Furious Fox News Takes Action Over Leak of Behind-the-Scenes Videos That Make Tucker Carlson Look Good
Editor’s Note: Our readers responded strongly to this story when it originally ran; we’re reposting it here in case you missed it.
Fox News is furious about the viral videos of former host Tucker Carlson circulating on the internet — but that ire isn’t directed at Carlson himself.
No, the suddenly vulnerable news titan is directing its furor at Media Matters for America, a generally left-leaning media watchdog group.
That’s because Media Matters has been publishing behind-the-scenes videos of Carlson during his time on Fox News, and labeling them as “FOXLEAKS” across social media.
The purpose of the videos is to paint Carlson in a negative light, but that has largely backfired.
If anything, the videos have made Carlson seem more relatable, kinder and refreshingly honest to his fans.
But whatever the purpose and desired end result of those FOXLEAKS could be, Fox News wants to put the kibosh on all of it.
Fox has sent a letter to @mmfa asking the organization to stop publishing behind-the-scenes videos of Tucker Carlson pic.twitter.com/LYJ9ScROiB
— Max Tani (@maxwelltani) May 5, 2023
Reporter Max Tani tweeted out a screenshot of the legal letter that Fox sent MMFA, telling the watchdog group to stop posting videos.
“We write on behalf of FOX Corporation to clarify any misunderstandings Media Matters may have had regarding previously unaired footage that Media Matters has published in a series of articles headlined ‘FOXLEAKS,'” the cease-and-desist states, directly addressing MMFA president and CEO Angelo Carusone.
You can see one of those videos, in which Carlson calls out the poor layout of Fox Nation’s website in a moment of brutal honesty, below:
FOXLEAKS: Tucker Carlson slammed Fox Nation in behind-the-scenes video https://t.co/XhQlKQVHJ1 pic.twitter.com/mKqJBuWzCw
— Matthew Gertz (@MattGertz) May 1, 2023
“That unaired footage is FOX’s confidential intellectual property; FOX did not consent to its distribution or publication; and FOX does not consent to its further distribution or publication. This proprietary material was given to you without FOX’s authorization,” the letter states. “FOX demands that Media Matters cease and desist from distribution, publication, and misuse of Fox’s misappropriated proprietary footage, which you are now on notice was unlawfully obtained.
“We reserve all rights and remedies.”
The letter was signed by Christopher Chiou, on behalf of the Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati law firm.
The social media reaction to the now-published cease-and-desist letter was swift and largely critical of Fox News.
There were the obligatory sarcastic tweets that Fox News was only trying to stop the FOXLEAKS because it made Carlson look good.
But on a more serious note, former Fox News host Megyn Kelly offered a “pro tip” to her former employers: Maybe stop the leaks first.
Pro tip: you might want to look inside the org to stop the allegedly horrifying leaks before threatening those who are publishing them. https://t.co/ZF5G4GBuke
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) May 5, 2023
“Pro tip: you might want to look inside the org to stop the allegedly horrifying leaks before threatening those who are publishing them,” Kelly tweeted.
Kelly didn’t stop there though. She also accused Fox News of launching the smear campaign against Carlson in the first place:
Oh and also you don’t mind the leaks you are clearly behind them. K bye!
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) May 5, 2023
“Oh and also you don’t mind the leaks you are clearly behind them. K bye!” Kelly tweeted.
Carlson, for his part, has been mum on all things Fox News since his unceremonious departure. There are rumblings that Carlson is working to secure a buyout from his Fox News contract to host an independent GOP presidential debate.
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