According to media reports published on Sunday citing unnamed sources close to Tucker Carlson, he may be preparing to establish a massive news agency to compete with Fox News.
And if Carlson is effective in establishing his own news agency, the number of viewers on a single tweet, which demonstrates public interest in what he has to say, indicates he would likely perform better than all other media combined.
“The idea that anyone is going to silence Tucker and prevent him from speaking to his audience is beyond preposterous,” Bryan Freedman, Carlson’s attorney, told Axios about the contract dispute with Fox News.
On April 21, Carlson was banished from the airwaves of Fox Network. Since then, the network’s ratings among key demographic groups have dropped precipitously, and the remaining viewers are still enraged.
According to Business Insider, Freedman secured a $30 million payout for former Fox News host Megyn Kelly, and he also represents Don Lemon, who was dismissed from CNN.
According to Axios, the contract is Carlson’s problem, as many have speculated that Fox News will pay Carlson his contract salary and keep him off the air to keep him silent.
“Carlson is plotting a media empire of his own,” the Blaze reported, “but may be held up in that endeavor since his contract at Fox does not expire until January 2025.”
ZeroHedge provided additional details:
“Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson is rallying forces to convince Fox to let him out of his contract so that he can work for, or launch, another network, Axios reports, citing sources close to Carlson – who apparently “knows where a lot of bodies are buried and is ready to start drawing a map,” said one source who wasn’t authorized to speak publicly,” adding:
“The network currently holds a contract which expires in January 2025 – after the next US election. To work on the contract dispute, Carlson has retained high-powered Hollywood lawyer Bryan Freedman, who told Axios: “The idea that anyone is going to silence Tucker and prevent him from speaking to his audience is beyond preposterous.”
According to the report, “Carlson allies with large platforms are prepared to attack Fox for attempting to put him on the back burner.”
ZeroHedge reported further:
Tucker versus Fox could reshape the conservative news industry. Fox, which has seen its ratings plummet in Carlson’s time slot since he was fired 13 days ago, wants to pay him $20 million per year not to work in order to suspend him.
The right-leaning Rumble and Newsmax, among others, reportedly contacted Carlson and offered to pay him more than his Fox contract. -Axios
And in a snippet that could send shockwaves through the media landscape, Axios reports that Carlson and Elon Musk have discussed working together, although no details are provided.
The former Fox host is also considering establishing a direct-to-consumer media outlet through which his millions of admirers could pay to watch him – a strategy successfully employed by his predecessor, Bill O’Reilly.
“See you soon?”
Carlson tweeted a video discussing the ills of the industry 48 hours after Fox fired him, concluding with “See you soon.”
Good evening pic.twitter.com/SPrsYKWKCE
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) April 27, 2023
One close Carlson friend told Axios of the media titan’s allies: “They’re coming to him and saying: ‘Do you want me to hit Fox?’
To which Carlson has been saying “No. I want to get this done quiet and clean.”
In a tweet alluding to conservative assaults on Bud Light, Megyn Kelly criticized her former employer for its post-Carlson ratings, indicating what may be to come. “My audience has taken to calling them #Foxweiser.” -Axios
That said, “Now, we’re going from peacetime to Defcon 1,” according to the friend. “His team is preparing for war. He wants his freedom.”
More on this story via The Republic Brief:
According to Axios, Elon Musk has been in conversations about working together. Further, sources told Axios Carlson is mulling a direct-to-consumer model to deliver content to viewers. CONTINUE READING…
