News of Carlson’s split from Fox immediately sparked speculation in right-wing media circles about his next steps. Carlson’s nightly appearance on Fox’s news has made him a powerful mediator and opinion-maker within the Republican Party. That would make him a serious pick-me-up for the mainstream press and the conservative media companies that market themselves as an alternative to right-wing media giant Fox News.
Rumble, a right-wing media company based in Canada, is a likely suitor, said one of Carlson’s sources. The Daily Wire, a media startup co-founded by conservative commentator Ben Shapiro, has expressed interest in a deal with Carlson, as have conservative TV networks Newsmax and One America News. According to three people familiar with the matter. .
Fox News will rotate hosts in Mr. Carlson’s old timeslot under the “Fox News Tonight” banner for the time being. So far, the hosts have included Brian Kilmeade, co-host of the network’s popular morning show Fox and Friends, and Lawrence Jones, another host of the network.
Fox News, long the king of cable news ratings, suffered a drop in viewership after Carlson’s abrupt departure. His Fox viewers in that slot on several nights last week put him behind both CNN and his MSNBC between the ages of 25 and his 54-year-old adult.
More than a salary is at stake for Carlson, Lee said. Many television personalities become less relevant the longer they are away from the air, hurting their earning potential.
“It’s not necessarily just a financial issue, as going off the air for an extended period of time can have a negative impact on your career,” Lee said.
Jim Rutenberg contributed to the report.
