Tucker Carlson out at Fox News!

[Skydog]

Woooowwww!
Not sure how this can be discussed without violating board rules but this is stunning news.

[Skydog]

https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/24/media...ews/index.html

Could this have been a stipulation of the settlement? Seems unlikely... But maybe?

[bundabergdevil]

Doubt it was a stipulation but the two are connected. The release of records with Tucker’s internal comments were pretty critical for Dominion’s case. That’s a lot of money to cost your employer!

[Skydog]

His show had to be one of Fox’s biggest money makers. He was a ratings giant.

[PackMan97]

Woooowwww!
Not sure how this can be discussed without violating board rules but this is stunning news.

Fox lost a big lawsuit. The first witness to be called to the stand was going to be Tucker. It's pretty clear cut here...the content of the case be set aside as I feel confident anyone whose conduct could be used against their employer to extract a $800 million settlement is getting canned in short order.

[OldPhiKap]

Don Lemon fired by CNN this morning too.

Must be something in the air.

[snowdenscold]

Fox lost a big lawsuit. The first witness to be called to the stand was going to be Tucker. It's pretty clear cut here...the content of the case be set aside as I feel confident anyone whose conduct could be used against their employer to extract a $800 million settlement is getting canned in short order.

But with Tucker's comments in the past and already out there, isn't the only question how much of a liability he is moving forward vs the revenue he brings in from his show?

Fox didn't have to issue an on-air apology as part of the agreement. I'm sure that was factored into the larger-than-expected settlement, because as far as many of their viewers know, nothing big has even happened. Maybe they feared there would be enough leakage into that bubble over the near future here?

Or, ratings be darned, Rupert was pissed. But why just Tucker in that case?

[CrazyNotCrazie]

I'm curious to see how quickly he lands and if so, where.

Swap spots with Don Lemon? (I'm kidding).

[Kdogg]

Doubt it was a stipulation but the two are connected. The release of records with Tucker’s internal comments were pretty critical for Dominion’s case. That’s a lot of money to cost your employer!

It’s a lot of money but not as much as you would think. First, they will categorize it as a business expense so as a tax write-off it will lower their taxes. Second, I’m sure insurance will cover a chuck of it. Third, I’m sure there will be some more accounting voodoo that will be performed to lower the impact.

Fox is also facing a lawsuit from one of Tucker’s ex-producers. She’s claiming they coerced her into giving falsehoods in her depositions and also that Tucker’s show “subjugates women.” I think that may have more to do with the dismissal because he still makes Fox a mint. Plus, as Alex Jones’ business has shown us, Tucker will fall up…monetarily at least. He can spin this as gaining freedom to tell his audience the real story. Then he will sell them a subscription to his streaming show, his podcast, his SubStack and anything else. His only real challenge is the age of his audience might hinder their ability to access his content. That’s what grandkids are for.

I'm curious to see how quickly he lands and if so, where.

Swap spots with Don Lemon? (I'm kidding).

Don’t forget, he was employed by CNN in what seems like the distant past.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Don’t forget, he was employed by CNN in what seems like the distant past.

Without getting PPB, his personality and "reporting" now is far removed from what it was when he was on CNN (and MSBNC).

[accfanfrom1970]

But with Tucker's comments in the past and already out there, isn't the only question how much of a liability he is moving forward vs the revenue he brings in from his show?

Fox didn't have to issue an on-air apology as part of the agreement. I'm sure that was factored into the larger-than-expected settlement, because as far as many of their viewers know, nothing big has even happened. Maybe they feared there would be enough leakage into that bubble over the near future here?

Or, ratings be darned, Rupert was pissed. But why just Tucker in that case?

There is still the 2nd voting machine lawsuit with Smartatic? Preemptive move by Fox?

[dudog84]

Or, ratings be darned, Rupert was pissed. But why just Tucker in that case?

I saw a headline on msn.com a few days ago that Bartiromo and Pirro were about to be fired, but didn't read the article and can't remember the source (which I always glance at). So there could be more purging to come.

[Jeffrey]

Woooowwww!
Not sure how this can be discussed without violating board rules but this is stunning news.

