Already entrenched as No. 1 in the cable television news wars, Fox News Channel on Monday hired Sarah Palin as a contributor.
The arrangement, first reported in the New York Times, has the potential of playing out as a big win for both parties.
For Fox, the addition gives its conservative political base one more reason to tune in, as Palin is the darling of many sectors of the Republican Party. Fox has surged far ahead of rivals CNN and MSNBC , so it isn’t necessarily fretting about losing its sizable advantage in the ratings. But it’s always good business to give the people what they want, and they can’t get enough of Palin.
Palin, for her part, now has an opportunity to appear as an expert commentator on political and family issues and stay in the public eye prior to the 2012 presidential election.
Some have speculated that Palin, who was the Republican vice-presidential candidate in 2008, is gearing up for a run against President Barack Obama in 2012. Palin’s bestselling book, “Going Rogue,” afforded her an opportunity to expound on a variety of issues while getting ample time on television news shows.
Palin will appear on Fox News on a regular basis as a part of a multi-year deal. Fox, like MarketWatch and NewsCore, is owned by News Corp.
A Fox spokesperson declined to comment to NewsCore but said a news release was forthcoming.
Palin has been coy and noncommittal about her plans. She has enlivened the GOP with her willingness to defend the right-to-life point of view — and criticize Democrats, particularly Obama.