Fox News has long been a favorite news source for conservatives, but some people are questioning whether the network is changing. Many believe that during the 2020 election night coverage, Fox News was calling states for Sleepy Joe Biden with only a fraction of the results in, and it seemed as if they were joining the ranks of “fake news” by baking their narrative into the cake. This has led some to question whether Fox News is the next Drudge Report.
The Drudge Report was a conservative mainstay going back to the 1990s, with a simplistic website that was king. However, there was a very obvious shift on the Drudge Report, which suddenly became anti-Trump. The website would soon hemorrhage traffic, and conservatives swiftly abandoned the now left-leaning site. Many former fans had to wean themselves from the multiple daily visits they used to make to the Drudge Report. Eventually, everything came to an end, and the Drudge Report is now dead to many people.
Could the same thing be happening with Fox News? There have been many signs that things are changing at the network, but it has been a gradual shift. Rather than having conservatives abandon the network altogether (which many have), perhaps the goal is to gradually take these conservatives down the lefty rabbit hole. By doing this, Fox News can maximize viewership and maintain advertising dollars. However, with the abrupt cancellation of Tucker Carlson and no explanation given, the network may have moved too fast. This will undoubtedly alienate many Fox News viewers, and it is pretty clear that this does not matter to Fox News management. Tucker Carlson had the largest audience in cable news, and Fox News had no problem flushing that audience down the toilet. Why? We may find out at some point, but as of now, Tucker Carlson has not publicly spoken on the matter.
It’s possible that Fox News is content joining the likes of CNN or MSNBC, as their audience is right there in the same toilet that Fox has just flushed. The good news is that just like when the Drudge Report flipped, alternatives will fill the vacuum. It will be interesting to see who the new host will be to fill Tucker’s time slot, I hear Don Lemon is looking for work?
It will indeed be interesting to see who will fill Tucker Carlson’s time slot. Many viewers are wondering what the future holds for Fox News and whether they will continue down a path of gradually alienating their conservative base. Alternatives will likely fill the vacuum left by any exodus of conservative viewers. Many viewers will likely be indifferent to the path Fox News takes, they will simply move on. It remains to be seen how Fox News will navigate these changes and what their ultimate goals are for their audience and advertising revenue. Investors have already taken notice.