OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
A known critic of Fox News is suggesting that two of the network’s top hosts and personalities could be on the chopping block following a massive financial settlement with Dominion Voting Systems, a balloting software firm that sued the media outlet over its reporting in the wake of former President Donald Trump’s 2020 election loss to Joe Biden.
Puck News founder Dylan Byers has predicted that Maria Bartiromo and Jeanine Pirro will be the two hosts who will be removed from their positions. Although some reports have suggested that Sean Hannity could also receive some sort of warning, there is no substantial evidence to support any of the claims.
He also said there is a chance that the Fox News personalities would not be fired but instead given a stern warning to be careful of what they say in the future, RadarOnline.com reported.
“So I anticipate one of two things will happen here, or has perhaps already happened: The first possibility is that Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott sits down with Bartiromo and Pirro and anyone else who came up to the line of libel and says, be careful,” he said.
Deciphering the post-settlement legal murmurs surrounding Fox’s new vulnerabilities, audience leakage, and a potential blood sacrifice.
With Puck’s @tina_nguyen, @DylanByers, and @eriqgardner https://t.co/VnmHkfUAAz
— Puck (@PuckNews) April 19, 2023
“Alternatively, Rupert and Suzanne have already decided to elegantly and eventually show Bartiromo and/or Pirro the door,” he said.
He mentioned that Murdoch said during his testimony that it was not Fox News, but certain hosts who made false statements about the 2020 presidential election.
“Not Fox, no. Not Fox. But maybe Lou Dobbs, maybe [Bartiromo] as commentators,” Murdoch said. “Some of our commentators were endorsing it.”
“If I’m [Bartiromo], that feels like the kiss of death,” Byers said. “The last thing on earth that Murdoch wants is to leave himself vulnerable to another $787-million headache. If you’re trying to avoid future libel lawsuits, that’s not exactly the kind of person you want on camera.”
Meanwhile, Fox News host Dan Bongino has parted ways with the news network in what is a stunner to his fans and fans of the top-rated cable giant.
“Folks, regretfully, last week was my last show on Fox News on the Fox News Channel,” the host said on his podcast Thursday, Variety reported. “It’s tough. It’s tough to say that. You know, I’ve been there doing hits and working there for ten years…so the show ending was tough. And I want you to know it’s not some big conspiracy. I promise you. There’s no acrimony. This wasn’t some WWE brawl that happened. We just couldn’t come to terms on an extension.”
“We thank Dan for his contributions and wish him success in his future endeavors,” the network said.
It said it will air ‘Lawrence Jones Cross Country” in place of Bongino’s show until the network announces a new schedule.
BONGINO: “Regretfully, last week was my last show on @FoxNews.” pic.twitter.com/NOGwTL6A92
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) April 20, 2023
The hosts of the ABC talk show “The View” were furious with the end of the Dominion lawsuit against Fox News.
On Tuesday, the two parties reached an agreement in which Fox News agreed to pay a record $787.5 to Dominion for defamation, but the agreement did not include the news network having to apologize to them.
“Fox News CEO admitted in a deposition the network knew they were pushing lies,” cohost Whoopi Goldberg said. “Should they have had to go onto their own network and say, look, yes, we lied to y’all. And we knew it and we had to pay this money because we lied to y’all. They don’t have to do that. They don’t have to admit any wrongdoing.”
“That’s my biggest problem with it because we already know the Fox News viewer exclusively gets his or her news from Fox News on air,” co-host Sunny Hostin said. “They don’t read other newspapers, they don’t get news from any other outlet, and the fact the New York Times is covering it and CNN is covering it, that’s fine. But they need to be able to get on air and tell their viewers, ‘you can’t trust us. We lied to you. We affected our very democracy. Some of our anchors can’t be trusted,’ and they needed to say that.”
