The Disparate Interests of Tucker Carlson and Fox News

Tucker Carlson’s sudden departure from Fox News was so unexpected, the channel was running commercials promoting his show Monday morning. There are some facts you should have in mind when attempting to make sense of Carlson’s departure.

Tucker Carlson’s final program attracted 2.65 million viewers. Over the past year, there’s been an intriguing shift in Fox News’ viewership, as last year, Carlson’s show did not have the most viewers on the channel — as it had since 2020. In fact, the show with the most viewers on Fox News in 2022 wasn’t even in prime time. It was The Five, a panel program featuring Greg Gutfeld, Dana Perino, Jesse Watters, Jeanine Pirro, and rotating hosts Jessica Tarlov, Geraldo Rivera, and Harold Ford Jr. that airs at . . . well, five o’clock on the East Coast.

Note that Fox News overall has the highest-rated and most-watched programs in cable-news prime time, by a considerable margin: