Reporter Sharyl Attkisson announced today that she has resigned from CBS. Attkisson, whose reporting has been marred by factual problems, has become a favorite of Fox News personalities.
Politico's Dylan Byers reports that sources say Attkisson left CBS because she “had grown frustrated with what she saw as the network's liberal bias” while some staffers characterized her work as “agenda-driven, [which] had led network executives to doubt the impartiality of her reporting.”
Attkisson is writing a book tentatively titled “Stonewalled: One Reporter's Fight for Truth in Obama's Washington” for HarperCollins, which is owned by News Corporation, the corporate cousin of Fox News parent 21st Century Fox.
If Attkisson joins Fox, she'll follow the path of several other controversial media figures who conservatives believed were mistreated by the media. Those include Doug McKelway, Lou Dobbs, Don Imus, and Judith Miller. Reporter Bernard Goldberg joined Fox News after leaving CBS and accusing his former employer of liberally slanting their news coverage.
Fox News has showered praise on Attkisson in recent months, with personalities indicating they want her to join the conservative network.
Fox News contributor Katie Pavlich reacted to news of Attkisson's resignation by tweeting, “cc: @FoxNews.” In March 2013, Pavlich tweeted: “Fox News should launch a new investigative unit featuring: @sharylattkisson, @jamesrosenfnc, @JenGriffinFNC;and Catherine Herridge." All the reporters referenced except for Attkisson currently work for Fox News. Fox News contributor Jonah Goldberg replied: “Fox Untouchables.” Reporter James Rosen retweeted Pavlich.
Fox News contributor Monica Crowley today “endorsed” a conservative writer's statement that “any news network is lucky to have @SharylAttkisson.”
During his Premiere Radio program today, Sean Hannity called Attkisson a “really, really strong, good reporter” who did “groundbreaking reports on Benghazi and Fast and Furious.” Hannity added that she is “one of the few bright lights, I thought, in the mainstream media universe” and would find a job somewhere soon.
On a May 2013 radio show, Hannity -- who hosts a primetime Fox News program -- praised Attkisson for being among the “few mainstream media reporters who are actually gutsy enough to do real and tough reporting on this story, now they are being undermined by their news organizations.”
Fox News senior political analyst Brit Hume singled out Attkisson for praise on the May 6 edition Special Report with Bret Baier: “I note particularly reporting done on CBS News by Sharyl Attkisson who's a fine reporter as you and I both know. Over the weekend, she was out with a number of different reports. She had another report out today.” Hume also praised Attkisson's “very good reporting” on Benghazi on The O'Reilly Factor later that night.
Fox News contributor Stephen Hayes tweeted on May 8: “Much-deserved praise for @SharylAttkisson and her dogged coverage of #Benghazi. Must-follow. http://wapo.st/10pBFBq."
Fox figures aren't alone -- Attkisson has fans at other conservative outlets. At this past weekend's Conservative Political Action conference, Breitbart editor Larry O'Connor singled out Attkisson (alongside Fox's Bret Baier) as mainstream reporters doing good work on Benghazi. Breitbart's John Nolte wrote today, “I think it sucks that Sharyl Attkisson is leaving CBS. She is one of a handful of reporters worth a damn.” The Blaze's T. Becket Adams wrote, “What you should hear any moment now is the stampeding footsteps of news groups fighting each other for Attkisson.” And HotAir.com's Allahpundit wrote, “It's been a bad week for state TV.”
This post has been updated to include more conservative reaction to Attkisson's departure.