Fox News refreshed its primetime line-up on Monday in the first major reorganization of the most popular shows since the Trump administration took office. The move also includes permanently filling the 8 p.m. slot that has been vacant since the network canceled Tucker Carlson’s show in April.
The change will see Jesse Watters, whose show will change from 7pm to 8pm, and Greg Gutfeld, the host of his regularly rated 11pm comedy and current affairs show. Two rising stars of the station will be promoted. than late-night rivals like Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel.Mr. Gutfeld’s show starts at 10pm
Laura Ingraham, who hosted the 10:00 p.m. from 2017will move at 7:00 p.m. and occupy the time hosted by Mr. Watters. Sean Hannity, an early Fox News mainstay, will remain in the 9 p.m. slot.
While some of Fox’s most important shows have changed names and times, the overall tone of the coverage doesn’t sound all that different to viewers.
Watters is a definite pro-Trump conservative who first became known to viewers when he made a cameo on Bill O’Reilly’s show before Fox aired. canceled the show His commentary has been criticized at times, such as in 2016 when he asked aggressive questions about Asians on a Chinatown show in Manhattan, such as whether they knew karate and whether they should bow when greeting them.
Fox’s primetime ratings, which were consistently the best among cable news, dropped to about a third after the station pulled Mr. Carlson off the air. His resignation followed a series of public relations headaches and legal troubles stemming from his career and work history. offensive commentsa lawsuit from a former producer who claims he enabled a toxic workplace, on and off air.
In April, just before Carlson’s show was terminated, Fox News and its parent company settled a defamation lawsuit filed by Dominion Voting Systems for $787.5 million. Some of Carlson’s personal text messages were made public during the incident, including attacking network colleagues, denigrating former President Donald J. Trump, and alleging that the 2020 election results were fraudulent. Some said they did not believe they were significantly affected by the vote.
one in particular hurt the textcaused a crisis at the top of Fox and expressed inflammatory views on violence and race.
