In a shocking announcement, Fox News mentioned on Monday that it has ended Tucker Carlson’s reign because the host of the community’s highest-rated primetime present (and one of many highest-rated reveals on primary cable, interval), efficient instantly.
The information comes lower than per week after Fox’s huge settlement with Dominion over its unfold of misinformation about Dominion voting machines. Though Carlson’s function within the lawsuit was comparatively small, a few of his texts that had been uncovered within the discovery course of for the go well with made headlines, and plenty of reviews are citing them as the rationale why Carlson received the boot.
Fox News’s assertion mentioned little or no, merely that the 2 events “have agreed to part ways” and “we thank him for his service to the network.” After two days of silence, Carlson lastly tweeted a video that didn’t instantly handle the scenario. In the absence of a proof, there’s some comprehensible hypothesis that one other, greater scandal is behind it ready to be uncovered.
But it’s additionally trying increasingly more probably that Carlson’s ouster was the results of a mixture of things, together with disparaging remarks about Fox News executives, a poisonous office tradition, and Carlson’s view that he was untouchable at Fox News and that the community wanted him greater than he wanted it.
Whatever the actual purpose(s), they had been sufficient that Fox News felt it wanted to chop off its greatest star with out even giving him an opportunity to say goodbye. It’s nonetheless unclear what’s subsequent for Carlson or what Fox News appears like with out Carlson at its heart.
Here’s what we all know thus far.
What occurred?
Tucker Carlson is not working for Fox News Media. His present, Tucker Carlson Tonight, which ran on the community for over six years, is over. Fox News Tonight will exchange it on an interim foundation. Fox & Friends host Brian Kilmeade hosted Monday’s episode, the primary with out Carlson. He briefly talked about Carlson’s departure, saying: “As you probably have heard, Fox News and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways. I wish Tucker the best. I’m great friends with Tucker and always will be. But right now, it’s time for Fox News Tonight. So let’s get started.”
Carlson additionally had a outstanding place on Fox News’s streaming channel, Fox Nation, the place he hosted a daytime speak present and a number of other documentaries. Fox News’s assertion didn’t particularly point out the way forward for his Fox Nation reveals, and Fox News didn’t reply to request for touch upon what’s going to occur to the streaming channel’s library of Carlson content material.
Carlson was with Fox News since 2009, although his presence was comparatively minor till the premiere of Tucker Carlson Tonight in November 2016. Carlson’s final episode aired Friday, April 21, 2023.
What does Tucker Carlson must say?
Initially, nothing. Carlson was uncharacteristically quiet for 2 days, rising on Wednesday evening at 8 pm — the time his present would have been on the air — with a video. It was a two-minute-long diatribe about how highly effective folks and the media are mendacity to the American public, and the way there are few locations left to seek out the reality. It was nearly indistinguishable from the monologues Carlson used to open his present with, right down to the truth that it didn’t actually say something or instantly reply any questions.
“Where can you still find Americans saying true things? There aren’t many places left, but there are some, and that’s enough. As long as you can hear the words, there is hope. See you soon,” he mentioned.
Carlson has reportedly employed lawyer Bryan Freedman, who appears to concentrate on getting important settlements from media firms once they hearth their stars. His previous purchasers embrace Megyn Kelly, Chris Harrison, and Gabrielle Union. His present purchasers embrace Don Lemon, who was fired from CNN on the identical day that Carlson was let go from Fox, and former CNN anchor Chris Cuomo.
How sudden was his exit?
Very. Despite Fox News’s assertion that implied the choice was mutual, all indicators level to Carlson being fired with nearly no warning. Carlson reportedly didn’t know he’d been reduce till minutes earlier than it was introduced. Carlson additionally signed off on Friday with, “We’ll be back on Monday,” indicating that he anticipated there can be a Monday present — which, clearly, by no means occurred.
Fox News itself didn’t appear to know for positive that Carlson can be exiting till near the precise announcement. On Monday morning, the channel was nonetheless reportedly airing previews of Carlson’s present for that night, which didn’t air in any case.
