Social Will Badly Disrupt Cable News? As Tucker Carlson's Steadily Falling Twitter Numbers Suggest, Not So Fast

By Daniel Frankel
( NextTV )
published

The latest 'Tucker on Twitter' installment was down 85% in video views vs. the show's premiere

Tucker Carlson
(Image credit: Twitter)

Thirty-four days ago, it appeared that we might be witnessing the beginning of the end for powerful Fox News and the entire cable news paradigm. 

Tucker Carlson, abruptly fired a month earlier from his position at Fox News as the No. 1 rated primetime host in all of cable news, kicked off his new social media-based talk show, Tucker on Twitter, to the tune of 28.9 million video views. 

On Monday, however, journalist Matt Binder tweeted out video view numbers for all eight episodes to date. The data reveals a steady, significant audience decline, with the most recent installment totaling 3.8 million video views. 

Analyst Evan Shapiro crafted this graphic based on Binder's filings:

(Image credit: Evan Shapiro)

Of course, one could argue that Carlson is merely finding his true level of audience interest. He regularly drew just over 3 million viewers at night at Fox News, too. 

As for Twitter, usage is reportedly "tanking" following of a rival text-based social media platform, Threads, launched last week by Meta, which has already secured more than 100 million signups. 

Daniel Frankel
Daniel Frankel

Daniel Frankel is the managing editor of Next TV, an internet publishing vertical focused on the business of video streaming. A Los Angeles-based writer and editor who has covered the media and technology industries for more than two decades, Daniel has worked on staff for publications including E! Online, Electronic Media, Mediaweek, Variety, paidContent and GigaOm. You can start living a healthier life with greater wealth and prosperity by following Daniel on Twitter today!