By J Robert Smith
- Jan. 15, 2024
- 2-min read
Fortune reported that after Fox News fired Tucker Carlson, it lost $690 million in value. That isn’t chump change. It’s stock prices have dipped by 12% since saying bye-bye to Carlson, according to invezz.
Making matters worse, Fox capitulated in a lawsuit filed by elections machine company Dominion Voting Systems. That payout was an eye-popping $787 million. Per invezz, another elections machine company “Smartmatic has filed a similar – but bigger – lawsuit.”
Variety reported in May of last year that Carlson was fired to settle with Dominion. Claims Variety:
“[An] unnamed [Fox] board member told Carlson that the condition does not appear in any of the settlement’s documents, and instead was a verbal agreement. If Fox didn’t comply, the settlement was off, Carlson was told.”
So, given the big dollar crunch, why would Fox give the heave-ho to any longtime advertisers?
Fox opted to “fire” advertiser Mike Lindell, who created and founded the My Pillow company. Lindell’s company sells more than pillows. My Pillow has struggled ever since retailers started to cancel the brand. Lindell dared publicly challenge the 2020 presidential election results. My Pillow being axed by Bed, Bath, Beyond a few years ago years ago was notable. Bed, Bath, Beyond closed its brick and mortar stores after years of financial struggles. There is a God.
You’d think the Murdochs would be all-in on repairing the financial hemorrhaging anyway they could. Along with finding new revenues, retaining tried and true advertisers is a no-brainer. But no go.
Instead, the Murdochs and their board continue to inch Fox News toward being yet another corporate news media outlet. Fox may never move as left as CNBC and CNN, but its a good bet that over time it’ll morph into a GOP establishment prop.
I dumped Fox when it booted Carlson. I don’t miss it. There are plenty of ways to get reliable news across the internet. Epoch Times and The Blaze are solid news sources, among others. Carlson has programming on X and pay-for programming. I’m also watching Newsmax more often.
Mike Lindell and his employees deserve better than what retailers and Fox News are doing to My Pillow. But remember this: Payback is hell. The day will come when they’ll wish they never played the cancellation game.
