Matter of Fact with Soledad O'Brien

{{Short description|American public affairs talk show}}

{{COI|date=October 2018}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}

{{Infobox television

| image = "Matter of Fact with Soledad O'Brien".jpg

| caption =

| alt_name =

| genre = Public affairs/Talk show

| country = United States

| language = English

| num_seasons = 9

| location = Washington, D.C. and New York, N.Y.

| runtime = 22 minutes

| company = Hearst Television (2015-2022)
Hearst Media Production Group (2022-present)

| first_aired = {{Start date|2015|11|8}}

| last_aired = present

}}

Matter of Fact with Soledad O'Brien is a weekly American public affairs television talk program hosted by journalist Soledad O'Brien. The show is produced by Hearst Media Production Group and is distributed to TV stations in national broadcast television syndication by Sony Pictures Television. It airs on TV stations nationwide in weekend program slots, primarily in the Sunday morning talk program block. It also airs on a one-week-after-broadcast basis on FYI.

Matter of Fact was originally launched in November 2015 and was hosted by entrepreneur and political commentator Fernando Espuelas.{{cite web|url=https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/hearst-tv-launching-weekly-talk-show-matter-fact-fernando-espuelas-144363|title=Hearst TV Launching Weekly Talk Show 'Matter of Fact With Fernando Espuelas'|date=21 September 2015 |publisher=Broadcasting & Cable}} Beginning with the 2016-2017 TV season, O'Brien succeeded Espuelas in the hosting role.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/reliable-source/wp/2016/08/15/hearst-tv-re-launches-sunday-political-show-hosted-by-soledad-obrien/|title=Hearst TV re-launches Sunday political show hosted by Soledad O'Brien|first=Emily|last=Heil|date=15 August 2016|newspaper=Washington Post}}

A September 2017 Matter of Fact special,{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/soledad-obrien-hearst-opioid-crisis-matter-of-fact-1202555898/|title=Soledad O'Brien, Hearst Team on Special About Opioid Crisis|first=Ted|last=Johnson|date=12 September 2017|publisher=Variety}} hosted by O'Brien, aired in prime-time on stations including WCVB-TV in Boston,{{cite web|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/television/2017/09/05/perspectives-and-solutions-upcoming-special-opioid-crisis/sdJQcnvFefJZ3mJDNwokCJ/story.html|title=Perspectives and solutions in upcoming TV special on the opioid crisis - The Boston Globe|website=The Boston Globe |publisher=}} WESH-TV in Orlando,{{cite web|url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/tv/tv-guy/os-et-opioid-crisis-soledad-obrien-hosts-wesh-special-20170913-story.html|title=Opioid crisis: Soledad O'Brien hosts WESH special - The Orlando Sentinel|publisher=}} and WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh,{{cite web|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/ae/tv-radio/2017/09/12/Opioid-TV-special-Hearst-Pittsburgh-matter-of-Fact-State-of-Addiction/stories/201709120133|title=Opioid crisis focus of live TV special on WTAE Wednesday - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|publisher=}} addressing the nationwide opioid-abuse crisis.

In April 2018, it was announced that the program had been renewed for the 2018-2019 TV season and that new agreements with multiple station groups had expanded the show's audience reach to 90% of U.S. TV households.{{cite web|url=https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/exclusive-hearsts-matter-of-fact-renewed-for-season-four|title=Exclusive: Hearst's 'Matter of Fact' Renewed for Season Four|date=25 April 2018 |publisher=Broadcasting & Cable}}

In January 2020, the show was recognized by the National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) with a NATPE Iris Award of Excellence.{{cite web|url=https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/natpe-relaunching-iris-awards-at-miami-confab|title=NATPE Relaunching Iris Awards at Miami Confab|date=7 November 2019 |publisher=Broadcasting & Cable}}

In October 2020, O'Brien and the Matter of Fact producers launched a "listening tour" on race and justice with a 75-minute digital special, The Hard Truth About Bias: Images and Reality, which streamed across the digital platforms of many of Hearst's consumer media brands, including television stations, newspapers, various magazines and on Matter of Fact's website, YouTube and Facebook Live channels.{{cite web|url=https://chicagodefender.com/matter-of-fact-with-soledad-obrien-addresses-issues-of-race-and-justice/|title=Matter of Fact with Soledad O'Brien Addresses Issues of Race and Justice|date=7 October 2020 |publisher=Chicago Defender}} This was followed in March 2021 with a 90-minute digital presentation, To Be An American: Identity, Race and Justice. Both productions featured guests from entertainment, journalism, and academia.{{cite web|url=https://eurweb.com/2021/03/15/judas-director-shaka-king-soledad-obriens-guests-for-thurs-special/|title="Judas" Director Shaka King Soledad O'Brien's Guest for Thurs Special|date=16 March 2021 |publisher=Eurweb}}