As of Wednesday evening, Fox News’s web site nonetheless listed Carlson as a Fox News persona and host of Tucker Carlson Tonight, which it says is its “flagship primetime cable news program.” It additionally nonetheless listed Carlson’s present as airing weeknights at 8 pm. Fox Nation, nonetheless, has eliminated Carlson’s likeness and reveals from its entrance web page.
Why is he leaving?
Carlson’s departure has spawned rampant hypothesis however few information thus far. Reports are attributing his firing to numerous elements cite unnamed sources that could be Fox News itself; the community is well-known for pushing its most well-liked narrative to the press when it desires to.
The LA Times reported that Fox Corp chair Rupert Murdoch was behind the choice to fireplace Carlson, purportedly over a lawsuit filed by a former worker and Carlson’s on-air assertions that Ray Epps, a person who was a part of the January 6 riots, was an FBI informant, which the FBI has denied. The evening earlier than Carlson’s firing, 60 Minutes aired an interview with Epps the place he mentioned Carlson’s statements led to dying threats. The Wall Street Journal, alternatively, reported that the choice to fireplace Carlson got here from Murdoch’s son, Lachlan, the CEO of Fox Corp, in addition to Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott.
The proximity of the information to the Dominion lawsuit settlement makes it seem that the 2 are associated, however Fox jettisoned its most problematic host associated to the Dominion go well with, Fox Business’s Lou Dobbs, again in 2021 and hasn’t fired any of its different hosts, a few of whom mentioned far worse than Carlson and had been named within the lawsuits.
The hottest idea thus far does embrace the lawsuit, nonetheless. A Washington Post report claims that Carlson’s texts criticizing Fox executives that had been uncovered throughout the Dominion lawsuit had been one doable purpose for his ouster. Unnamed sources advised the Wall Street Journal that there have been even worse statements hidden behind redactions within the publicly out there paperwork — which Fox News executives would have seen. And NPR reporter David Folkenflik advised Vox’s Peter Kafka that he suspected maintaining these out of public view was a doable purpose Fox settled within the first place.
“A ton of stuff was redacted and blacked out … I actually think there’s a lot more embarrassing stuff that’s been sunk by this, that’s been kept hidden, and submerged by the settlement,” Folkenflik mentioned.
The New York Times had some extra particulars, reporting that Fox News executives hadn’t seen Carlson’s redacted texts till simply earlier than the trial was supposed to start. Whatever they mentioned was by some means extra objectionable than what Carlson frequently says on Fox News’ personal airwaves. So a lot in order that stopping them from getting out was one of many the reason why Fox agreed to the last-minute settlement with Dominion.
Fox can also be being sued by one in all Carlson’s former producers, Abby Grossberg, who accused the community of being overtly sexist and mentioned Carlson’s employees particularly denigrated ladies and Jewish folks. Fox News has denied these allegations.
On the extra gossipy aspect of issues, Vanity Fair is reporting that Carlson could have discovered himself on the outs along with his boss over Carlson’s more and more open religiosity. He gave a speech final Friday the place he advisable praying for 10 minutes a day, and Murdoch’s (now ex-)fiancée, Ann Lesley Smith, apparently learn the Bible with Carlson throughout a March dinner. Days later, Murdoch and Smith’s engagement was over.
More latest reviews (a number of of them coming from the Murdoch-owned Wall Street Journal) attribute Carlson’s firing to not one singular occasion, however to all of them. They level to a sample of insubordination, disrespect towards Fox News executives, and rising reservations over the content material of his broadcasts. Carlson’s Fox News run was outlined by controversies over varied and frequent racist, sexist, and transphobic feedback he made, in addition to the conspiracy theories he unfold about every little thing from cattle mutilations to Covid-19’s origins and the January 6 riots. Those resulted in advertiser boycotts however seemingly didn’t hassle Fox News a lot. Nor Carlson, who tweeted a photograph of himself final yr laughing at a front-page New York Times story in regards to the racist and nationalist messages in his broadcasts.
Is there any precedent for one thing like this?
