Topline
Tucker Carlson—the brash prime-time television host who’s spent the past few years peddling misinformation about the 2020 election despite knowing the claims to be at least partially false—and Fox news “have agreed to part ways,” the company announced Monday, after 14 years at the network.
Tucker Carlson, host of “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” poses for photos in a Fox News Channel studio.
Key Facts
Carlson’s last show was Friday, though neither the network nor Carlson indicated his departure at the time, and his last words on his Friday show were “we’ll be back.”
News of his sudden departure rattled the market, with Fox stock dropping 5% almost immediately after the news broke.
Key Background
Carlson started at the network in 2009 as a contributor, gaining a prime-time slot in 2016 and moving to the 8 p.m. shift after the departure of Bill O’Reilly. He’s consistently raised eyebrows for his controversial coverage, including earlier this year when he aired tapes from the January 6 attack on the Capitol, which he downplayed. In recent weeks, Carlson’s been among the few to interview former President Donald Trump and Tesla founder Elon Musk.
Tangent
Fox has made headlines in recent weeks due to a massive defamation lawsuit against the news network brought by Dominion Voting Systems, which said several of the network’s hosts—including Carlson—broadcast conspiracy theories about the voting machine company. Carlson was poised to testify at trial, but last week, the parties settled for $787.5 million.
Further Reading
Tucker Carlson Doubles Down On 2020 Election Fraud Claims With Jan. 6 Footage Despite Fox Defamation Lawsuit (Forbes)
‘Tucker Carlson Is Not Credible’: White House Lashes Out Against Fox News For Jan. 6 Tapes (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/anafaguy/2023/04/24/tucker-carlson-suddenly-out-at-fox-news/