Fox News is facing a major shakeup as it parts ways with top-rated host Tucker Carlson. The move has prompted questions about the future of the conservative network's prime time lineup and caused the company's worth to sink by more than $800 million. Carlson drew in 334,000 viewers in the 8 p.m. slot for the week ended April 20, more than double his competitors at CNN and MSNBC in the same hour and other Fox News hosts such as Sean Hannity or Laura Ingraham.
Carlson's departure comes just days after Fox reached a $787.5 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems, which had sued the company in a $1.6 billion defamation case over the network's coverage of the 2020 presidential election. While the financial impact on Fox may be minimal in the near term, the ratings of Carlson's replacement could impact the company's future success.
Some analysts believe that the programming change may be due to Fox News needing to attract more mainstream advertisers. Despite its dominance in ratings, advertising at Fox's cable networks had been "weak/disappointing," according to Huber Research analyst Doug Arthur. He added that shifting away from conspiracy content might begin to re-attract big-time advertisers.
Responses to Carlson's departure have ranged from glee to disappointment, with Eric Trump tweeting, "What is happening to Fox?" Some social media users decried Carlson's exit, with others urging viewers to complain to their cable providers.
Fox News has a history of producing new stars, and while Carlson is a top audience draw, commentators believe that Fox's platform is more important than any individual personality. However, Carlson is facing allegations from a former employee about the network's "toxic" work environment. Abby Grossberg, who worked as head of booking on Carlson's show, claimed that she endured an environment that "subjugates women based on vile sexist stereotypes" and that Fox's legal team "coerced" her into providing misleading testimony in Dominion's defamation case.
Overall, the departure of Tucker Carlson from Fox News has significant implications for the network's future, both in terms of ratings and financial success. Only time will tell how the conservative news outlet will adapt and move forward in the post-Carlson era.
