The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Major (and Also Minor) Media News

Posted on | April 24, 2023 | 1 Comment

Today I was watching CNN (so you don’t have to) when, just after noon, they reported that Tucker Carlson and Fox News have “parted ways.” Then they brought on the despicable Oliver Darcy to engage in unsubstantiated speculation as to why Carlson — the top-rated host in cable news for the past six years — had left Fox. But does anyone actually care what Oliver Darcy thinks? Because you might think that if Darcy’s opinions were so valuable, more people would be watching CNN, which has been mired in third place among cable news networks for at least the past 15 years. CNN sucks, and they spend an inordinate amount of time “reporting” about what’s happening on Fox News.

The Daily Caller (a publication founded by Carlson) offers no clues for the reasons behind his departure from Fox, which leads me to suspect that nobody yet actually knows why he left, but Glenn Reynolds at least offers some informed speculation (as opposed to Oliver Darcy’s bizarre theories). As for me, my best guess is that Tucker had gotten tired of having to put up with the uptight “don’t-be-too-right-wing” concerns of Fox News management, which is no doubt pining for the good old neocon days of Chris Stirewalt, Bill Kristol, Stephen Hayes, et al. However, the Los Angeles Times asserts as a fact that Carlson was “pushed out by Rupert Murdoch,” which may be true, as far as I know.

So, that is the major media news of the day, and as for the minor media, well, Don Lemon finally got fired from CNN:

Don Lemon has been terminated by CNN, the anchor announced on Monday just hours after he’d ended his morning broadcast.
“I was informed this morning by my agent that I have been terminated by CNN. I am stunned,” he tweeted in a fiery post announcing his exit. “After 17 years at CNN I would have thought that someone in management would have the decency to tell me directly. At no time was I ever given any indication that I would not be able to continue to do the work I have loved at the network. It is clear that there are some larger issues at play. With that said, I want to thank my colleagues and the many teams I have worked with for an incredible run. They are the most talented journalists in the business, and I wish them all the best.”
CNN CEO Chris Licht confirmed the news in a memo to network staffers: “CNN and Don Lemon have parted ways. Don will forever be a part of the CNN family, and we thank him for his contributions over the past 17 years,” he wrote. “We wish him well and will be cheering him on in his future endeavors.”
CNN disputed Lemon’s characterization of his termination in a statement. “Don Lemon’s statement about this morning’s events is inaccurate,” wrote the network’s PR shop. “He was offered an opportunity to meet with management but instead released a statement on Twitter.”
CNN anchor John King seemed surprised by the news during Monday’s broadcast of Inside Politics. “I don’t know the details happening while I’m sitting in the chair here, but I work here. I love this place,” King said. “Certainly wish Don the best. He’s always been good to me as a colleague.”
“I’m just relieved,” one female on-air CNN personality told The Daily Beast. “I really never thought that there wouldn’t be any accountability right. I mean, these guys are untouchable for the most part.”
The sudden exit ends a tumultuous year for the star anchor, who has seemingly generated one negative headline after another for a network under siege by financial losses and leadership changes.

Nice touch with that adverb, “seemingly.”



 

 

Category: CNN, Fox News

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One Response to “Major (and Also Minor) Media News”

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    April 25th, 2023 @ 7:12 am

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