Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson made a surprise announcement on Tuesday that he would be launching a new show on Twitter, signaling the breakdown of negotiations to reach a separation agreement with the network where he is still under contract.
In a three-minute monologue delivered directly to the camera on Twitter, Carlson declared, “We’re back,” but offered no details regarding the content, format, or release date of his new program.
It’s also unclear whether Elon Musk, the CEO of Twitter, has a role in the production of the show or if Carlson would be compensated for his work but Musk was quick to make clarifications about their relationship.
In response to Carlson’s tweet, Musk stated that “we have not signed a deal of any kind whatsoever,” implying that any agreement between the two had not yet been reached.
Musk called Carlson's tweet "misleading" and clarified that Carlson will just be a content creator on the platform:
"Tucker is subject to the same rules [and] rewards of all content creators."
"Rewards means subscriptions and advertising revenue share (coming soon), which is a function of how many people subscribe and the advertising views associated with the content."
"I hope that many others, particularly from the left, also choose to be content creators on this platform."
You can see Musk's tweet below.
Both Carlson and Musk have been widely mocked online following the video's release.
While Carlson’s move to Twitter provides him with a platform to reach his audience, it also presents a challenge to his future as a prominent figure in conservative media.
Fox News, where Carlson was previously a prime-time host, has the power to block any attempt by him to return to the network, and it is uncertain whether his contract with Fox permits him to host a show on an alternate platform.
Musk has been advocating for content creators to embrace Twitter as their sole distribution channel, and the platform has recently unveiled subscription functionalities aimed at generating substantial revenue while reducing reliance on advertising.
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