Fox News is claiming it has achieved a major diversity achievement in its latest addition to the hosts of “Fox & Friends.”
Fox News announced on Thursday that Lawrence Jones will join the show as one of its co-hosts beginning Monday. The show, which currently includes co-hosts Steve Doocy, Ainsley Earhardt and Brian Kilmeade, airs from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. on weekdays.
In announcing the change, Fox proclaimed, “At 30 years old, Jones is the youngest black co-host in cable news.”
Fox also trumpeted that when “Lawrence Jones Cross Country” began last year, Jones, who was 29 at the time, “became the youngest black solo host on cable news.”
Why is Fox calling out that he’s black?!? Why are they so wOkE?!!?
– MAGAs everywhere
— John Conway (@jco871) September 14, 2023
Jones said he was looking forward to the new gig.
“I feel like when it comes to the couch, you really feel America. We have this incredible opportunity to represent our audience every single day on the couch, and I’m so grateful, humbled. I’m going to learn a lot from you all, and it’s going to be a fun ride,” he said.
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Jones said Fox has been an integral part of his career.
“I am honored to become a part of the cable news legacy Fox News has created with ‘Fox & Friends,’ the very show where I made my first ever national television appearance. It is truly a privilege to inform our audience every day and I can’t wait to do so each morning,” Jones said.
Jones first connected with Fox News in 2018 and will remain a “Fox & Friends” enterprise reporter, a role he assumed in 2021.
“Lawrence Jones Cross Country” will be replaced in the 9 p.m. Saturday slot by “One Nation with Brian Kilmeade.”
Fox News Senior Vice President of morning programming Gavin Hadden said Jones “has his finger on the pulse of what matters to communities across America and his insight has proved invaluable to the ‘Fox & Friends’ audience. We look forward to welcoming him to our family as he wakes up America alongside our star co-hosts each morning.”
Jones has said that in his career, he has relied on advice from Fox host Sean Hannity.
“Hannity told me when I first got into this business, ‘Just be L.J,’” Jones said last year.
A report last month from AdWeek noted that while Fox News remained on top in basic cable ratings for August, it faces some worrying trends.
The report said that compared with August 2022, Fox News was down 21 percent in total daytime viewers and down 32 percent in the 25-54 age range coveted by advertisers.
AdWeek said that year-over-year data showed that in prime time, Fox News had dropped 13 percent from August 2022 to August 23 and dropped 19 percent in the 25-54 age bracket.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.