Star Fox News
host
Tucker Carlson
has
left the influential television network.
This was confirmed by the ultra-conservative station, days after reaching an agreement in which he must pay
787.5 million dollars for a defamation case
.
The news coincided with the departure of host Don Lemon from CNN, after 17 years.
"Fox News Media and Tucker Carlson have agreed to
part ways
. We thank him for his service to the network as an anchor and prior as a contributor," Fox News said in a statement.
As it turned out, last Friday was his last participation in the Fox News Tonight program.
In the next few days, he will continue to air with rotating figures of the chain, until the name of the replacement is defined.
The news giant agreed last Tuesday a million-dollar compensation to the voting technology company Dominion.
He did it to avoid going to trial in the lawsuit filed by the company, which would have exposed the way in which the chain
promoted lies about the 2020 presidential election
in which Joe Biden won, while Trump claimed fraud that was found that it did not exist.
Tucker Carlson was one of the star anchors of the Fox News network.
Photo: Reuters
The settlement was finalized moments before trial opening arguments began, bringing
an abrupt end
to a case that had embarrassed Fox News for months.
Despite the size of the outlay, the problems for the station are not over yet: lawsuits are still pending seeking accountability from right-wing figures who spread lies about the election.
In parallel to the Dominion case, the election technology company Smartmatic sued Fox News for defamation and seeks
$2.7 billion in damages
.
"The Dominion litigation exposed some of Fox's misconduct and misinformation harm.
Smartmatic will expose the rest
," said J. Erik Connolly, attorney for Smartmatic.
He added that the company was "committed to clearing its name, recovering the severe damage suffered and holding Fox accountable for undermining democracy."
Tuesday's deal, announced just before the process began, was reached for about half of the $1.6 billion Dominion was initially asking for.
Fox thus avoided a high-profile trial that would have become a parade of network personalities, including its owner, tycoon Rupert Murdoch, and its hitherto star presenter, Tucker Carlson.
CNN fired Don Lemon
The departure of this star from the conservative channel is added, but in the ranks of the progressive media, to that of the presenter
Don Lemon
, who has been fired by the CNN channel, which has not been to his liking.
In a brief note, the channel reported that "CNN and Don have taken different paths," according to The New York Times, which reproduces the statement.
Don Lemon was separated from the CNN channel.
Photo: Reuters
"Don will always be a part of the CNN family and we thank him for his contributions over the past 17 years. We wish him the best and encourage him in his future endeavors," the network wrote.
The journalist was one of the hosts of the "This Morning" program and began his career at CNN in September 2006.
Last February, she was the protagonist of a controversy by ensuring that a woman "considers herself at her best at 20, 30 and perhaps 40", which earned her a wave of criticism despite the fact that she later apologized.
Lemon, who this morning participated in the program, assured on his Twitter account that he was informed by his agent of the end of his contract:
"I am stunned
," he said.
"After 17 years at CNN I thought someone in management would have the decency to tell me directly," he said before thanking all the colleagues and teams he has worked with.
"They are the most talented journalists and I wish them the best," he concluded.