Where Tucker Carlson Stands With Fox News After His Firing
Tucker Carlson used to be the de facto face of Fox News, commanding large swaths of loyal viewers night after night up until his sudden exit in April 2023. He was reportedly the most-watched anchor on the channel at that point, with "Tucker Carlson Tonight" averaging 3.3 million viewers the month before his shocking dismissal. With Carlson being the network's biggest star, why did they give him the boot without giving him a chance to say goodbye, and is there even the slightest possibility that he would make a big media comeback down the line?
Per NPR, Fox News execs Suzanne Scott and Lachlan Murdoch reportedly gave the green light to ax Carlson, and the Monday following his last show, the announcement was made. "Fox News Media and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways," a statement from the network read. "We thank him for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor." Carlson has never addressed his ousting but did offer his opinion on the state of American media through a video posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, which racked up nearly 100 million views. "Where can you still find Americans saying true things?" he asked. "There aren't many places left, but there are some."
Since his exit from Fox, Carlson appears to have worked tirelessly to find a new platform in media, but his efforts have been met with resistance from his former employer. Shortly after he debuted a show on X, Fox sent a cease-and-desist letter his way.
Carlson's contract with Fox is reportedly stifling his return
Tucker Carlson wasted no time establishing a new home, pivoting to digital media instead of embarking on another television venture. In May 2023, he launched a watered-down version of his Fox show on X. "There are not that many platforms left that allow free speech. The last big one remaining is Twitter [now X], where we are now," Carlson said in his announcement on the platform. Surprisingly, he also alluded to his firing then, insinuating that "telling the truth" was what ultimately got him axed. "The best you can hope for in the news business at this point is the freedom to tell the fullest truth that you can. But there are always limits," he continued. "And you know that if you bump up against those limits often enough, you will be fired for it."
But by the time the first episode of "Tucker on Twitter" hit the internet, Fox had reportedly sent Carlson a cease-and-desist letter, noting that the host's actions breached his contract with them, which remains in effect until early 2025 and stipulates exclusivity to Fox, as reported by The New York Times.
Carlson's legal team was quick to counter the claims, pointing out that his online show is not in direct competition with any of Fox's news programs. His attorney, Harmeet Dhillon, even said that Fox is unjustly trying to de-platform Carlson. "Doubling down on the most catastrophic programming decision in the history of the cable news industry, Fox is now demanding that Tucker Carlson be silent until after the 2024 election," she said. "Tucker will not be silenced by anyone."
But Carlson seems to have found a workaround
Despite Fox's attempts at halting Tucker Carlson's new show, the ousted anchor has persevered, continuing to broadcast on X. In December 2023, he even launched a paid streaming service promising more content in exchange for $72 a year. Carlson and his team arrived at this decision after hitting a wall with the limitations of X. "The nature of the app doesn't lend itself to putting a big library right in front of you on one page," he said on Megyn Kelly's SiriusXM show but noted that he won't stop sharing free content on the platform. "The X stuff is not going away."
The new service, aptly named Tucker Carlson Network, boasts an ever-expanding roster of Carlson-centric shows, interviews, monologues, and more. It also sells exclusive merchandise and offers access to Tucker and his team. Since launching, it the new platform has released interviews with the likes of Donald Trump, Kid Rock, and Dana White.
While he has since established a niche for himself within digital media, Carlson is reportedly still holding out to hope that Fox agrees to let him return to TV. A reconciliation between the two parties is out of the question, however. Journalist Brian Stelter wrote in his book "Network of Lies" that even the Murdochs had grown tired of Carlson's antics. Stelter wrote that Rupert Murdoch told a confidant that Tucker had "got too big for his boots," as noted by Vanity Fair. So — don't expect the personality to return to Fox News anytime soon.