Carlson has been itching for a return to the general public scene since his ouster from Fox, in line with folks in his circle.
It was not instantly clear how Carlson determined to deliver his content material to Twitter. However a video Carlson posted to platform in late April, days after his firing, amassed greater than 80 million views, in line with Twitter’s public view counts, which galvanized Carlson and folks in his orbit.
Twitter proprietor Elon Musk tweeted late Tuesday that there was no cope with Carlson, and he urged folks from each side of the political spectrum to affix the location.
“On this platform, in contrast to the one-way avenue of broadcast, individuals are in a position to work together, critique and refute no matter he or anybody might say,” he stated.
On this platform, in contrast to the one-way avenue of broadcast, individuals are in a position to work together, critique and refute no matter he or anybody might say.
And, after all, something deceptive will get @CommunityNotes.
I additionally wish to be clear that now we have not signed a deal of any form…
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 9, 2023
Carlson is able to stroll away from cash that Fox nonetheless contractually owes him, in line with an individual with data of his pondering, to flee a noncompete clause that may maintain him off the air by means of the tip of 2024 — and rupture his connection together with his viewers, he believes. The identical particular person stated the contract doesn’t rely digital or streaming tasks as off-limits.
However no exit deal has been finalized with the community, and Carlson appears able to escalate his battle with Fox. Carlson lawyer Bryan Freedman despatched a letter to Fox executives on Tuesday accusing the corporate of fraud and breach of contract, and arguing that the noncompete is null and void, The Washington Put up has confirmed. The letter was first reported by Axios.
Carlson provided no particulars about how this present would function or when it could seem. Twitter and Musk didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Musk has tried aggressively to monetize the location, leaning closely right into a subscription mannequin and charging $8 for the signature blue checks that used to indicate verification.
As a part of these efforts, Musk has additionally sought to influence journalists to put up solely to Twitter. Journalist Matt Taibbi, who printed parts of the Musk-backed “Twitter Information” collection outlining Twitter’s interactions with the U.S. authorities through the years, introduced final month he would stay at Substack — after Musk restricted posts from the e-newsletter platform following Substack’s launch of a Twitter clone.
With a imaginative and prescient of turning Twitter into a house for native content material from writers and public figures, Musk has launched a subscription button permitting customers to pay creators a charge for unique content material. However whereas Musk’s personal Twitter feed provides a subscription button — customers pays $4 a month to obtain bonus content material from him — Carlson’s profile didn’t embody an choice to subscribe as of Tuesday.
In Musk’s Tuesday tweet, which was in reply to Tucker’s tweeted video, Musk stated something deceptive shall be labeled with neighborhood notes, Twitter’s user-supported function for including crucial context or correcting factual errors.
“I additionally wish to be clear that now we have not signed a deal of any form in any way,” he stated. “Tucker is topic to the identical guidelines & rewards of all content material creators,” including that rewards are subscriptions and advertising-revenue share.
“I hope that many others, notably from the left, additionally select to be content material creators on this platform,” he added.
Carlson — who, shortly earlier than his firing, interviewed Musk on his present and had a briefing from Twitter tech employees concerning the web site’s moneymaking alternatives — didn’t remark. However the three-minute video posted Tuesday served as one thing of an commercial for Musk’s Twitter.
“Amazingly, as of tonight, there aren’t many platforms left that enable free speech,” Carlson says within the video. “The final large one remaining on this planet — the one one — is Twitter. … Twitter isn’t a partisan web site. All people’s allowed right here. And we predict that’s a very good factor.”
Representatives for Fox Information and mother or father firm Fox Corp. didn’t present touch upon whether or not Carlson’s plan to relaunch the present suggests he has agreed to an exit settlement from the community.
Carlson’s contract with Fox runs by means of the tip of 2024, although an individual near Carlson advised The Put up final week that he would possibly settle for much less cash than he’s owed to have the ability to get again into the media sport earlier than then.
A brand new model of Carlson’s private web site trumpets his return — “TUCKER IS BACK” — and consists of an choice for followers to join updates about him. On the homepage, Carlson is pictured sporting a checkered, button-down shirt and holding a gun.
