Fox’s ‘News’ Division Refused to Promote Tucker Carlson’s Jan. 6 Tape B.S.: Report
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The internal tension between some of Fox News’ biggest names has been made public in recent weeks — and it seems that some staffers are now willing to dish on what exactly has been going on behind the scenes. According to a report from Mediaite, many of the network’s hosts and employees are becoming increasingly hostile toward the network’s biggest star, Tucker Carlson.
Sources indicated to Mediaite that no one at the network “has control” over Carlson, and staff outside of the channel’s “entertainment” programming have begun refusing to cover his primetime exploits, including his absurd rewriting of the Jan. 6 riot in the U.S. Capitol.
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In February, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy granted Carlson exclusive access to tens of thousands of hours of Capitol CCTV footage. After weeks spent reviewing the material, Carlson dedicated days of his show to crafting a narrative that the attack on the Capitol was not an attempt to stop Joe Biden from becoming president, but a state-concocted plot to entrap “meek and orderly” sightseers.
Despite being encouraged to report on Carlson’s findings, other shows refused to do so, an echo of the disdain expressed by GOP lawmakers in response to the coverage.
Though other network employees have deemed Carlson’s material objectionable, the report found that many Fox staffers believe Carlson is operating beyond any measure of accountability. “Tucker was hand-selected by the Murdochs. They love him,” one staffer told Mediaite. “Everyone just bows to him, because he’s got the Murdochs’ ear … He can do no wrong.”
Carlson, as well as his fellow primetime anchors, have reportedly internalized this message, viewing their position as ratings-drivers as a form of immunity. Internal communications made public through Dominion Voting Systems’ lawsuit against the network have shed light on the manner in which Carlson wields his influence.
In one text exchange between Carlson and fellow primetime hosts Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham, the trio heavily criticize their network’s “news” side as “pathetic” for having the audacity to fact-check claims of election fraud being promoted by “opinion” anchors.
In the conversation, Carlson angrily demands that Hannity assist him in getting Fox’s White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich fired after she publicly fact-checked Rudy Giuliani’s claims of election fraud.
“There is no doubt that Tucker spreads shit about hosts he doesn’t like to the press,” one insider told Mediaite, adding that network executives were aware of his behavior. But tacit support from executives is not enough to spare them from Carlson’s scheming. The report claims he’s also been fueling rumors that Fox CEO Suzanne Scott’s position at Fox is on the chopping block. Carlson rebuffed these claims, telling Mediaite that he is “grateful that Suzanne runs the place. I don’t know who’s telling you this but it’s a lie, and a very weird one” he said.
In response to the allegations, a Fox News spokesperson told Mediaite that “a story littered with anonymous sources from former disgruntled employees spreading gossip on things they know absolutely nothing about is hardly groundbreaking and should be taken with a huge grain of salt.”
Regardless of whatever public and private criticism Carlson receives, the brass at Fox knows he’s the network moneymaker. The host himself told Mediaite that while the network “didn’t stop” him from airing his Jan. 6 diatribe, “They lawyered it up quite a bit to make sure we didn’t get sued.”
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