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Jon Scott

Jon Scott (born November 7, 1958) is an American television news anchor recognized for his role anchoring the weekend editions of Fox Report on , a position he has held since joining the network in 1996 as part of its original launch team. A native and graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia's journalism school, Scott began his broadcasting career as an anchor and reporter at local stations in and before advancing to national roles, including correspondent for —where he earned an Emmy Award for newswriting—and reporter for . His coverage at Fox has encompassed major events such as the , Operation Iraqi Freedom, the death of , elections, natural disasters, and international conflicts including the Russia-Ukraine war. Beyond anchoring, Scott has conducted high-profile interviews, such as with Qatar's Foreign Affairs Minister on the 2021 evacuation, and maintains interests in as a private pilot and outdoor pursuits.

Early Life and Education

Upbringing and Family Background

Jon Scott was born on November 7, 1958, in , . He grew up in the Denver area alongside an older brother, who served as an infantryman during the , and a sister named Becky. His father owned a local radio station, which exposed Scott to media environments from a young age. Scott developed a childhood passion for , constructing model airplanes and taking occasional flights in a owned by one of his father's pilot acquaintances. This early exposure fostered a lifelong interest in flying, later leading him to become a certificated private pilot. He attended Denver Lutheran High School, graduating before pursuing higher education.

Academic Pursuits

Scott attended the in , where he majored in and earned a . As part of his academic training, he gained practical experience by serving as a correspondent for , the university's NBC-affiliated student-run station in . This early involvement in aligned with his coursework and laid foundational skills for his professional career. No records indicate pursuit of postgraduate studies or additional academic honors beyond his .

Professional Career

Initial Roles in Local News

Scott began his journalism career as a correspondent for , an affiliate in , operated by the . This entry-level role followed his graduation from the University of Missouri-Columbia, providing foundational experience in reporting local stories. He advanced to , an affiliate in , , where he served as weekday evening news anchor, weekend co-anchor, and reporter, contributing to the team around 1984. By , station realignments at WPLG referenced him as an active anchor and reporter, highlighting his prominence in covering events during a period of network shifts. Scott subsequently worked as a reporter and bureau chief for KUSA-TV, an affiliate in , , building on his anchoring skills with investigative and field reporting in a major market. These local news positions in , , and established his expertise in on-air delivery and news gathering before transitioning to national syndication.

Transition to National Broadcasting

Following his roles in local television, Scott advanced to national syndication in 1988 by joining as a reporter, where he covered investigative stories for the program distributed across affiliate stations nationwide. This move marked his initial foray beyond regional markets, leveraging skills honed as weekday evening anchor and reporter at WPLG-TV in , an affiliate. He held the position through 1992, contributing to segments that reached millions via syndication. In 1992, Scott transitioned to network television as a correspondent for NBC's , a primetime newsmagazine focused on , serving until 1995. During this period, he earned an Emmy Award for newswriting, recognizing excellence in crafting reports on complex topics. As one of the program's original s, Scott reported on high-profile investigations, gaining prominence in national broadcast news amid competition from established outlets like CBS's . By mid-1996, with experience under his belt, Scott was recruited for a hosting role on the relaunched A Current Affair, a syndicated tabloid-style program, but opted instead to join the startup Channel two months before its October 1996 launch. This decision positioned him on the original anchor team at the cable network, amid skepticism about its viability against dominant players like , reflecting his bet on emerging 24-hour news formats. The shift underscored a broader evolution toward cable competition, where Scott's prior national credits facilitated entry into a nascent but ambitious venture.

Tenure at Fox News Channel

Jon Scott joined Fox News Channel in August 1996, two months before the network's launch on October 7, 1996, and became a member of its original . Throughout his tenure, Scott has anchored multiple , delivering live coverage of and in-depth reporting on global events. From November 2007 to June 8, 2018, Scott co-anchored Happening Now, a weekday airing from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET, which focused on real-time developments and analysis. Following the show's cancellation due to the expansion of , he transitioned to anchoring FOX Report Weekend on Saturdays and Sundays from 3 to 5 p.m. ET, a he continues to hold. Scott's reporting during his time at the network has encompassed extensive on-air and field coverage of pivotal events, including anchoring continuously for over eight hours on , 2001; embedding with U.S. forces in ; and providing updates from Central Command in during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. He has also covered every major U.S. cycle, natural disasters such as hurricanes, NASA space shuttle missions, British royal weddings, the 1994 crash of Flight 4184, and Russia's 2022 invasion of . In August 2021, Scott conducted an with Qatar's Foreign Affairs Minister on the U.S. evacuation efforts in following the Taliban's resurgence.

Key Contributions and Coverage

Reporting on Major Historical Events

Scott anchored Fox News Channel's coverage of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks from the network's opening minutes, providing over eight hours of continuous reporting on the strikes in , , , and . His on-air delivery emphasized factual updates amid the unfolding chaos, including the rapid identification of the attacks as deliberate after the second plane hit the . In the , Scott served as a field reporter, covering the launch of Operation Iraqi Freedom from the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) headquarters in and George W. Bush's "Mission Accomplished" address aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln on May 1, 2003. This reporting captured early coalition advances and logistical operations in the initial invasion phase. Scott reported on the ground during the , contributing to ' field coverage of U.S. and military operations following the 2001 invasion. He later anchored segments on the 2021 U.S. withdrawal, including an interview with the Qatari Foreign Affairs Minister regarding evacuations amid control. Throughout his career at , Scott has covered every major U.S. , anchoring election night broadcasts and providing analysis on key races from 1996 onward. More recently, he anchored special reports on Russia's invasion of beginning February 24, 2022, focusing on escalation and international responses.

