Fox News shook up its prime-time lineup on Monday in the first major restructuring of its most popular programming since the start of the Trump administration. The moves include permanently filling the 8 p.m. slot that has been vacant since the network canceled Tucker Carlson’s show in April.
These changes would result in the network promoting two rising stars – Jesse Watters, whose show would move from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., and Greg Gutfeld, hosting the comedy and current affairs program at 11 p.m. Receives high ratings from Compared to late night rivals like Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel. Mr. Gutfeld’s show now at 10 p.m.
Laura Ingraham, who has been hosting the 10 p.m. program since 2017, will move to 7 p.m. and take over the timeslot that Mr. Waters is hosting. Sean Hannity, a mainstay of Fox News since its early days, will remain in the 9 p.m. slot.
Fox’s prime time ratings have consistently been among the highest among cable news, but have dropped by about one-third since the network dropped Mr. Carlson from the air. His departure was followed by a series of public relations headaches and legal problems stemming from his offensive comments both on and off air and a lawsuit from a former producer who claimed he enabled a toxic workplace. did.
In April, shortly before the cancellation of Mr. Carlson’s show, Fox News and its parent company settled a defamation lawsuit by Dominion Voting Systems for $787.5 million. Some of Mr. Carlson’s private text messages became public during the case, some in which he attacked network colleagues, including former President Donald J. Trump and said he does not believe the results of the 2020 election were influenced by voter fraud.
One particularly damaging text, which caused consternation at the top of Fox Corporation, expressed inflammatory views about violence and race.
