By Tom Ozimek
Conservative news outlets Newsmax and One America News Network (OAN) are weighing the possibility of hiring media personality Tucker Carlson after his surprise departure from rival network Fox News Channel.
OAN issued a statement saying that its executives want to meet with Carlson, whose last appearance on Fox took place on April 21.
“One America News founder and CEO Robert Herring would like to extend an invitation to Carlson to meet for negotiation to become a part of the OAN team,” the company said in a statement Monday.
“Maybe Fox News’ loss could be @OANN’s gain,” the company said on Twitter.
Chris Ruddy, CEO of the Newsmax TV network, told Bloomberg in an interview that he “would be interested in having a conversation” with Carlson following his departure from Fox.
“I think it opens the door to a lot of Fox people checking out Newsmax,” he added.
Ruddy said that the Fox decision to part ways with Carlson “did not make sense” in light of Carlson’s large viewership.
Carlson could not be reached for comment.
‘Agreed to Part Ways’
Fox announced Carlson’s exit in a statement Monday, saying that the network and Carlson “have agreed to part ways,” adding, “We thank him for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor.”
The Rupert Murdoch-owned company added that the 8 p.m. Monday time slot formerly occupied by “Tucker Carlson Tonight” would become the “Fox News Tonight” program. The replacement show would be “helmed by rotating FOX News personalities until a new host is named,” the company added.
Brian Kilmeade, who co-hosts the “Fox & Friends” program, hosted the first “Fox News Tonight” program on Monday. At the top of the episode, he briefly addressed Carlson’s departure.
“As you probably have heard, Fox News and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways,” Kilmeade said. “I wish Tucker the best. I’m great friends with Tucker and always will be. But right now, it’s time for ‘Fox News Tonight,’ so let’s get started.”
During Carlson’s final Fox News show, he gave no indication that it would be his last appearance on the network.
While it’s unclear what led to Carlson’s departure, he once said that there was a “constant assault” of “never-ending” efforts to get his show canceled.
“Trust me, it’s a constant assault. It’s a never-ending effort to take us off the air,” Carlson told Variety in an interview in 2020.
Possible candidates for a permanent replacement for Carlson include Kilmeade, Jesse Watters, Laura Ingraham, Maria Bartiromo, and Sean Hannity.
‘Shocked’
Former president Donald Trump reacted to Carlson’s departure from Fox in an interview with Newsmax.
“Well, I’m shocked. I’m surprised. He’s a very good person and a very good man, and very talented,” Trump said, adding that Carlson’s program had “very high ratings.” Carlson was Fox News Channel’s most-watched primetime host.
“I don’t know if it was voluntary, or was it, somebody fired? But I think Tucker’s been terrific,” Trump added.
Donald Trump Jr., the former president’s son, said Monday that Carlson’s departure “changes things permanently” in the media landscape.
Calling Carlson a “once-in-a-generation type talent,” Trump Jr. told podcast host Charlie Kirk that he hopes Carlson will continue to speak on behalf of conservatives.
“I hope whatever he does, he continues to be that voice for conservatism because, again, he’s one of the few people pushing those boundaries,” Trump Jr. said.
‘Massive Error’
Hannity, whose eponymous 9 p.m. ET show on Fox follows Carlson’s former time slot, said on his 3 p.m. syndicated radio program “The Sean Hannity Show” on Monday that he, like Trump, was surprised by Carlson’s departure.
“It’s very hard,” Hannity said at the start of his radio show in regards to Carlson’s exit. “My phone has been blowing up all day. The hard part for me is I don’t have a clue … I have no idea. Was it Tucker’s decision? Was it Fox’s? Was it a mutual agreement that they had? I don’t know.”
Former Fox News host Megyn Kelly discussed Carlson’s departure in an episode of her podcast on Monday. She, like Hannity, expressed surprise.
“I don’t know what drove Fox News to make this decision, and it was clearly Fox News’s decision, because they’re not letting him say goodbye,” Kelly said. “That’s my supposition. That’s not inside knowledge … I think this is a massive error. I think this is a massive misjudgment of what their audience wants.”
Kilmeade, who was the first person to have a go at hosting the program that replaces Carlson’s, took to Twitter to urge people to tune into “Fox News Tonight.”
His message was met with outpouring of mostly critical reactions.
“No one is blaming you Brian, but no one is watching you either,” wrote Brigitte Gabriel, founder of ACT For America, a conservative advocacy group that launched an online petition calling on Fox to reinstate Carlson.
At the time of reporting, the petition had over 839,600 actions taken.
“No! #IStandWithTucker,” the USA Trust Trump account on Twitter said in a tweet, with many of the reactions similar in tone.
