Timcast IRL · April 27, 2023 · 2h 0m
Timcast IRL #766 FIRING TUCKER CARLSON BACKFIRES, Fox Ratings TANK Nearly 50% w/Steve Krakauer
Episode Recap
Timcast IRL episode #766 featured Tim Pool and co-hosts discussing the significant ratings drop at Fox News following Tucker Carlson's firing. The episode opened with breaking news that Fox News lost to CNN in the key demographic for the first time, with ratings plummeting nearly 50% from Tucker's 3.3 million viewers to just 1.7 million. Steve Krakauer, a journalist and author of 'Uncovered,' joined the discussion to analyze the media landscape and what Tucker's departure means for cable news. The show examined how Fox News is now landing third in the 25-54 demographic at 8 p.m., beaten by both Anderson Cooper and Chris Hayes, with viewership dropping from 400-500,000 in the key demo to just 149,000. The conversation also touched on the implications for advertising revenue and what Tucker Carlson might do next, with Seamus Coghlan and Adrian Norman providing additional commentary throughout the episode.
TL;DR
- →Fox News ratings dropped nearly 50% after Tucker Carlson's firing, from 3.3 million to 1.7 million viewers at 8 p.m.
- →Fox News landed third in the key 25-54 demographic, beaten by both CNN's Anderson Cooper and MSNBC's Chris Hayes for the first time.
- →Key demo viewership plummeted to 149,000 compared to Tucker's typical 400-500,000 viewers, causing major advertising concerns.
- →Steve Krakauer joined the show to discuss his new book 'Uncovered' about media corruption and his analysis of the cable news landscape.
- →The panel discussed the business implications of Tucker's departure and what his next move might be, noting he remains under contract and cannot currently speak publicly.
- →Seamus Coghlan and Adrian Norman provided additional commentary on the media criticism and Tucker Carlson saga throughout the episode.
Key Moments
- 0:00Opening and Ratings NewsTim Pool opens with the shocking news that Fox News lost to CNN in the key demographic for the first time after Tucker Carlson's firing.
- 3:30Ratings Deep DiveDetailed breakdown of Fox News ratings showing nearly 50% drop from Tucker's numbers to current viewership.
- 5:30Steve Krakauer IntroductionIntroduction of guest Steve Krakauer, journalist and author of 'Uncovered' about media corruption.
- 8:00Media Landscape DiscussionSteve Krakauer analyzes the broader implications for cable news and what Tucker Carlson's departure means for the industry.
- 12:00Co-host CommentarySeamus Coghlan and Adrian Norman provide additional perspectives on the media criticism and Tucker saga.
Notable Quotes
“Fox News lost to CNN. That's right. Your ratings in the key demo are lower than that of Anderson Cooper's. CNN, they must be screaming and celebrating and high-fiving each other after this major blunder. Tucker Carlson's out. The ratings for the 8 p.m. slot on Fox News have dropped by about 50%, and in the key demo, they've fallen to third place.”
— Tim Pool · opening segment on Fox News ratings disaster
“I just wrote a book, Uncovered, How the Media Got Cozy with Power, Abandoned Its Principles and Lost the People, tracks how corporate media just completely went off the rails over the last seven years.”
— Steve Krakauer · introduction of his book on media criticism
“Jesse Waters beats both CNN and MSNBC. And then at 8 p.m., CNN and MSNBC beat Fox News. Chris Hayes has beaten Fox News. How embarrassing. Chris Hayes and Anderson Cooper. I mean, this is honestly a disaster.”
— Tim Pool · reaction to the ratings numbers
“This is not the same as what happened when Bill O'Reilly left or when other top stars left. Tucker Carlson is a singular voice and an incredibly important voice in this particular moment. And they lose that. And that is going to have massive repercussions.”
— Steve Krakauer · analysis of why Tucker's departure is different from other cable news exits
“ABC News is getting rid of Nate Silver. BuzzFeed News is gone. Don Lemon's gone. And Tucker. So thanks for hanging out, man. This should be fun.”
— Tim Pool · discussing the broader media collapse happening simultaneously