Tucker Carlson is out at Fox Information: What we learn about his departure

In a shocking announcement, Fox Information mentioned 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 every week after Fox’s huge settlement with Dominion over its unfold of misinformation about Dominion voting machines. Although 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 swimsuit made headlines.

Within the absence of an evidence for why precisely Carlson is departing so all of the sudden, there’s loads of hypothesis that one other, larger scandal is behind it ready to be uncovered — one thing that might advantage slicing off the community’s largest star with out even giving him an opportunity to say goodbye. It’s additionally nonetheless unclear what’s subsequent for Carlson or what Fox Information seems to be like with out Carlson at its heart.

Right here’s what we all know to date.

What occurred?

Tucker Carlson is out at Fox Information Media. His present, Tucker Carlson Tonight, which ran on the community for over six years, is over. Fox Information Tonight will substitute it on an interim foundation. Carlson additionally had a outstanding place on Fox Information’ streaming channel, Fox Nation, the place he hosted a daytime discuss present and several other documentaries. Fox Information’ assertion didn’t particularly point out the way forward for his Fox Nation reveals.

Whereas the circumstances are unclear, the departure appears to have been sudden. Carlson’s government producer, Justin Wells, is reportedly out as nicely.

Carlson had been with Fox Information since 2009, although his presence was comparatively minor till the premiere of Tucker Carlson Tonight in November 2016.

When is his final day?

Carlson’s final episode aired Friday, April 21, 2023, based on Fox’s assertion.

How sudden was his exit?

Carlson signed off on Friday with, “We’ll be again on Monday,” indicating that he both anticipated to nonetheless have a present or didn’t need to telegraph that he wouldn’t. Reportedly, he was instructed that he was out on Monday morning. Fox Information additionally 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 won’t air in spite of everything.

As of early Monday afternoon, Fox Information’ web site nonetheless listed Carlson as a Fox Information character and host of Tucker Carlson Tonight, which it says is its “flagship primetime cable information program.” It additionally nonetheless listed Carlson’s present as airing weeknights at 8 pm.

Why is he leaving? (We don’t know!)

Carlson’s departure has spawned rampant hypothesis however no clear details but. The LA Instances is reporting that Fox Corp chair Rupert Murdoch was behind the choice to fireside 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 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 swimsuit, Fox Enterprise’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.

A Washington Put up report claims that Carlson’s texts criticizing Fox executives that had been uncovered throughout the Dominion lawsuit had been one attainable cause for his ouster. Unnamed sources instructed the Wall Avenue Journal that there have been even worse statements hidden behind redactions within the publicly obtainable paperwork — which Fox Information executives would have seen. And NPR reporter David Folkenflik instructed Vox’s Peter Kafka that he suspected maintaining these out of public view was a attainable cause why Fox settled within the first place.

“A ton of stuff was redacted and blacked out … I truly suppose there’s much more embarrassing stuff that’s been sunk by this, that’s been saved hidden, and submerged by the settlement,” Folkenflik mentioned.

Fox can be being sued by considered one of Carlson’s former producers, Abby Grossman, who accused the community of being overtly sexist and mentioned Carlson’s workers specifically denigrated ladies and Jewish individuals. Fox Information has denied these allegations.

Carlson has but to make an announcement about his departure.

Is there any precedent for one thing like this?

Carlson himself acquired the 8 pm timeslot after its inhabitant, Invoice O’Reilly, was fired in 2017. Tucker Carlson Tonight, which was then within the 9 pm slot, moved to O’Reilly’s spot.

However the circumstances behind the 2 males’s ousters are a lot completely different. O’Reilly’s got here after the revelation that Fox paid tens of millions of {dollars} to cowl up sexual harassment allegations in opposition to him. His problematic conduct had been recognized 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 any sexual harassment lawsuits or allegations, and his firing was rather more stunning.

There’s additionally precedent for Carlson being fired from jobs. He left CNN in 2005 and MSNBC in 2008. Each instances, the firing adopted the cancellations of his reveals, Crossfire and Tucker, respectively, reportedly as a result of low scores. Carlson didn’t have this concern at Fox Information.

How large was Carlson’s viewers?

Carlson recurrently averaged over 3 million viewers, making his present one of many highest-rated on all of primary cable. He led Fox Information’ scores for years, however his supremacy had lately been challenged: One other Fox Information present, The 5, averaged increased scores than he did in 2022.

Can Fox Information get well from this?

If Carlson’s ascendancy at Fox Information 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 Information from its launch and was, for all intents and functions, its face.

However, although Carlson’s present was nonetheless comparatively new, he crammed O’Reilly’s spot simply fantastic, staying atop the scores, creating his personal rabid fandom, and weathering loads of controversies. Carlson additionally survived advertiser boycotts, accusations of racism and sexism, and unabashed and continued help of Russia. Actually, he thrived, getting two reveals on Fox Nation in an effort to drive up the streaming community’s subscriptions in 2021. Carlson had change into a strong and influential determine each at Fox Information and with the precise wing normally. 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. However Fox Information has already confirmed itself to be larger than any considered one of its stars.

How are individuals responding?

On Fox Information, Carlson had change into (and fortunately leaned into being) a polarizing determine. The fitting wing is predictably livid, although there are a number of exceptions, like former Wyoming Republican congresswoman Liz Cheney, who tweeted, “[I]t’s about time.” The opposite facet was, typically, very completely happy in regards to 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.”

Many Fox Information staffers are reportedly celebrating.

This can be a creating story and updates are ongoing.

Replace, April 24, 4:30 pm ET: This story has been up to date so as to add extra information and developments.