Shelby Talcott
Fox NewsFri, 05 Feb 2021 18:56 UTC
![Click to enlarge lou dobbs](/image/s29/598351/lou_dobbs.jpg)
© Alex Wong/Getty Images
Fox News has cancelled host Lou Dobbs' show, the outlet confirmed to the
LA Times on Friday.
Dobbs joined Fox Business in 2010 and hosted "
Lou Dobbs Tonight," which is
described by the network as "the #1 news program on business television."
The announcement comes a day after Smartmatic, a voting machine company, filed a $2.7 billion dollar lawsuit against Fox News in the New York Supreme Court. Dobbs came under fire during the 2020 election after pushing claims of election fraud.He was forced to issue a fact-checking clip on his show in December 2020 after Smartmatic issued a legal letter regarding what it says was "false and defamatory statements and reports," The Daily Beast previously
reported.
"As we said in October, Fox News Media regularly considers programming changes and plans have been in place to launch new formats as appropriate post-election, including on Fox Business," a Fox News spokesperson said according to the LA Times. "This is part of those planned changes. A new 5 p.m. program will be announced in the near future."
Fox News also said, according to the
LA Times, that it plans to back the 2020 election coverage. In addition to the lawsuit from Smartmatic, Fox may have one
looming from
Dominion Voting Systems, another voting machine company. The
LA Times cited "people familiar with discussions" who suggested that Dobbs' cancellation had been in the works prior to legal issues regarding the voting machine companies.
Dobbs is still under contract at the
company, though the 75-year-old is unlikely to appear on any show for the network again, according to the
LA Times. Prior to his show's cancellation, Dobbs also served as a commentator for Fox News Channel at times.
"
Lou Dobbs Tonight" is being renamed as "
Fox Business Tonight" beginning next week. The show will see rotating guest hosts, according to the
LA Times.
Fox News did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller.
Comment: Trump weighs in:
More
from RT:
Donald Trump and other fans are expressing support for Lou Dobbs after the sudden cancellation of his "number one news program" on Fox News, but liberals are so giddy they want other conservatives like Sean Hannity pulled.
...
Dobbs has been retweeting other messages of support since his cancellation, including some that are critical of Fox's decision and chalk the move up to the network attempting to steer itself away from Trump-supporting conservatives.
Liberals have meanwhile flooded social media, celebrating not only Dobbs' cancellation, but calling for boycotts and the firing of some of Fox's other biggest hosts and most vocal conservatives, including Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, and Tucker Carlson.
"Crazy works... until it doesn't. If @FoxNews were wise, this should be beginning of house-cleaning. Clearly, there's a market for conservative TV, but with truth and sanity cemented in its foundation. January 6th changed the equation. If they are to survive, they must change too," journalist Ron Mott tweeted.
Controversial veteran reporter Dan Rather predicted Dobbs was just the beginning, as did other media pundits, some noting that Dobbs' high ratings should have been a "shield" and likely signify a major shift for Fox.
Comment: Trump weighs in:
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