Fox News boss Rupert Murdoch decided to fire Tucker Carlson, and the host was given no advance warning that he was being let go.
The Los Angeles Times reported, “A Fox News representative had no other details on Carlson’s exit. People familiar with the situation who were not authorized to comment publicly said the decision to fire Carlson came straight from Fox Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch. Carlson’s exit is related to the discrimination lawsuit filed by Abby Grossberg, the producer fired by the network last month, the people said.”
The New York Times added that Carlson was given no warning, “Mr. Carlson was given no heads-up that his time at Fox News had drawn to an end, according to two people with knowledge of the timing of the conversation. The anchor was told of the network’s decision on Monday morning, and his senior executive producer, Justin Wells, was also out of a job.”
Jeremy Peters of The New York Times said that his reporting suggests a problem with Carlson’s behavior got him fired:
Jeremy Peters on #DeadlineWH about Tucker Carlson's firing, "It seems that there's something here with his — the threat of some type of human relations problem as it relates to his (Tucker Carlson's) behavior." pic.twitter.com/dNuTUybxr6
— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) April 24, 2023
Fox News doesn’t fire their money-making stars due to legal settlements, no matter how large. The Murdoch history is to fire Fox stars if they put the company in legal jeopardy.
Murdoch didn’t give Carlson a warning that he could be fired, because he wanted to surprise him.
All of the details are still unknown, but it sounds like Tucker Carlson’s behavior put Fox in legal jeopardy and got him fired.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
