Axios reported that Fox News sent a cease-and-desist letter to former host Tucker Carlson regarding his new successful Twitter show:
Why it matters: The contract battle between Fox and its former top host — who was taken off the air in April, after the network’s historic Dominion settlement — has mighty repercussions for the conservative media ecosystem.
- With “Tucker on Twitter,” Carlson and his growing production team are working to elevate Elon Musk’s social media site as a news platform.
Details: The cease-and-desist letter has “NOT FOR PUBLICATION” in bold at the top.What’s happening: Fox is continuing to pay Carlson, and maintains that his contract keeps his content exclusive to Fox through Dec. 31, 2024.
- Carlson is making a First Amendment argument for posting on Twitter, and asserts that Fox has committed material breaches of his contract.
Tucker has released only two shows on Twitter but amassed millions of viewers.
“Doubling down on the most catastrophic programming decision in the history of the cable news industry, Fox is now demanding that Tucker Carlson be silent until after the 2024 election,” Harmeet K. Dhillon, a lawyer for Carlson, told Axios. “Tucker will not be silenced by anyone … He is a singularly important voice on matters of public interest in our country, and will remain so.”
The Daily Caller mentioned the 10-minute show “outperformed Fox News’ broadcasts in the same time slot.”
Carlson producer Justin Wells tweeted that the next show will be on June 13. The host will cover Trump’s indictment.
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