Howard Kurtz Is Leaving CNN And Joining Fox News

APVeteran media reporter Howard Kurtz is leaving CNN and joining Fox News, the network announced Thursday afternoon.

Kurtz will anchor a version of "Fox News Watch," a weekend show focusing on media criticism. He has hosted "Reliable Sources," a weekend media criticism program on CNN, since 1998.

"I’m excited to be bringing my independent brand of media criticism to Fox News," Kurtz said in a statement.

"I want to thank CNN for giving me such a prime opportunity over the years and was tempted to continue, but the chance to create a revamped program and establish a strong online presence was too good to pass up. I hope to add a new dimension to Fox’s coverage and have some fun while diving into the passionate debates about the press and politics."

Kurtz came under intense scrutiny early last month after making an incorrect claim about Jason Collins, the first NBA player to reveal he is gay. Kurtz was fired by The Daily Beast after writing in a column that Collins didn't admit that he was engaged to a woman — something that was factually incorrect. He later apologized in a lengthy diatribe on "Reliable Sources."

Here's the full release from Fox News:

FOX News Channel (FNC) has hired veteran media reporter Howard Kurtz, announced Michael Clemente, Executive Vice President of News for the network. He will begin in this new role on July 1st.

Kurtz will anchor a version of what is now called Fox News Watch, which focuses on the media, with a new format during the weekends. Additionally, he will serve as an on-air analyst for a variety of programs throughout the week, while also writing a regular column on FoxNews.com, commenting on social media news, industry trends and breakthroughs, in addition to looking at how media are used in politics. Meanwhile, Jon Scott, current anchor of FOX News Watch, who won an Emmy for his writing at NBC’s Dateline, will move to the specials unit where he will serve as anchor.

In making the announcement, Clemente said, "Howie is the most accomplished media reporter in the country. He's also a master of social media trends, information good and bad, and a veteran political reporter. Altogether, he will add even greater depth to a very accomplished team of reporters and anchors."

Kurtz added, “I’m excited to be bringing my independent brand of media criticism to Fox News. I want to thank CNN for giving me such a prime opportunity over the years and was tempted to continue, but the chance to create a revamped program and establish a strong online presence was too good to pass up. I hope to add a new dimension to Fox’s coverage and have some fun while diving into the passionate debates about the press and politics.”

Since 1998, Kurtz has been the host of CNN’s weekly media criticism program, Reliable Sources, where he has scrutinized the performance and biases of the media. Until recently, he served as the Washington, D.C. bureau chief writing on the intersection of politics and media for The Daily Beast and Newsweek. Prior to that role, Kurtz spent 29 years at The Washington Post in various capacities. He became the media reporter for the paper in 1990 and wrote the weekly Media Notes column, which was widely read throughout the industry. Kurtz joined The Washington Post in 1981, after being hired by Bob Woodward, and went on to serve as a justice department and congressional reporter, New York bureau chief and deputy national editor before covering the media beat as a reporter, columnist and blogger.

A graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and the author of five books, including Media Circus, Reality Show and the New York Times bestseller Spin Cycle, Kurtz has also contributed to a number of magazines ranging from Vanity Fair to New York.