• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, May 1, 2023

As expected, Fox News’s ratings have suffered since last week’s ouster of host Tucker Carlson.

Carlson’s 8 p.m. Fox News show had been averaging about 3.25 million viewers per night year-to-date, continuing its longtime No. 1 ranking for the time slot.

On Monday April 24, the first night for replacement show “Fox News Tonight,” with Brian Kilmeade stepping in as the first in a revolving roster of temporary hosts, the show drew 2.59 million, and on Tuesday, 1.7 million. Those numbers still easily won the 8 p.m. period.

But on Wednesday, "Fox News Tonight"'s 1.33 million rating fell below MSNBC’s “All In With Chris Hayes,” at 1.38 million. On Thursday, Fox News Tonight edged out Hayes, with 1.46 million and 1.44 million, respectively.

Hayes beat Fox in the 25 to 54 demo on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and CNN’s Anderson Cooper also outpulled Fox in that demo on Wednesday.

Fox News still won the 8 p.m. hour for Monday through Thursday on average, with 1.87 million total viewers and 183,000 25 to 54-demo viewers, according to Mediaite. MSNBC was second, with 1.55 million total viewers and 182,000 demo viewers on average, and CNN was third, with 599,000 total viewers and 131,000 demo viewers.

However, Fox’s overall prime-time lineup, which averaged 2.09 million in the first quarter, was down to 1.87 million on Wednesday and 1.6 million on Thursday.

A Fox representative issued a statement noting that Fox News has been the most-watched cable news network for 21 years, and as of Sunday, was on track to close out April as the number one cable network. 

Lawrence Jones, who hosts a weekend Fox primetime show, will take over “Fox News Tonight” host duties this week.

Meanwhile, also-ran right-wing news outlet Newsmax has been crowing about its own gains in viewership. The network’s 8 p.m. show, “Eric Bolling The Balance,” had 510,000 viewers on Wednesday night versus 168,000 the previous Wednesday, and 562,000 on Thursday, versus 122,000 on the previous Thursday. On Friday, Newsmax said the show’s average audience for the week was 534,000, up 261% versus the previous week.

Carlson gave all of the networks some competition with a video he posted at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, which drew 11 million views within two hours and had pulled 78.6 million as of Sunday afternoon.

Carlson complained that most of the debates on television are “unbelievably stupid,” and asserted that both political parties “actively collude” to shut down discussion of what he deems the truly important issues: war, civil liberties, emerging science, demographic change, corporate power, and natural resources. He claimed that America is becoming a “one-party state,” and that there are few places now where Americans are “saying true things," but “as long as you can hear the words, there is hope.” He closed with “See you soon.”

The big questions, of course, are how soon, and in what venue or venues.

Although Carlson reportedly can’t have formal job talks due to his contract with Fox, Newsmax executives have “made it clear to the people around him” that they would give him a big say in rebranding the network — meaning not just giving him his own primetime show, but putting him in charge of programming for the entire network, according to TMZ sources.

Carlson has been making between $15 million and $20 million per year, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Carlson's current contract expires in January 2025, according to The New York Times, and has a "pay or play" clause that allows networks to keep talent from working for competitors as long as they are under contract, and being paid. A Fox News source supposedly told Breitbart that News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch wants to do just that, to keep Carlson off the air entirely through that date.

Anchors' contracts also usually include terms preventing them from making unsanctioned media appearances. And while "there are circumstances where pay-or-play can be challenged, networks and studios certainly view them as being relatively ironclad," entertainment lawyer Andy Lee told the Times. 

Carlson has hired Bryan Freedman, a lawyer who has negotiated departure deals for many TV stars, and is know for aggressive tactics.

It remains to be seen whether Fox will be willing to let Carlson compete in any way prior to his contract's expiration, but it is considered highly unlikely that the company would allow him to go to a competing cable network. 

Fox declined to comment on Carlson's contract, instead pointing to the extremely brief statement the company released when it fired Carlson last Monday.