Tucker Carlson's Rise in Conservative Media

New Yorker writer Jason Zengerle's book, "Hated by All the Right People: Tucker Carlson and the Unraveling of the Conservative Mind," details how Tucker Carlson became a highly influential voice on the far right.

Key Factors in Carlson's Ascendancy

Carlson reportedly recognized the potential appeal of Donald Trump's nativist platform in 2015, a recognition that contributed to his rise at Fox News. Zengerle states that Carlson is someone Donald Trump actively listens to for advice.

Carlson began his career in conservative print media before transitioning to television. Following stints at CNN and MSNBC, he joined Fox News and was later terminated in 2023. He now hosts a streaming show on X, where he has expressed far-right positions, including the "great replacement" conspiracy theory.

Zengerle suggests that since leaving Fox, Carlson has embraced more explicit and controversial views to maintain his audience in the attention economy. Carlson's career is characterized by a desire for "fame, fortune and power," leading Zengerle to consider him a political actor with potential ambitions for public office.

Career Milestones

Shift to Television

Carlson prioritized television over print journalism in the 1990s. This decision was driven by the immediate and significant responses he received from TV appearances, which consistently overshadowed the impact of his written work.

The Jon Stewart "Crossfire" Incident

A 2004 appearance by Jon Stewart on CNN's "Crossfire" resulted in the show's cancellation and Carlson's departure from CNN. Zengerle notes that Carlson felt humiliated by the incident and believed his Washington peers did not support him. This experience may have contributed to his later populist criticisms of the Washington establishment and traditional media.

Evolution of The Daily Caller

In 2010, Carlson co-founded The Daily Caller with an initial goal of creating a fact-based, reported conservative news site. However, he soon pivoted to more "tabloidy" and "outrageous" content. This shift focused on topics like race, immigration, and gender, as these stories consistently generated more traffic, putting The Daily Caller in direct competition with Breitbart for inflammatory content.

Rise at Fox News

Carlson was initially a minor figure at Fox News. His ability to articulate a defense for Donald Trump's presidential candidacy helped revive his career, particularly as other Fox programs struggled to find guests who could make a sensible case for Trump. This led to increased airtime and, following the departure of Roger Ailes, Rupert Murdoch gave Carlson his own show at 7 p.m.