Fox News has sent a "cease and desist" letter to Tucker Carlson as he ramps up a competing series on Twitter that drew a combined 169 million views for its first two episodes, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: The contract battle between Fox and its former top host - who was taken off the air in April, after the network's historic Dominion settlement - has mighty repercussions for the conservative media ecosystem.
Details: The cease-and-desist letter has "NOT FOR PUBLICATION" in bold at the top, surrounded by a red border.
What's happening: Fox is continuing to pay Carlson, and maintains that his contract keeps his content exclusive to Fox through Dec. 31, 2024.
Behind the scenes: Carlson's first two Twitter episodes were straight-to-camera monologues. He plans to keep iterating with longer, more varied episodes and the addition of guests, Axios is told.
What they're saying: Harmeet Dhillon, a lawyer who represents Carlson along with Bryan Freedman, said in a statement to Axios: "Fox News continues to ignore the interests of its viewers, not to mention its shareholder obligations."
Go deeper: Tucker Carlson out at Fox News
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