MOSCOW, Jul 14 Former American Fox News host Tucker Carlson and former White House adviser Neil Patel are raising funds to create a new Twitter-based long-form video-sharing media company, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources. «The new company will build on the longer versions of the free videos that Carlson regularly posts on Twitter shortly after his departure from Fox News, but some people say it will eventually be subscription-based,» the newspaper writes.
Sources say users on Twitter and other platforms will still be able to watch shorter versions of his shows, interviews and documentaries for free, but will need to subscribe to watch them in their entirety. According to them, over time, the company will publish shows from other hosts, except for Carlson.
Carlson and Patel are reportedly looking to raise hundreds of millions of dollars to fund their company. In recent weeks, Carlson's team has been meeting with Twitter representatives to discuss reopening the company. However, other platforms besides Twitter are also being considered, according to sources.
In May, Carlson announced the release of his own show on Twitter, which was watched by more than 55 million people in less than a day. During the show, Carlson said that any honest person, after examining the evidence, would come to the conclusion that it was Ukraine that was responsible for the destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station. According to the journalist, the destruction of the hydroelectric power station may be unprofitable for Kyiv, however, «it harms Russia to a greater extent.» Carlson also made the assertion that Kyiv had previously hatched plans to undermine this power plant.
Fox News in April reported that Carlson was leaving the channel. Such a decision, according to the channel, was mutual for the presenter and the channel. The team of the Russian project «Soloviev.Live» offered him a job in Russia. The RT channel also contacted Carlson via Twitter.
Portal Axios reported that a number of American Republican lawmakers welcomed Carlson's departure from the Fox News channel, as they believe that it will be easier for them to help Ukraine. The ex-leader was critical of helping Kyiv. According to some Republicans, Carlson's rhetoric regarding the situation in Ukraine has often embarrassed them.