited claims of sexual harassment and retaliation, though the case was settled under confidential terms. Megyn Kelly's departure from Fox News in 2017 was followed by a reported NBC contract worth around $69 million over several years, according to public filings and financial news reports. Shannon Bream's current compensation is not publicly disclosed, but her role as a lead Supreme Court correspondent places her among the network's top legal anchors. These salary and settlement figures are drawn from public records, court documents, and financial disclosures reported by trusted outlets.
Forbes and similar business outlets have regularly ranked cable news anchors by compensation, with prime-time hosts often earning between $2 million and $25 million per year depending on tenure and ratings. Fox News is part of Fox Corporation, which is publicly traded and files regular financial reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The SEC filings provide aggregate data on compensation and programming costs, though individual anchor salaries are rarely broken out in detail. Public records show that female anchors at major networks often earn less than their male counterparts in similar time slots, a pattern documented in industry analyses and legal complaints. These data points help contextualize the career moves and financial outcomes of past and current female Fox News anchors.
Career Transitions and Industry Impact
Megyn Kelly left Fox News in 2017 to join NBC News, where she hosted Megyn Kelly Today before departing the network in 2018. She later returned to conservative media with a daily show on Daily Wire, a digital platform that has grown rapidly in the post-cable news era. Gretchen Carlson moved into advocacy and public speaking after her settlement, focusing on workplace harassment prevention and gender equity in media. Andrea Tantaros has pursued book deals and media commentary, while also continuing to discuss her legal case publicly. These transitions highlight how female anchors leverage their visibility into new roles across digital platforms, publishing, and advocacy organizations.
Shannon Bream has anchored coverage of major Supreme Court decisions, including cases on abortion, gun rights, and presidential immunity, drawing on her legal background from Harvard Law School. Martha MacCallum has anchored election night coverage and breaking news events, maintaining a consistent presence on Fox News since