Rep. Burlison to Newsmax: Conservatives ‘Lost a Voice’ With Tucker Carlson’s FOX Departure

Missouri Republican Rep. Eric Burlison told Newsmax on Monday that conservatives have “lost a voice” with the announcement that host Tucker Carlson was leaving FOX News.

“We certainly lost a voice on FOX News. Tucker was the individual that [House Speaker Kevin] McCarthy and the Republican caucus went to when we wanted to release the footage of the Jan. 6 videos because we trusted them to be able to get all the information out,” Burlison said during “The Chris Salcedo Show” on Monday. “Sadly, that’s an outlet that’s no longer available to us.”

The network made the announcement in a statement Monday, taking many by surprise due to Carlson’s dominance in the ratings for his prime-time broadcast.

“FOX News Media and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways. We thank him for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor,” the network said in a statement Monday. “Mr. Carlson’s last program was Friday April 21. FOX News Tonight will air live at 8 p.m./ET starting this evening as an interim show helmed by rotating Fox News personalities until a new host is named.”

Ad Week’s TVNewser reported in March that Carlson’s show averaged 3.25 million nightly viewers in the first quarter of 2023, up from the 3.19 nightly average viewers in the final quarter of 2022.

In what is considered by advertisers as the “key demographic” of viewers aged 25-54, the show drew 443,000 nightly viewers in the first quarter of 2023, taking the number one spot in the ratings, the report said.

Burlison said that it is important to have choices in media, especially like Carlson for conservatives, because the left would rather see choices dwindle so it can control things.

“I think when the left sees that there’s one avenue, [it] likes to consolidate things so they can control it,” he said. “They want to centralize public schools so they can control it. They want to centralize everything in your life so that they can eventually gain control, and then eliminate your choices. I think it is a good thing that Newsmax exists because it’s a choice for conservatives. And sadly, we’re losing another choice, potentially with Fox News.”

According to TVNewser, FOX News has all 15 top-rated shows on cable news among the key demographic, followed by CNN’s Erin Burnett’s Outfront in the 16th spot.

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