ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Sarah Palin, former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate, will return to her broadcast roots and take her conservative message to Fox News as a regular commentator, the cable channel announced Monday.

"I am thrilled to be joining the great talent and management team at Fox News," Palin said in a statement posted on the network's Web site. "It's wonderful to be part of a place that so values fair and balanced news."

Fox said that according to the multiyear deal, Palin will offer political commentary and analysis on the cable channel, as well as Fox's Web site, radio network and business cable channel.

She also will host occasional episodes of Fox News' "Real American Stories," a series debuting this year that the network said will feature true inspirational stories about Americans who have overcome adversity.

"Governor Palin has captivated everyone on both sides of the political spectrum and we are excited to add her dynamic voice to the FOX News lineup," Bill Shine, executive vice president of programming, said in a statement.

The network declined to say when Palin will start or how much she is being paid. Also unclear is how the arrangement will work, whether Palin will move to New York or commute from Alaska. Company representatives did not respond to calls seeking comment and Palin's spokeswoman, Meghan Stapleton, did not respond to e-mails seeking comment.

Palin, 45, is hugely popular with conservatives and has more than 1.1 million Facebook followers.

She stepped down as Alaska governor in July, 17 months before the end of her first term in office and less than a year after she vaulted to overnight fame as John McCain's running mate.

The bombshell resignation stunned even supporters and fueled widespread speculation on her next career step — with predictions ranging from seeking the presidency in 2012 to hosting a conservative talk show. She told Barbara Walters in November that a 2012 presidential bid was not on her radar but added she wouldn't rule out playing some kind of role in the next presidential election.

Since resigning, Palin has had colossal success with her best-selling memoir "Going Rogue," released four months after she left office. She finished a nationwide tour in December after hitting some of the political battleground states from the 2008 election and drawing thousands of fans.

If she were to seek the presidency, her new job would provide yet another stage from which to advance her conservative platform. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who sought the presidency in 2008, also hosts a talk show on Fox News and hasn't ruled out another run for president.

Palin majored in journalism with an emphasis on broadcasting at the University of Idaho and worked part-time as a weekend sportscaster in 1988 for KTUU-TV in Anchorage. She wasn't married at the time and used her maiden name Heath. The station's sports director, John Carpenter, said the young broadcaster left after a few months because of the low pay.

Carpenter said he was sorry to see her go. She was a hard worker who enjoyed the entire process, not just being in front of the cameras, he said.

"She knew sports, she could talk sports, she looked OK on TV," Carpenter said. "She had the aptitude, no question."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100112/ap_on_en_tv/us_palin_fox_news

Wow I can't believe the lft loons haven't jumped all over this yet.

Well, she'll fit right in there.

Go Sarah... I might even watch Fox for this one

TJ's neck is stuck.

Oh wow, great place for people who don't know the difference between North and South Korea. Too bad, she would have made such a gorgeous Vice President for Johm MCCain to hold on his elbow.

LOLOLOLOLOL Well, Fox is consistent,, gotta give them that,,,ROFL

Like I said, she'll fit right in there. They won't correct any of her mistakes and what she says will be taken as the truth just like all the others there. Fox lovers will absolutely love her.

"lft loons"????
seen the signs at "tea parties"?

Fox News finally transforms into the comedy channel for which it was always aimed to be.

If anyone thinks this is "news"...I can't help you, sorry.

When I heard this, I went and popped some popcorn and tuned into FOX just to see the Sarah Palin show.

She was interviewed on the GLENN BECK show and he was making a big deal about how he conducted the interview offsite where the camera shot of him, in the backgraound, was the Statue of Liberty. He went on and on about the symbolism of that camera shot.

Then I watched her the next day being interviewed on FOX Sean Hannity show. When the camera was on Sarah Palin, the background photo was the Space Needle in Seattle.

Now I know Hannity is very much aware of the impact of symbolism. Did anyone else catch that?

"Fox News" is an oxymoron. (No, I'm not on the left).

If they gave Palin a show it would draw more people than MSNBC and CNN combined.

The left wing mouthpieces that fill the ranks of MSNBC and CNN are about as interesting as watching the ice melt in my driveway..

Anyone wonder why Fox destroys MSNBC and CNN ? Anyone wonder why Air America was such a disaster?

People don't want to watch or listen to a bunch of ignorant fools spouting off left wing talking points that no one with a grain of intelligence would agree with..

I can tell by the amount of posts on this board dealing with Palin and Fox, that what they do is effective.. How many people bother posting anything about MSNBC, CNN, or Air America?

I think Fox is more popular for the same reason Brittany was more popular than Christina,,,,we have a POP culture who enjoys the sensational and shallow more than substance and quality.

Yeah, FOCKS can increase more trailor trash viewership with Palin.

Sarah Palin was less qualified to be in the WH than the Dippic, she's an ignorant fool so she'll fit in great at FOCKS. I enjoy listening to Rachel Maddow, a Rhodes Scholars on MSNBC. Sarah Palin? LOLOLOLOL.

It's kinda funny when your adversaries only have the same mud they wear to throw back in defence of this circus of FOCKS noise and the Sarah Palin idiocy....you guys need you own material.

I am not impressed.

When I heard this I said "Stupid is as stupid does" in my Forrest voice. And I laughed and laughed at the stupidity of the Faux network as usual.

I can't watch the channel because I laugh too much at the stupidity.

phOX news is proving Edward R. Murrow was on to something when he said:




-Kerry O.

The only reason Sarah Palin is still in the news is because some see her as a hot little MILF.

If she was common looking or ugly, nobody would be giving her the time of day.

it's amusing how some people can waste no effort demonizing and smearing her

Most people dont know anyting about her beyond this caricature of her that the left has promulgated

she must be pretty effective for the right or else she wouldn't inspire such venom from the left

I hope she is the front runner in 2012. I think her and Oliver North would make a great ticket.

so its not really such a stretch for her to actually have a job on TV. And I can't see her having a show on CNN or MSNBC.

I don't know anything about her and don't care to watch her on TV. But it is funny how many people know as much about her as I do and pile on with all kinds of (probably not even true) insult towards her just because it's the popular thing to do