What’s next for Fox News after Tucker Carlson?

WASHINGTON —  When news broke that Fox News parted ways with its prime-time host Tucker Carlson, I thought it was a joke.

Carlson is the the outlet’s must valuable asset. His prime-time show, “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” was a ratings powerhouse for the network, averaging 3 million viewers nightly, and eclipsing his competitors at CNN and MSNBC. Carlson is also a darling on the right and captured the admiration of former President Trump, whose supporters hail Carlson as one of the few powerful media figures willing to stand up to the so-called “woke mob.”

Why, then, did Fox News fire their biggest star? Will his departure affect conservative media and the 2024 presidential election?

Hello friends. I’m Erin B. Logan, a national political reporter for the Los Angeles Times. This week, we are going to talk about billionaire media titans, cable news and national politics.

The lawsuit that ended him?

The news of Carlson’s departure comes on the heels of Fox News settling a defamation lawsuit from Dominion Voting Systems, which argued that its reputation was tarnished by the network’s elevation of Trump’s election lies. The two parties last week agreed to settle for $787.5 million.

But, according to Times writer Stephen Battaglio, Carlson’s abrupt exit does not directly stem from the suit. Instead, it is connected with another discrimination lawsuit filed by now-former producer Abby Grossberg, who was fired by the network last month. Grossberg alleges that she was coerced by Fox News lawyers into giving misleading responses during her deposition for the now-settled defamation lawsuit. She also alleges a toxic workplace environment under Carlson, rife with bullying, misogyny and antisemitism.

This case, and Carlson’s private comments disparaging management’s handling of 2020 election coverage, peeved Fox Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch, who, with input from board members and other Fox Corp. executives, forced Carlson out, Battaglio reported. (Carlson’s senior executive producer, Justin Wells, was also fired.)

The future of Fox News

Carlson’s last day on air was last Friday, the network said in a statement. On Monday, Fox & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade filled the seat. Carlson’s 8 p.m. Eastern time slot will be filled with a variety of people until Fox can find someone to fill in full time.

Whoever takes on the job has big shoes to fill. Carlson earned support from the far right, largely because he peddled unfounded racist conspiracy theories, stoked anti-immigration sentiment and encouraged his viewers to embrace white nationalist ideology in the face of a changing America. Carlson also sometimes echoed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s propaganda. Russian state media offered him a job in the wake of his termination.

The loss of this figure ahead of a likely rematch between Trump and President Biden makes the future a bit more uncertain. Although the GOP is unlikely to pivot away from Carlson’s message, it is unclear who will fill the former Fox News host’s seat and become the next darling of the right.

The latest from the campaign trail

—President Biden announced Tuesday he will seek the presidency again in 2024, solidifying his grip on the Democratic Party as its standard-bearer, Times writer Courtney Subramanian reported. The much-anticipated announcement sets up a potential rematch between Biden and Trump, who leads the field of Republican 2024 hopefuls.

— California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis announced Monday she is running for governor, laying down an early marker for what is likely to be a vigorous 2026 campaign to replace termed-out Gov. Gavin Newsom, Times writer Seema Mehta reported.

—The prosecutor who is investigating whether Trump and his allies illegally meddled in the 2020 election in Georgia said Monday that she expects to announce charging decisions this summer, the Associated Press reported.

—As Trump ran for and served as president, more than a dozen women publicly accused him of sexual assault and harassment. Most of those allegations — all denied by Trump — were never taken to court. None has gone to trial. But that is about to change, the Associated Press reported.

The view from Washington

—The Supreme Court agreed Monday to hear an appeal from two San Diego-area school board members and decide whether public officials who take to social media are free to block their critics, Times writer David G. Savage reported.

—Rep. Pete Aguilar already was a rising star in the Democratic Party and climbing up the leadership ranks, Times writer Benjamin Oreskes reported. But Jan. 6 supercharged his ascent; he is now the third-highest-ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives.

—The Supreme Court on Friday ruled for the Biden administration to preserve legal access in most of the nation to an abortion pill that is part of the most common method of ending early pregnancies, Times writer David G. Savage reported.

The view from California

—Newsom is calling on the California National Guard and the California Highway Patrol to help San Francisco police and prosecutors fight the fentanyl crisis facing the city, Times writer Salvador Hernandez reported. The new partnership is meant to target traffickers, dismantle the supply of fentanyl into the city and address drug-related crime.

—The California Supreme Court this week declined to block the rollout of Newsom’s sweeping new plan to compel people with severe mental illness into treatment, meaning the controversial program remains on track to begin this fall in several counties, Times writer Hannah Wiley reported.

—Lawmakers and community leaders gathered Monday morning at Monterey Park City Hall to support legislation they hope will reduce guns on the streets, months after 11 people were killed in a mass shooting on Lunar New Year’s Eve, Times writer Summer Lin reported.

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