Political Analysis and Interviews

Jon Scott, anchoring Fox Report Weekend, routinely incorporates interviews with political figures and strategists to examine current policy issues and electoral outcomes, emphasizing factual reporting over overt editorializing. Guests provide analysis on topics such as post-2024 Democratic recalibrations, with Bluestack Strategies Maura Gillespie assessing the party's direction and Kamala Harris's prospects following electoral losses. His segments often address , including a October 25, 2025, report on protests targeting facilities amid the Trump administration's crackdown on operations. Among notable interviews, Scott spoke with Qatari Foreign Affairs Minister in August 2021, focusing on international efforts to evacuate personnel from Taliban-controlled amid the U.S. withdrawal. He has also engaged former U.S. in discussions on global affairs, later reflecting on a memorable exchange during Fox News Channel's 25th anniversary coverage in October 2021, where an unexpected question highlighted Kissinger's diplomatic insights. Scott's political coverage extends to lawmakers' perspectives on administration priorities, as in interviews with Senator on advancements in U.S.- trade negotiations under . While primarily a straight-news format, his broadcasts feature guest-driven commentary on crime rates, economic polls, and partisan violence—such as segments questioning narratives around urban safety claims or left-leaning aggression ahead of —without Scott imposing personal ideological overlays. This approach aligns with his tenure covering every major U.S. since joining in 1996, prioritizing verifiable developments over speculative opinion.

Reception and Controversies

Professional Achievements and Recognition

Scott earned an Emmy Award for newswriting as a correspondent for Dateline NBC between 1992 and 1995. This recognition highlighted his early contributions to investigative reporting and script development in national broadcast journalism. Upon joining Fox News Channel in 1996 as part of its original anchor team, Scott established a long-term presence in network news, co-anchoring programs such as Happening Now and hosting FOX Report Weekend (Saturdays and Sundays, 3-5 p.m. ET). His tenure, exceeding 28 years as of 2025, positions him among the network's longest-serving on-air personalities, contributing to consistent coverage of breaking news events including the September 11, 2001, attacks (during which he anchored for over eight hours) and the 2003 launch of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2019, Scott received public recognition for his journalistic service when he was selected to participate in the Times Square celebration, pressing the ball button live on air alongside other honored broadcasters. This event underscored his status as a anchor amid Channel's milestone celebrations, including its 25th anniversary in 2021, where his foundational role was highlighted.

Criticisms and Defenses Against Bias Claims

Jon Scott has faced limited specific accusations of personal bias, with most criticisms stemming from his association with Channel, which outlets like have broadly labeled as promoting conservative viewpoints. In a 2017 broadcast, Scott remarked that seeking to avoid negative portrayals in media "maybe don’t burn people alive and set off bombs," in response to Mandy Patinkin's comments on depictions of in entertainment; critics, including , characterized this as insensitive stereotyping that overlooked nuances in media representation. Similarly, during a February 1, 2019, segment on , Scott described a proposed bill as permitting terminations "right up into the 9th month" if a woman "don't want this baby anymore," a framing deemed a , as the aimed to remove restrictions on third-trimester procedures only in cases of fetal non-viability or maternal health risks, not casual late-term decisions. In 2012, Scott abruptly ended an interview with author Thomas Ricks after the guest criticized and the administration's handling of the attack, prompting to accuse the network of intolerance for dissenting views. Scott has also been linked to segments questioning the role of violent in mass shootings, such as those in and Laguna Woods in 2022, where he queried a former DOJ agent on whether such media desensitizes individuals to violence; gaming outlets like critiqued this as scapegoating amid broader debates. Defenses of Scott's reporting emphasize his focus on factual, event-driven coverage rather than overt opinion, distinguishing him from Fox's prime-time commentators. In a 2010 PR Week interview, Scott cited a study indicating Fox News viewership comprised roughly one-third conservatives, one-third independents, and one-third liberals, suggesting audience diversity counters uniform bias claims. Viewer feedback on platforms like praises his weekend Fox Report for delivering "informative and updated" news without "gossip and tabloid junk," portraying him as a anchor prioritizing substance over . Unlike more polarizing Fox figures, Scott's tenure since the network's 1996 launch has involved straight-news roles, with no major settlements or retractions tied to his segments, underscoring a of relative restraint amid generalized scrutiny of Fox's editorial stance.

Personal Life

Family and Relationships

Jon Scott was married to Sharon Scott from the early 1990s until their divorce in 2011. The couple raised four children together in Irvington, New York. One son, Joshua Scott, graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 2011 and served as a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He completed a nine-month deployment in Afghanistan, returning home in April 2014. In September 2025, Scott remarried.

Philanthropy and Personal Interests

Scott has participated in charitable activities supporting military and veterans' causes, including emceeing the Society Foundation Dinner in 2011. He frequently speaks at events honoring veterans and personnel. In 2015, he hiked the in as part of a effort for an unspecified cause. His personal interests include , which he has pursued since childhood when he built model airplanes. A licensed private pilot, Scott has logged approximately 560 flight hours, primarily in a that he purchased new after the , 2001, attacks and flew from to the East Coast. He has used flying for practical purposes, such as scouting colleges for his daughter by visiting six schools across three states in four days. Scott is also an avid outdoorsman and a woodworker. He has self-deprecatingly described himself as a "really bad golfer."

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