What’s behind all the US media firings this week? Hint: it’s not equality | Jill Filipovic

Fox News, CNN and NBC Universal all let go of male anchors and bosses accused of sexism - for self-interest

It's been a wild week for network news. Tucker Carlson, who hosted one of the most popular news shows on television, was suddenly ousted from Fox News, on the heels of both a hostile workplace complaint against him and the network's settlement in a high-profile lawsuit that began to expose just how brazenly and knowingly Fox News anchors lied on the air. At CNN, longtime anchor Don Lemon was also let go in a move that he said left him stunned", and came after public blowback over Lemon's on-air comments about women. NBC Universal fired CEO Jeff Shell after corroborating a sexual harassment complaint against him.

Much remains unknown about all three terminations, particularly those of Carlson and Lemon. But the ouster of all three does suggest something may have shifted in television newsrooms. The question is whether it's an elevated commitment to gender equality, or simply more self-interested decisions taking on the veil of morality.

This article was amended on 26 April 2023 to clarify the nature of the allegations made and add further context.

Jill Filipovic is the author of the The H-Spot: The Feminist Pursuit of Happiness