The departure of highest rated TV host Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson is celebrated by both liberals and conservatives but for very different reasons. Liberals assume now the most watched TV host will be silenced. Conservatives cheer that Tucker will now be free to voice his opinions. Although he has millions of followers and many companies will offer him a role immediately, Tucker Carlson could bring a new type of journalism powered by digital media.
Legacy media such as TV, Radio, Newspapers have been struggling to survive. As recently as last week, Buzzfeed planned to shut down its news business. Newspapers keep offering deals like $1 for a month in hopes of telling advertisers that they have distribution. Cable TV is mainly a tool for creating content that Americans no longer watch or pay for. This trend may give the possibility of top anchors creating shows for distribution on social channels. And this may very well happen soon.
Imagine Twitter TV. Or TRUTH Media. On the right side of the screen, you will see upcoming broadcasts. Just like I would watch Tucker Carlson Tonight via some links when he is live (I got rid of Cable TV in 2009), I could do that on non-walled channels like Twitter/TRUTH/Facebook or wherever Tucker desires to distribute. It would work exactly the same way as Fox except that the reach would be exponentially higher which would tremendously increase his ad revenue generating power.
Liberals celebrated when Bill O’Reilly was ousted from Fox News in 2016, only to be replaced by Tucker Carlson, their “worst nightmare.” What comes next is anyone’s guess, but it’s clear that Carlson’s departure could mark a turning point in the media landscape, as more and more Americans turn to digital channels for their news and entertainment.
Update: December 21, 2023
Our fund invested in Tucker Carlson Network. Read the announcement