Written by Jack Phillips via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),
Tucker Carlson’s departure from Fox News appears to be affecting more than just the time slot he hosted for years on the network.
Carlson’s finale a week ago drew 2.65 million viewers, according to Nielsen. Brian Kilmeade’s substitute hosting gig for “Fox News Tonight” had ratings of 2.59 million on Monday, 1.7 million on Tuesday and 1.33 million on Wednesday, the data show. Last Wednesday, Carlson drew about 3 million viewers, Nielsen figures show.
But Fox News’ 9 p.m. show, hosted by Sean Hannity, drew about 2.5 million Monday, 2 million Tuesday and 1.7 million Wednesday night., according to Nielsen. By comparison, Hannity drew about 2.6 million viewers on Wednesday a week earlier, ratings show.
Laura Ingraham’s “The Ingraham Angle” grossed 2.156 million on Wednesday, April 19. But this past Wednesday, two days after Carlson was confirmed missing, his show drew 1.55 million viewers.
Jesse Watters’ show also saw a decline. By Wednesday, it had an audience of 1.558 million, but a week earlier, it generated 2.1 million.
In response to the Nielsen ratings numbers, Fox News said in a media release that Fox has been the most-watched cable news network for 21 years, with its team “more trusted by viewers than any other source of news”. When reached for comment, a Fox spokesperson also told The Epoch Times that “Fox News led cable news Monday and Tuesday throughout the day and in primetime with viewers and A25-54,” in reference to the 25- to 54-year-old population coveted by advertisers.
“Gutfeld,” hosted by Greg Gutfeld, was the only Fox News show to see an increase. Last Wednesday, the show drew 1.8 million viewers, but this past Wednesday it was watched by 2.02 million, according to the figures.
For March 2023, Hannity averaged 2.6 million viewers, according to Nielsen data. “Tucker Carlson Tonight” was No. 1 that month with an average of 3.3 million, Ingraham’s show drew 2 million viewers and Gutfeld drew 1.9 million viewers.
Hannity’s response
Hannity earlier this week indicated he had little knowledge of why Carlson left. For years, after his 8 p.m. show ended, Carlson turned to Hannity, also one of the highest-rated cable news personalities.
“It’s very difficult,” Hannity said during his “The Sean Hannity Show” Monday. “My phone has been blowing up all day. The hardest thing for me is that I have no idea…I have no idea. Was it Tucker’s decision? Was it Fox’s? It was a mutual agreement that they have? I don’t know.”
“I guess people think that because I’ve been around the longest that I would have knowledge or understanding of what’s going on, but…I just don’t.,” Hannity continued. “For those who think I should, I say to those people, ‘I don’t own the company.'”
Newsmax increase
Carlson’s departure also seemed to produce at least one immediate winner: Newsmax. According to Nielsen, Fox News’ conservative-leaning competitor has seen its ratings increase as Fox’s prime-time ratings have seen a sharp decline.
Newsmax anchor Eric Bolling’s 8 p.m. ET show had 510,000 viewers Wednesday night, compared to 168,000 the previous week, Nielsen said. On Tuesday, Bolling drew 562,000 viewers, up from 122,000 on the same day a week earlier.
This week, Newsmax has promoted claims that Fox News is changing to be more liberal and capitulated to leftist interests by allowing Carlson to leave. Details about why Carlson left the network are unclear.
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