Shortly after former Fox News host Tucker Carlson announced on Twitter that he would be bringing his popular show to the social media platform, Tom Costello while guest hosting NBC News NOW’s Hallie Jackson NOW, brought on ousted former CNN host and media janitor Brian Stelter to assist in smearing Carlson, Twitter, and CEO Elon Musk.
“Twitter was already under fire for misinformation, disinformation, all-out lies, anti-semitism, racism before Elon Musk took over and now it’s gotten kind of crazy, right? Seemingly unmoored, if you will,” Costello sneered to Stelter.
“Will anybody be able to police what Carlson says? Or is this the point? It's just a free-for-all?” Costello asked.
Stelter, of course, agreed claiming “It is a free-for-all” because “it’s what Elon Musk wants to provide.” He then proclaimed that “This move by Tucker may cement the idea of Twitter as a right-wing website, and we see some users trying to go off to other sites instead.”
Costello jumped back in to note that they were “hemorrhaging advertisers on Twitter before this whole thing happened.”
Adding: “So you got to wonder if advertisers were already fleeing, because of this toxic culture on Twitter, are they gonna stick around now for Tucker Carlson?”
“The short answer is no. Carlson was radioactive. He was a drag on Fox's profits, so I don't see how Twitter will be any different for Carlson and Musk,” Stelter confidently predicted.
It’s fitting that NBC would drag Stelter back onto television to throw barbs at Carlson. When Stelter still had his Sunday morning media analysis program on CNN, Carlson was always a frequent target of Stelter. And of course, Carlson found him amusing and frequently mocked him.
This smear of Tucker Carlson and Elon Musk was made possible thanks to the endorsement from Starbucks. Their information is linked.
To read the transcript click “expand”:
NBC News NOW’s Hallie Jackson NOW
5/9/2023
6:25:03 p.m. EasternTUCKER CARLSON: Amazingly, as of tonight, there aren’t many platforms left that allow free speech. The last big one remaining in the world, the only one, is Twitter. Where we are now.
[cuts to live]
TOM COSTELLO: Okay, well, Twitter was already under fire for misinformation, disinformation, all-out lies, anti-semitism, racism before Elon Musk took over and now it’s gotten kind of crazy, right? Seemingly unmoored, if you will. Will anybody be able to police what Carlson says? Or is this the point? It's just a free-for-all?
BRIAN STELTER: I think this is the point. It is a free-for-all, it’s what Elon Musk wants to provide. This move by Tucker may cement the idea of Twitter as a right-wing website, and we see some users trying to go off to other sites instead. Maybe folks who don't want to be a part of that party going off trying to launch other parties elsewhere. But Carlson, he is a prominent figure. He can bring a lot of content, what he cannot do is make $20 million a year the way he was making it at Fox. Fox may owe him $25 or $30 million. Yes, he may give that up and make that money elsewhere but that has not happened yet. To be clear you know Carlson's lawyers have tonight according to two sources sent a letter to Fox, a shot across the bow, trying to get this going, trying to get a negotiation going to get his freedom but he doesn’t have it yet. So, he cannot go out there and make lots of money with Elon Musk yet. Basically, Carlson is challenging Fox at this point.
COSTELLO: Yeah, 100 percent but listen, they were hemorrhaging advertisers on Twitter before this whole thing happened. So you got to wonder if advertisers were already fleeing, because of this toxic culture on Twitter, are they gonna stick around now for Tucker Carlson? Or will more of them come in—
STELTER: The short answer is no. Carlson was radioactive. He was a drag on Fox's profits, so I don't see how Twitter will be any different for Carlson and Musk.
COSTELLO: Brian, always great to get your perspective and I'm glad you’re no longer across the street. Nice to see you. Thank you very much.
