"The Top of the Hill" or "The Summit of the Hill"

Key learnings from Tucker Carlson’s departure from Fox News

During the last round of the LIV Golf Invitational at Trump National in Bedminster, New Jersey on Sunday, July 31, 2022, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), political commentator Tucker Carlson and former President Trump engaged in conversation while observing golfers from the 16th tee.

The unexpected departure of Tucker Carlson from Fox News caused a stir in both the media and political worlds on Monday.

The act of leaving creates inquiries regarding what lies ahead for Fox, the Republican Party, and conservatism as a whole. Additionally, there are queries surrounding the future of the host who has been with them for a significant period.

After the shocking events of Monday morning, here are some key points to keep in mind: 

Fox loses its top talent.

Carlson is considered the top commentator on the network in any way you look at it.

He was one of the top-rated hosts on the network, with ratings that were comparable to those of "The Five." During the Trump presidency, he was one of the two most influential hosts, along with Sean Hannity.

As he gained more notoriety, he also became the most heavily criticized individual on the network. Liberal activists and external organizations frequently pressured advertisers to stop supporting his program. Despite these challenges, Carlson maintained a devoted following by offering a distinct type of conservative program that offered occasional opposing perspectives. Unlike other conservative programs on the network, Carlson's approach was less formulaic and provided more variety.

That is no longer a concern, and Fox will have to navigate the most important part of the 2024 period with what remains.

"Kingmaker lost by Conservatives"

Let's take a look at what Carlson signifies to conservatives by examining a few remarks made by individuals shortly after Fox News revealed the news:

Senator JD Vance, who represents the Republican Party in Ohio, referred to an individual as "the most brave person in the American media".

During an interview, Donald Trump Jr. expressed that his departure has caused irreversible changes for both the GOP and conservatism.

Senator Ron Johnson from Wisconsin belonging to the Republican party, expressed his views on the abrupt departure of Tucker Carlson from Fox News through a tweet. Johnson praised Carlson's exceptional skills in journalism and his ability to uncover and bring to light the truth. He also stated that the network's decision to let go of Carlson is a significant setback for them.

During the beginning of his primetime show, Carlson had to deal with several advertiser boycotts. However, he ignored the negative response and was praised by his loyal viewers who not only remained but also increased in number.

Carlson is facing severe backlash for his remarks. He has received criticism for stating that the events of January 6 were characterized by "mostly peaceful chaos" and supporting the notion that the 2020 election was "unfairly conducted." Moreover, he has expressed his opinion that certain migrants entering the U.S. are making the country "poorer and dirtier."

In recent times, he has found himself taking a position that is contrary to former President Trump's. This was particularly the case when new Dominion filings were brought to light. In a message he sent to a staff member of Fox on the fourth of January, 2021, Carlson expressed his great dislike of Trump and mentioned how he was eager to exclude him on his show.

At the identical moment, it's possible that nobody on the conservative side, except for Trump, has represented the desires and necessities of conservatives in recent history.

In 2020, Rich Lowry, who is the boss at National Review, commented on the growing talk about Tucker Carlson running for President in 2024. He mentioned that a lot of people relate to what Carlson has been saying, but most GOP politicians are not expressing or supporting those views. Lowry thinks that Carlson's fearlessness is a valuable trait and uncommon among politicians from the Republican party.

Possible changes on Fox News could be anticipated.

The conflict between Fox and Dominion Voting Systems, which resulted in a settlement of $787 million, along with other ongoing legal issues, is expected to have significant consequences for the network. This could be a pivotal moment for Fox as it strives to move on from the controversies surrounding the 2020 election.

On Monday, it was reported by The LA Times that Rupert Murdoch was the one who decided to remove Carlson from Fox. There were two reasons stated that contributed to this decision. One of these reasons was the ongoing discrimination lawsuit filed by Abby Grossberg, who was a former producer for both Carlson and Maria Bartiromo. The other reason was Carlson’s coverage of the Jan. 6 Capitol attack that occurred recently.

In addition to the issues that have been accumulating, Fox is now confronted with a lawsuit of $2.7 billion from Smartmatic which also includes Bartiromo and Jeannine Pirro as accused. It's highly unlikely that the trial regarding this case will happen anytime soon, it might take months, or potentially even years. Nevertheless, the Dominion settlement has created an opportunity for a comparable outcome in the Smartmatic case.

The network spokesperson assured that they will be prepared to protect themselves during the upcoming trial, which is expected to happen in 2025. They also highlighted that the claims made by Smartmatic are not reasonable and are meant to limit the freedom of speech, as stated in their financial expert's report.

It is uncertain whether these problems will result in a change of direction for a network that made $2.8 billion in profits last year.

Fox may indicate their next steps by selecting someone to replace Carlson in their primetime lineup.

Considering Fox's history of successfully selecting new hosts in the last ten years, who are able to connect with the viewers and match the previous host's capabilities, it's highly likely that Fox will make another good choice.

The largest critic of the GOP has been lost

Carlson has been a constant source of trouble for the GOP's leaders and prominent figures. As time went on, this discomfort increased due to his expanding reach and following.

For a long time, the commentator has expressed his disapproval towards individuals on the political right that he refers to as "America's ruling class". He has engaged in multiple arguments with them on different topics such as immigration, the conflict in Ukraine, COVID-19 vaccinations, financial affairs, and the attack on the Capitol that occurred on January 6th.

Earlier this year, there was a great demonstration of Carlson's influence when the leaders of the House GOP wanted him to help Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) secure the votes he needed to become Speaker. However, Carlson did not offer his support and instead criticized McCarthy, setting out a list of conditions that he would have to fulfill in order to gain the necessary votes.

After several months, McCarthy provided Carlson with 41,000 hours of footage from Jan. 6. This led to a series of segments that received criticism from prominent Republican figures, such as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). McConnell has been a frequent subject of Carlson's criticism.

Carlson confronted with inquiries regarding his upcoming plans

No one knows for sure where Carlson plans to go next. It's also unclear whether his viewers will continue to watch him.

O'Reilly, who lost his job in 2017 because it came to light that he and his company paid $13 million to women who accused him of sexual misconduct, has been traveling around the media world. He has been the main attraction at public appearances and has been hosting a podcast.

Megyn Kelly left NBC a few months ago and soon after parted ways with that network. She has now started her own podcast and radio show, which has gained a lot of popularity.

In contrast to O'Reilly and Kelly, who faced scandals and lost credibility, Carlson's reputation is strong among right-wing audiences and he has a dedicated fan base. This could potentially lead to more opportunities for him in the future.

It appears that he has come to a halt in the cable news arena, as CNN and MSNBC have shifted towards the left in the past few years, and the conservative networks Newsmax and One America News Network have only a small portion of the audience that Fox has.

Is it possible that Carlson might consider re-entering the digital media space? It's worth noting that Carlson has previously launched a website, back in 2007 with the Daily Caller.

Although some analysts speculate that he could possibly run for presidency in 2024, Carlson has not shown any desire to explore this possibility in recent times.

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