OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
The announcement of Tucker Carlson and Fox News parting ways in April elicited surprise from both supporters and detractors. Tucker Carlson Tonight garnered significant popularity on the network, consistently attracting a viewership of three million individuals.
The retirement of Carlson was publicly disclosed without an official explanation; however, subsequent to this disclosure, multiple assertions have surfaced concerning the actual events that transpired behind the scenes.
During an interview on MSNBC, Michael Wolff spoke about his latest book, “The Fall: The End of Fox News and the Murdoch Dynasty,” where he wrote about the network’s turmoil, including how then-Fox News chairman Rupert Murdoch decided to boot Carlson despite liking him personally.
Wolff told MSNBC host Ari Melber that Fox News fired Carlson because of the Dominion lawsuit. However, Fox has denied that claim.
The day after New York Magazine released an excerpt from Wolff’s book on Carlson’s departure from the network, Murdoch announced his resignation as chairman of Fox Corporation and News Corp. According to ABC News, the 92-year-old’s son, Lachlan Murdoch, will become the next chair of News Corp. and will continue to be the executive chair and CEO of Fox Corporation, the Intelligencer reported.
Vanity Fair reported that Murdoch may have been angered by Carlson’s speech about his Christian and conservative beliefs at the Heritage Foundation’s 50th Anniversary gala three days before he was fired from Fox News. According to the presenter, those who disagreed with his beliefs were “advocating for evil.”
A source told Vanity Fair, “This information terrifies Rupert. He dislikes all the spiritual discourse.”
Additional theories revolve around the legal dispute between Dominion Voting Systems and Fox News. The company initiated legal proceedings against the network on grounds of defamation, specifically in response to on-air allegations that their technology played a role in “stealing” the 2020 presidential election from Donald Trump.
In addition to being one of the anchors who levied accusations against Dominion on his program, Carlson’s alleged derogatory texts towards Fox News colleagues and critical remarks about Trump were reportedly disclosed in court documents.
Based on the findings presented in Wolff’s publication, Carlson’s termination was found to have a correlation with the ongoing legal proceedings involving Dominion Voting Systems. However, it is important to note that the actual nature of this connection differs from the initial reports that were circulated.
Contrarily, the book posits that Carlson was offered as a sacrifice in the settlement, as Murdoch aimed to ensure that his financial agreement with Dominion did not surpass the threshold of $1 billion.
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Carlson reportedly dined with Murdoch and Smith prior to the decision, and the meal “reinforced for Murdoch that he really did like Tucker.”
Wolff wrote, “He liked him considerably more than he liked Sean Hannity, whom he despised. But there was also a perception that the problems he caused outweighed his worth. The Fox backlash could often appear to be Tucker backlash among his offspring. Without him, how could you possibly reduce the Fox temperature? How about twenty percent? How about thirty percent? Perhaps more? This was a Murdoch calculation: “How much could Fox be toned down without losing its identity?”
Fox reached a settlement with Dominion for $787.5 million after Fox fired Carlson.
Chadwick Moore’s biography of Carlson was published in August. Carlson explains in the book why he believes he was dismissed from Fox News, and it aligns with Wolff’s perspective.
“They agreed to take me off the air, along with my show, as a condition of the Dominion settlement,” Carlson told Moore, as reported by The Guardian. “They were compelled to reach a resolution; Rupert was unable to testify. I believe that agreement was reached mere minutes before the trial began. I mean, I’m certain it was.”
Fox News issued a brief statement regarding the cancellation of Carlson’s program in April: “FOX News Media and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways. We appreciate his contributions as a host and before that as a contributor to the network. Mr. Carlson’s final program aired on April 21. Fox News Tonight will air live tonight at 8 p.m. ET with alternating FOX News personalities serving as interim hosts until a permanent replacement is named.”
The Hill reported in May that both Dominion and Fox News denied that Carlson’s termination was a settlement condition. A Dominion representative stated to Best Life regarding Wolff’s allegations, “Both Dominion and Fox News have already confirmed this claim is categorically false. Any contrary assertion is simply untrue.”
Fox provided the following statement in response to questions about the book: “The fact that this author’s books have been parodied on Saturday Night Live tells us everything we need to know.”
