She replaced provocative talk show host Glenn Beck on Headline News Friday night. On Monday, her show got an official name.
"Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell" is Headline News' answer — at least for now — to fill the void left by Beck. He wrapped up his 7 p.m. weekday show last Thursday and is headed for archrival Fox News Channel.
Beck debuted on Headline News in May 2006 and was part of the network's prime-time makeover, which included legal talker Nancy Grace and Showbiz Tonight. He also was arguably the network's most conservative political voice and stirred up both controversy and better ratings in his time slot.
His commentaries have upset Hispanic groups, Arab-American organizations and the liberal Media Matters for America.
At Fox, Beck will host a 5 p.m. weekday program as well as a weekend show in a multi-year deal that starts next spring.
"I'm not surprised to see him go because it always seems like he fit in well with the other Fox people instead of with Headline News," said Alan Breznick, an analyst with Heavy Reading, a media and telecommunications research firm based in New York. "I think (CNN) wanted character, but they didn't necessarily want conservative ideologies."
Velez-Mitchell, a true-crime author, has been a popular fill-in anchor for Nancy Grace and on other Headline News' shows. Her show is supposed to be personality-driven, topical and opinionated, according to an internal staff memo.
Headline News re-aired Beck's show at 9 p.m. The network will now re-run "Lou Dobbs Tonight" at 9 p.m. and midnight. Dobbs' show airs on Headline News' sister network, CNN, at 7 p.m.
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