Bill O’Reilly joined his fellow former Fox News host Tucker Carlson for an interview designed to go head to head with the second Republican presidential debate on Wednesday night.
The pair of high-profile hosts, each of whom was fired by Fox even as they dominated the ratings on cable news, broached a wide range of topics.
Perhaps most interesting, considering the background of their personal stories, was a discussion on the future of cable and network news.
O’Reilly pointed out that cable news will continue to “be there,” but was swiftly being left behind by independent media ventures like Carlson’s and his own.
The former host of The O’Reilly Factor suggested that cable news is now at a juncture where network news was previously – poised to be replaced by the next big medium for journalism.
“When was the last time you said, you heard somebody say, “Wow, did you see that on Norah O’Donnell?” When’s the last time you ever heard that?” he asked facetiously.
Carlson replied, “I don’t think I have.”
Ep. 26 The Bill O’Reilly Interview pic.twitter.com/yHabD7W9NO
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) September 28, 2023
RELATED: Let’s Check In On Fox News Ratings After Tucker Carlson Was Fired – And Hoo Boy…
O’Reilly And Carlson Go Head To Head With Fox Business GOP Debate
O’Reilly and Carlson had a conversation about the impending downfall of network and cable news on the X social media platform – an irony lost on nobody.
As of writing this piece, the interview has been viewed nearly 13 million times on the platform formerly known as Twitter, and it will likely go much higher.
In promoting the discussion, O’Reilly told his own viewers that the video was “designed to compete with the Republican debate” because “Carlson drops these interviews so people will have a choice.”
He’s right.
Carlson also dropped a video interview with former President Donald Trump during the first GOP debate on Fox News, costing the network millions of viewers.
Trump’s Absence From Fox News Debate Cost Them Millions Of Viewers https://t.co/0NCoXaCGPZ via @TPInsidr
— Tony ❌ (@ElTexasTony) August 25, 2023
RELATED: Trump’s Absence From Fox News Debate Cost Them Millions Of Viewers
O’Reilly Thrilled He’ll Never Have To Work For Fox Again
In another portion of the interview, Carlson addresses O’Reilly’s firing directly. It was roughly six years ago he was released after a series of sexual harassment allegations popped up, and a targeted campaign against him by liberal women’s rights groups forced the network to part ways.
“What was that like? Why would you fire the guy, in your case, who had dominated the space?” a question equally applicable to Carlson.
O’Reilly pointed out that he recognized early on in the business that he was “expendable” and he had to “accept it right away.”
“You know what the greatest thing is?” he asked. “I’ll never work for anybody again. I run my own show now.”
8:30pm ET pic.twitter.com/JwDhkCQHAO
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) September 27, 2023
O’Reilly and Carlson also spoke about politics, openly wondering who has “control” of President Joe Biden due to his obvious cognitive inabilities.
“President Biden, in my opinion, is diminished mentally, doesn’t know what he’s really doing from day to day. You can see that in his public statements,” O’Reilly told Carlson. “The progressives like that, because the people who control him inside the White House can tell him anything, and he’ll do it.”
Bill O’Reilly to @TuckerCarlson: “President Biden, in my opinion, is diminished, mentally, doesn’t know what he’s really doing from day to day. The progressives like that because the people who control him inside the White House can tell him anything and he’ll do it.” pic.twitter.com/DyW5w6JcYb
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) September 28, 2023
The former Factor host said that as cable news continues to diminish, Fox News will remain because they have “better talent.”
“Fox wins not because of this ideological… although they have an advantage because traditional Americans have nowhere else to go except Newsmax, but Fox has better talent,” O’Reilly said.
O’Reilly went on to suggest that the most significant problem plaguing the news industry today is “they’re all afraid.”
Indeed they are.
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