(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Fox News is slashing several staff members amid the $768 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems and declining viewership following the abrupt departure of host Tucker Carlson.
The reportedly conservative network shut down its investigative unit, leading to the reported departure of several journalists, according to Rolling Stone.
“The rank and file journalists are getting let go. Meanwhile, upper management are sitting pretty while they are the execs responsible for the Dominion debacle,” a former Fox employee told Rolling Stone. “We are the sacrificial lambs.”
While the specific number of employees terminated has not been disclosed, a source suggested that layoffs are expected to span multiple departments.
“Yes, [layoffs] have happened and continue to happen,” a second staffer said, later slamming Fox News’ decision to keep host Maria Bartiromo and CEO Suzanne Scott.
Responding to the closure of the investigative unit, an unnamed source told the New York Daily News that the move was unrelated to the Dominion lawsuit. “There were three employees in the seven-person unit impacted, while four employees were offered different positions within the company,” the individual claimed.
Emily Zanotti, a senior editor at Fox News Media, took to Twitter to announce her departure from the network on Friday.
In response to declining viewership among conservatives, Fox News has reshuffled its primetime shows, impacting notable hosts Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham and Jesse Waters. Speculation had circulated that Ingraham might be among those affected by the reshuffling.
An insider suggest that the changes are among Fox’s reports to improve financial losses. “They are trying to get money off the books before June 30. They have to save money because of the [Dominion] lawsuit,” a former Fox staffer told Rolling Stone.
Although Fox News has not released an official statement regarding these staff reductions, they were quick to dispel rumors about Ingraham’s departure, saying they had no plans on letting Ingraham go.
“Reports based on various tweets by left wing activists are wildly inaccurate — Laura Ingraham, the top-rated woman in cable news, is now and will continue to be a prominent host and integral part of the Fox News lineup,” a Fox spokesperson told Deadline on May 18.
Just last week, Dan Bongino, a former Fox contributor and host, revealed exclusive details behind his sudden departure from the network. During an interview with Megyn Kelly, Bongino said that executives at the company wanted ownership of his show, leading to his departure. Bongino’s exit was followed by Carlson’s, who recently took to Twitter to announce a new show.
