‘texts exposé, hostile work environment charges’: what led to carlson’s ‘execution’ by fox news?

Tucker Carlson, one of the most influential conservative voices in the American media, was ousted from _Fox News_ on Friday. The firebrand host of _Fox News_’ highest-rated primetime show

found out about his firing 10 minutes before a statement by the channel, according to__Wall Street Journal__. “Fox News Media and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways,” the statement

said. “We thank him for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor.”  The last episode of the right-wing host’s programme was Friday, according to the statement

by _Fox News_. The channel denied him any opportunity to bid his viewers goodbye. A part of the channel since 2009, Carlson had signed off of Friday’s show of _Tucker Carlson Tonight_ with a

“best weekend” wish, promising to be back on Monday. “Not being given a chance to sign off is the television equivalent of an execution” — that’s what media commentator Brian Stelter wrote

in a __Vanity Fair___ piece_. The network did not provide any reason for his dismissal – which comes less than a week after _Fox News _struck a_$787.5 million settlement_ with Dominion

Voting Systems over a defamation lawsuit concerning its spread of misinformation to favour Donald Trump during the 2020 US elections.     TEXTS ON TOP EXECUTIVES  In the run up to the

settlement, some of Carlson’s messages to his colleagues, criticising the network’s top executives had made headlines, according to __the Wall Street Journal_. _ In the texts to his

producer, Justin Wells, who was also fired, Carlson said following Joe Biden’s victory: “Do the executives understand how much credibility and trust we’ve lost with our audience?” “Those

f****** are destroying our credibility.” “A combination of incompetent liberals and top leadership with too much pride to back down is what's happening.” He also expressed that he

“passionately” hated Donald Trump, describing him as “a demonic force, a destroyer”. While many of the text messages by Carlson were redacted at _Fox_ attorneys’ request, they have been seen

by the senior _Fox_ executives. CHARGES OF FOSTERING A ‘HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT’ BY FORMER PRODUCER  Another factor that could have led to his dismissal, _many speculated_, were the many

cases lodged against Carlson. In one of the pending cases, Abby Grossberg, a former producer for his show, has sued him and _Fox News _for fostering a hostile work environment. Grossberg

claimed that she was “coerced, intimidated, and misinformed” for her deposition in the Dominion lawsuit.