Fox News Media has canceled “Lou Dobbs Tonight,” the popular program hosted by the staunchest supporter of former President Donald Trump and his unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election. The decision comes just a day after voting software company Smartmatic filed a $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News, Dobbs, and two other hosts for perpetuating lies and disinformation about the company’s role in the election.
Dobbs’ program, which aired twice nightly on the Fox Business Network, will have its final airing on Friday. Starting next week, the program will be called “Fox Business Tonight,” with rotating substitute hosts Jackie DeAngelis and David Asman.
While Fox News claims the decision to end Dobbs’ program was under consideration before the legal issues with Smartmatic arose, the timing of the cancellation has raised eyebrows. The network stated that it regularly considers programming changes and plans to launch new formats post-election, but the sudden nature of Dobbs’ removal has led to speculation about the real reasons behind the move.
Some media experts suggest that Fox may have decided to cut ties with Dobbs to distance itself from the “feverish conspiracy theory” he helped promote and to show it is addressing the serious allegations made by Smartmatic. However, the fact that Dobbs’ co-hosts, Maria Bartiromo and Judge Jeanine Pirro, who were also named in the lawsuit, have not had their shows canceled has added to the confusion surrounding the decision.
Dobbs, a longtime broadcaster and conservative commentator, had been with Fox News since 2011 and was known for his staunch support of Trump’s economic and immigration policies. His show typically averaged around 300,000 viewers per night, making it the highest-rated program on Fox Business Network.
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The cancellation of Dobbs’ show comes amid growing scrutiny of Fox News’ coverage of the 2020 election and its role in perpetuating false claims of voter fraud. The network has already settled at least two cases related to its voter fraud coverage, including agreeing to pay $787 million to Dominion Voting Systems last year.
As the media landscape continues to grapple with the aftermath of the 2020 election and the spread of misinformation, the cancellation of Lou Dobbs’ show serves as a reminder of the importance of responsible journalism and the consequences of promoting unsubstantiated claims.