Hannity

On October 1, 1996, Fox News Channel launched a nightly experiment: pit a conservative firebrand against a liberal foil and let them go at it. The result was Hannity & Colmes, a live debate show that ran for 12 years and 56 cataloged episodes, though the daily grind produced many more. Conservative Sean Hannity and liberal Alan Colmes squared off on everything from the Clinton impeachment to the Iraq War, attracting 1.5 to 2 million viewers a night at its peak. The show made Hannity a household name among conservatives and turned the 9 PM ET slot into a ratings powerhouse.

But the show was never just about debate. Critics saw it as a platform for Hannity's activism, with Colmes often playing the role of a restrained counterpoint. The format evolved over time, with Hannity's bombast increasingly dominating. By the 2008 election season, the imbalance was hard to ignore. When the series ended on January 9, 2009, Fox News rebranded the slot as simply Hannity, dropping the pretense of balance and cementing the shift toward opinion-driven primetime programming that would define the network for the next decade.[edit]

Sean Hannity and Alan Colmes hosted a nightly political debate show on Fox News Channel from 1996 to 2009. Each episode opened with monologues from both hosts, followed by segments where they debated the day's top stories. Guests included politicians, pundits, and newsmakers, and viewers could call in to challenge the hosts. The show's central conflict was the ideological war between American conservatism and liberalism, with Hannity representing the right and Colmes the left.

The series tracked the major political events of its era. Early seasons covered the Clinton presidency, including the Lewinsky scandal and impeachment. After 9/11, the show focused on the War on Terror and the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. The 2004 and 2008 presidential elections were major storylines, with the show's ratings surging during the historic Obama-McCain race. The format remained consistent throughout, though the power dynamic shifted as Hannity's influence grew.

Behind the scenes, the chemistry between the hosts was famously cool. According to reports, they rarely socialized and maintained a professional distance. The show was created by Fox News CEO Roger Ailes, who reportedly chose Colmes as a safe liberal who wouldn't overpower Hannity. The live broadcast came from Fox's New York studios, with a modest production budget. Phone-in segments proved popular, giving viewers a direct role in the debate.

The show's arc reflected the changing landscape of cable news. What began as a balanced point-counterpoint format gradually gave way to Hannity's dominance. By 2008, the show was essentially a vehicle for Hannity's conservative activism, with Colmes serving as a mild counterweight. The series ended when Colmes left in January 2009, and the time slot was immediately rebranded as Hannity, a solo-hosted opinion show that continues to this day. The finale marked the end of an era in cable news, where the appearance of balance was abandoned for open partisanship.[edit]