The news of the breakup of Mr. Carlson with Fox immediately sparked speculation in right-wing media circles about his next moves. mr. Carlson’s late-night viewing of Fox News has made him a power broker and an opinion former in the Republican Party. That would make him a serious asset to the conservative media companies that have presented themselves as an alternative to the mainstream press — and to Fox News, the right-wing media giant.
An associate of Mr Carlson said Rumble, a right-wing media company based in Canada, would be a likely candidate. The Daily Wire, a media start-up co-founded by conservative commentator Ben Shapiro, is interested in exploring a deal with Mr Carlson, as are conservative TV networks Newsmax and One America News, according to three people in public. with their interest.
Fox News, for its part, is alternating hosts in Mr. Carlson’s old timeslot under the “Fox News Tonight” banner for the foreseeable future. So far have included Brian Kilmeade, who usually co-hosts the network’s popular morning show “Fox and Friends,” and Lawrence Jones, another host with the network.
Fox News, the longtime king of cable news ratings, has suffered an audience drop in Mr. Carlson’s hour after his abrupt departure. Fox’s audience in that timeslot trailed both CNN’s and MSNBC’s among adults ages 25-54 on some nights last week, a rare loss in that demographic coveted by advertisers.
For Mr. Carlson, there’s more at stake than a paycheck, Mr. Lee said. Many TV personalities become less relevant the longer they stay off the air, reducing their earning potential.
“It’s not always just a question of money, because being off the air for an extended period of time can have a negative effect on a career,” said Mr. Lee.
Jim Ruthenberg reporting contributed.