Who is Tucker Carlsion?

[CameronBornAndBred]

There is still the 2nd voting machine lawsuit with Smartatic? Preemptive move by Fox?

Unfortunately for Fox, the "We fired Tucker" defense wouldn't be a winning strategy. In fact, he's still just as likely to be called to the stand. If he indeed was fired vs quitting, he might not be such a friendly witness for his old bosses.

[PackMan97]

Unfortunately for Fox, the "We fired Tucker" defense wouldn't be a winning strategy. In fact, he's still just as likely to be called to the stand. If he indeed was fired vs quitting, he might not be such a friendly witness for his old bosses.

I'm not a legal eagle, but at any point would this have been a defense?

I understand the market forces at work for Fox that would make such an action difficult, I'm just curious if you have an employee who puts you in a bad spot, what are your choices?

Asking for a friend of course.

[Matches]

There is still the 2nd voting machine lawsuit with Smartatic? Preemptive move by Fox?

The Smartmatic suit is an opportunity for Fox to get a do-over. They’ll get to raise legal challenges to the suit including 12(b)(6) and summary judgment before a different judge, who won’t be bound by the pre trial rulings in the Dominion suit. It’s not a given that Smartmatic will play out in as negative a way for Fox as Dominion was doing.

Firing Tucker won’t affect that litigation anyway, other than to take away his incentive to protect them as a witness. If anything a personnel decision based on that litigation probably would have favored keeping him.

It sounds as if his recent (and not so recent) statements about Ray Epps may have played a role here. Possibly the Grossman suit too. There does come a point when even having a highly-rated and hugely profitable show isn’t enough to protect someone whose {looks frantically for a non-partisan way to say this} on-air statements and off-air behavior keep getting the company sued.

Edit: Alleged! Alleged! I meant alleged! I’m just asking questions! Is this thing on?

[CameronBornAndBred]

Fox kicked his producer to the curb, too.

In addition, the senior executive producer of Tucker Carlson Tonight, Justin Wells, was let go Monday, multiple sources told ABC News.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/tu...62449ae1&ei=13

FQNIks2VUAEzDER.jpg

[MartyClark]

The Smartmatic suit is an opportunity for Fox to get a do-over. They’ll get to raise legal challenges to the suit including 12(b)(6) and summary judgment before a different judge, who won’t be bound by the pre trial rulings in the Dominion suit. It’s not a given that Smartmatic will play out in as negative a way for Fox as Dominion was doing.

Firing Tucker won’t affect that litigation anyway, other than to take away his incentive to protect them as a witness. If anything a personnel decision based on that litigation probably would have favored keeping him.

It sounds as if his recent (and not so recent) statements about Ray Epps may have played a role here. Possibly the Grossman suit too. There does come a point when even having a highly-rated and hugely profitable show isn’t enough to protect someone whose {looks frantically for a non-partisan way to say this} on-air statements and off-air behavior keep getting the company sued.

Edit: Alleged! Alleged! I meant alleged! I’m just asking questions! Is this thing on?

It will be interesting to see how the Smartmatic case goes.

In the Dominion case, Fox News changed lawyers a year or so ago and hired Dan Webb as their lead attorney. I don't know whether he represents Fox News in the Smartmatic case but he is an outstanding attorney.

He was my trial practice instructor in law school when he was a young, hungry Assistant U.S. Attorney in Chicago. I idolized him. He went on to become the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois and tried many high profile cases as a prosecutor and special prosecutor after he entered private practice.

He's no spring chicken at age 77 but he is formidable.

[CameronBornAndBred]

So some info is coming out, and his firing is related to the suit brought by ex Fox producer Abby Grossberg.

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 with input from board members and other Fox Corp. executives.
...
Carlson's exit is related to the discrimination lawsuit filed by Abby Grossberg, the producer fired by the network last month, the sources said. Carlson's senior executive producer Justin Wells has also been terminated, according to insiders.

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/...154304869.html

[duke2x]

I'm curious to see how quickly he lands and if so, where.

Swap spots with Don Lemon? (I'm kidding).

Put them together. I might watch another Dan Akroyd - Jane Curtin news commentary show.