At the end of 2024, Neil Cavuto announced his departure from Fox News. The network filled the timeslot with The Will Cain Show, which made its debut this week.
It was a natural move for the company. Cain has cut his teeth with the network as a co-host of FOX & Friends Weekend, while also hosting a one-hour digital video show that was also turned into a nationally syndicated radio program, picking up affiliates like 1080 KRLD in Dallas.
With hindsight being 20/20, it’s easy to now look at that one-hour digital program as a proving ground — or potentially even a waiting room — for Cain until something in the daily lineup became available. With Cavuto’s exit, after 28 years with Fox News, that opportunity arose in the 4 PM ET timeslot.
So, with all of that said, I took in Cain’s debut show on Fox News, the Tuesday, January 21st edition of The Will Cain Show. Before we dive into what I saw, I’ll preface my comments with the idea that I don’t think it’s remotely fair to judge a show by anything it does in its first three months, let alone its debut episode. There are just some things that need to be ironed out in any situation, whether it be content, production, or presentation. It takes time to find your voice — even with an experienced talent like Will Cain — so I won’t be too harsh in any criticism, because I think that’s unfair.
Added to that situation is the idea that Will Cain is stepping into a timeslot occupied by Neil Cavuto for almost 30 years. No pressure though, right? Plus, it’s the lead-in to the biggest show in the cable news ratings. There’s a lot to worry about and a lot that could go wrong.
I will joke, however, at one of the first things you see when tuning into The Will Cain Show. And that’s that Fox News really wants you to know that you’re watching The Will Cain Show.
Joking aside, Cain’s program doesn’t look like other shows in the Fox News lineup. First of all, he utilizes a lapel mic while a RE27N/D microphone is featured prominently on the screen. It is a similar setup to what Colin Cowherd — who hosts a nationally syndicated sports radio show that features a simulcast on FS1, a sister-station to Fox News — utilizes.
Additionally, after moving past the giant show logo in the upper right-hand corner, the program then puts upcoming talking points and subjects in that box. It is another item taken from a sports show — pioneered by ESPN’s Pardon the Interruption — utilized on Cain’s show.
It harkens back to Cain’s sports past. He rose to prominence as a voice at ESPN and ESPN Radio, serving as a “conservative” voice in the sports world before taking the dive into the political sphere. You can see the influence of those shows and the past life while watching Cain’s program.
The monologue portion of his show is not a unique one to the show or Cain. Everyone in cable news does an opening monologue. But it’s clear Will Cain understands the digital age. The cadence in which he speaks, and the pace in which he delivers his points, are tailer made to be spliced into content on YouTube, Instagram, and other various digital video platforms.
Later in the debut program, Cain welcomed Barstool Sports — there’s that word again — founder Dave Portnoy to the program. Portnoy is a polarizing figure that has grown to prominence in the conservative media space in recent years. The conversation — to the pair’s credit — was wide-ranging and engaging. Topics tackled included the inauguration, the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, and whether or not TikTok should be banned.
I think the ability for Cain to delve into a variety of topics will be a strong suit for the show in the future. Cain is well-versed in numerous subjects and while some could view that as a detriment, I think it’s welcomed in the cable news space. Fox News has slowly but surely begun a shift to focusing on a conservative worldview and conservative lifestyle content instead of content based strictly on conservative political ideology. Which I think is an important and valid distinction.
Will Cain will be able to wade into those culture and lifestyle waters as well as anyone. And I’d look for that to be a prominent part of the show going forward.
Overall, the content from the first show is what you would expect from a Fox News afternoon show. “Donald Trump great. Democrats bad. Culture Wars good. Thinking anything other than the way I do? Bad. I’m the only person that you can trust to tell you the truth.” Boilerplate stuff, really.
But what is interesting is the idea that this will happen at 4 PM ET. Cain is essentially hosting a primetime cable news show in the early afternoon. It is the exact same formula that the network features from 7-11 PM ET. So, the question I think is fair to question next is: Is The Will Cain Show at 4 PM ET just a proving ground or waiting room for Cain until something opens up in the primetime lineup? The style of the show makes me think the answer to that question is undoubtedly yes. It’ll be interesting to watch.
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Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing bi-weekly industry features and a weekly column. He has previously served as Program Director and Afternoon Co-Host on 93.1 The Fan in Lima, OH, and is the radio play-by-play voice of Northern Michigan University hockey. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.
