It has been nearly three weeks since Fox News abruptly removed conservative commentator Tucker Carlson from its lineup.
While Carlson's removal was cheered by many on the left, it has since turned into a ratings nightmare for his former network.
According to Mediaite, Carlson's replacement Lawrence Jones came in third place last Friday night among viewers in the 25-54 age demographic, lagging behind both MSNBC and CNN.
Meanwhile, an article published by the Los Angeles Times cited ratings data from Nielsen Media Research which showed that Fox News' ratings fell by 29.6% in the first week after Carlson's departure.
"Fox News Channel had none of the week’s top 10 cable programs and only three in the 20 — two editions of 'Hannity' and the first edition of 'Fox News Tonight,' the network’s replacement for 'Tucker Carlson Tonight' in the weeknight 8 p.m. time slot," it stated.
The Times noted that this represented a stark change from the previous week when Fox News held eight of the top 20 spots and two of the top 10, both of which were episodes of "Tucker Carlson Tonight."
Carlson's departure was greeted with outrage from many fans, including former football star Brett Favre who on Monday called for a boycott of Fox News.
I’m with Tucker. Time to boycott Fox until they come to their senses and let the man speak. pic.twitter.com/dvrNlLdvgW
— Brett Favre (@BrettFavre) May 8, 2023
For his part, the ousted host announced on Tuesday that he will soon start a new show which will be streamed via Twitter.
We’re back. pic.twitter.com/sG5t9gr60O
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) May 9, 2023
What's more, Carlson also took aim at the mainstream media for "misleading" their viewers "in every story that matters."
"At the most basic level, the news you consume is a lie. A lie of the stealthiest and most insidious kind. Facts have been withheld on purpose. Along with proportion and perspective. You are being manipulated," he declared.
Twitter owner Elon Musk later clarified that Carlson's new show will be an independent venture and subject "to the same rules [and] rewards of all content creators."
On this platform, unlike the one-way street of broadcast, people are able to interact, critique and refute whatever is said.
And, of course, anything misleading will get @CommunityNotes.
I also want to be clear that we have not signed a deal of any kind whatsoever. Tucker is… https://t.co/0TMjuYnKUp
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 9, 2023