Carlson himself received the 8 pm time slot after its inhabitant, Bill O’Reilly, was fired in 2017. Tucker Carlson Tonight, which was then within the 9 pm slot, moved to O’Reilly’s spot.
But the circumstances behind the 2 males’s ousters are a lot completely different. O’Reilly’s got here after the revelation that Fox paid hundreds of thousands of {dollars} to cowl up sexual harassment allegations towards him. His problematic habits was identified about for years. When advertisers boycotted O’Reilly’s present, it was the nail within the coffin. There’s no indication that Carlson is concerned in something like that, and his firing was way more stunning.
There can also be precedent for Carlson being fired from jobs. He left CNN in 2005 and MSNBC in 2008. Both occasions, the firing adopted the cancellations of his reveals, Crossfire and Tucker, respectively, reportedly resulting from low rankings. Carlson didn’t have this challenge at Fox News.
How large was Carlson’s viewers?
Carlson frequently averaged over 3 million viewers, making his present one of many highest-rated on all of primary cable. He led Fox News’s rankings for years, however his supremacy had lately been challenged: Another Fox News present, The Five, averaged greater rankings than he did in 2022.
Can Fox News get better from this?
If Carlson’s ascendancy at Fox News is something to go by, the community will most likely proceed to thrive. When O’Reilly was fired, his was the channel’s highest-rated present, and he appeared irreplaceable. O’Reilly had been with Fox News from its launch and was, for all intents and functions, its face.
But, although Carlson’s present was nonetheless comparatively new, he crammed O’Reilly’s spot simply effective, staying atop the rankings, growing his personal rabid fandom, and weathering loads of controversies. Carlson additionally survived advertiser boycotts, accusations of racism and sexism, and unabashed and continued assist of Russia. In truth, he thrived, getting two reveals on Fox Nation in an effort to drive up the streaming community’s subscriptions in 2021. Carlson had grow to be a strong and influential determine each at Fox News and with the proper wing generally. He frolicked with President Trump (although Carlson’s texts would reveal he hated the person) and landed large interviews with Kanye West and Elon Musk. But Fox News has already confirmed itself to be greater than any one in all its stars.
How are folks responding?
On Fox News, Carlson had grow to be (and fortunately leaned into being) a polarizing determine. Accordingly, the proper wing is usually livid, whereas the left is happy.
Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz’s response spoke to Carlson’s energy inside the Republican Party: “I cannot overstate the importance that @TuckerCarlson had on public policy choices we made in the government.”
Glenn Greenwald, who grew to become a frequent visitor on Carlson’s present, mentioned “the removal of Tucker means the elimination of the only real, sustained dissent on US militarism, the US Security State and more.” Another controversial persona who received a significant platform on Carlson’s present, “Libs of TikTok” creator Chaya Raichik, tweeted “R.I.P. Fox News.” That was a sentiment many others echoed — “#RIPFoxNews” and “#DoneWithFox” briefly trended on Twitter — but it surely stays to be seen what affect Carlson’s exit can have on the community.
President Trump, who buddied as much as Carlson however had lately found within the Dominion texts that Carlson secretly hated him, had a extra measured response in an interview with Newsmax: “Wow, that was something. That’s a big one.” On Truth Social, nonetheless, he known as it a “big blow to Cable News, and to America.”
There had been a couple of notable, if unsurprising, exceptions. Former Wyoming Republican Representative Liz Cheney tweeted, “[I]t’s about time.” Anti-Trump Republican political motion committee the Lincoln Project mentioned in an announcement that Carlson “is the worst our nation has to offer.”
The different aspect principally celebrated the information. The View, which was in progress when the information got here out, led the viewers in singing the refrain of “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye.” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez joked in an Instagram story that Carlson’s exit “couldn’t have happened to a better guy,” including that she was “very glad” to see him go. She didn’t appear satisfied, nonetheless, that we’ve seen the final of him. Carlson appears fairly positive we haven’t, both.
Update, April 26, 9:40 pm ET: This story was initially printed on April 24 and has been up to date a number of occasions, most lately so as to add extra particulars about Carlson’s departure, hypothesis across the causes, and Carlson’s response.
