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Inside job
TV news anchor Bill Hemmer
0: Number of times in his career that Hemmer has called out sick.Photograph: Imogen BrownWho he is: Good morning, he’s Bill Hemmer and he delivers the latest scoop from his America’s Newsroom desk on the Fox News Channel.
Picking his path: Hemmer attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, with no set career in mind. He knew from observing his dad’s monotonous days that he wanted a job that held his interest. “I liked sports and music, so I thought one of those things would lead me in a direction I’d enjoy.”
The beginning: During school Hemmer worked as an intern for the local TV station’s sports department. “I would sit in the basement and write down every pitch and every play for baseball and football games,” he explains. After college, he graduated with a job as a sports producer making $9,000 a year. “I had bills to pay and I was living below the poverty line,” he remembers. Two years later, Hemmer landed a better-paying on-air sports-reporting gig with a CBS affiliate.
Quarter-life crisis: “I was 27 and I wanted to backpack around the world for a year before I turned 30,” Hemmer says. “I referred to it as an education—not a vacation—and I would argue now that it gave me a foundation of knowledge that I use every day at my job. To understand Iran and the Middle East because you’ve been there is invaluable.”
His return: Supportive of his trip, Hemmer’s boss at CBS offered to rehire him when he returned. “I told him I’d be honored to come back but that I wanted to work on news.” His boss agreed and Hemmer got to work delivering the hard facts. “I did that for a couple of years and went to CNN, where I worked for ten years. Four years ago I left for Fox and plan on being here for a very long time.”
Getting jobs: Applying to be an anchorman is a lot like auditioning for a movie role; you need to send in a reel of clips and oftentimes try out in front of the camera. “When I was applying at CNN, I had to do a live audition where they messed up the teleprompter to see how I handled it on the fly. And they’d send breaking news my way to test my ad-libbing skills.” You also need an agent, explains Hemmer, because they know how to negotiate your contracts when you get hired.
Best story ever: Work has sent Hemmer to Iraq, Afghanistan and other faraway lands, but we made him pick one story he’s covered that has touched him the most. “September 11th was enormously emotional, and it made my relationship with New York even stronger. The impact of emotions we saw on the faces of New Yorkers during that time was indelible. It will never leave you. And if it does leave you, you’re not a human being with a beating heart.”
Hemmer’s favorite haunts
• Rosie O’Grady’s (149 W 46th St between Broadway and Sixth Ave; 212-869-0600, rosieogradys.com) “They oughta put a sign out front that says the fox bar because that’s where we always go.”
• Langan’s (150 W 47th St between Sixth and Seventh Aves; 212-869-5482, langans.com) Bill O’Reilly also frequents this bar.The newsman’s sources for news
• Wall Street Journal “It’s the newspaper of record while the economy has gone belly up.”
• The New York Times “They still cover the world when few others care to spend the money.”
• The Washington Post “I turn to them for Washington D.C./Obama/Congress coverage.”
• New York Post “For good NYC fun.”
• Drudge Report “It’s the fastest, most comprehensive news website available. And Matt Drudge has a sense of humor.”
Time Out New York / Issue 722 : Jul 30–Aug 5, 2009
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I love, love him and find him a breath of fresh air. How can someone not think he is smart. If he was so "dumb" why would CNN want him backi? Murdock did a great thing in hiring him. Fox is the only network that is Fair and Balanced.
My daughter and niece both attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. It's a great university. I had no idea Bill Hemmer did too. He's a great newscaster and wonderful conservative. FoxNews is the only news channel we watch and part of that is due to Bill Hemmer!
Bill Hemmer is #1 in my book. I now only watch Fox News because he is the absolute BEST! I would get up at 3:00am to watch him if that was the only time I could see him
"Rosie O’Grady’s: 'They oughta put a sign out front that says the fox bar because that’s where we always go.'" Thanks for the warning. Drudge Report? Is this guy for real?
Dumber than a bag of rocks and it shows every time he opens his mouth.
He is totally a right wing tool and an ungracious bastard for leaving CNN after they gave him his start...waiting for him to backpack and all. He has been at this for a long time but his delivery still makes me cringe. All this business of “understand Middle East”, who the hell notices that he does? He comes across as hayseed from Iowa.
Funny stuff---a wingnut that calls himself Factman while getting his facts wrong. "#1 rated network in news." Fox leads in Cable News not Network News. Fox News gets less ratings than the USA Channel and has never come close to the Big 3 Top Networks. Once again a little delusion on your plate.
He was so-so on CNN. Now that he's on the wingnut channel I never see him. No big loss.
Bill is my fav. I followed him from CNN to FOX and would set my alarm for 3am if that was his timeslot. I simply prefer his intelligent and no nonsense delivery. I would love to see FOX pair him with another male newscaster during his screen partners maternity leave. Ahhh...2 hours of just news.
Mary and Ron, I think he mentioned how much he misses you two not watching him since he's with the #1 rated network in news. BWHAHAHA
Liked him on CNN, but never watch him on Fox. Drudge?
Posted by EtotheH on Fri, Jul 31, at 01:16pm How can they allow these idiots to stay on the air? Murrow and Cronkite are rolling over in their graves. The same way they allow the other idiots from all the other news stations to be on the air...it's called Freedom Of Speech. Deal with it!! You don't like Fox News...don't watch Fox News. I don't think any of the news stations are honest or fair in all their reporting. None more guilty than the other. Too many put their own spin on news stories.
I used to watch Hemmer when he was at CNN but definitely stopped when he bacame a fox noise reporter. Reading this article and where Hemmer reads his news is quite telling. MS
Drudge and the NY Post for sources of News? Entertainment maybe, but one of his top five for news? Oh ya, I forgot, he works for Fox.
Murdoch must put in their t&c's that his talent must announce his WSJ is essential reading and his NY Post is FUN. Surprising Hemmer doesn't say he reads the Sun (Murdoch's favorite) to please the boss.
How can they allow these idiots to stay on the air? Murrow and Cronkite are rolling over in their graves.
he is a wing nut if he thinks Drudge is real news. He probably is a birther too.
He forgot to tell that he is right wing nut. He was so upset when Obama won he almost cry. He loved Bush and the wars and nothing was wrong under Bush-Cheney. Both saints for him.
He reads the Drudge Report. Go figure.