Just over a month after kicking off his new Twitter show, former Fox News host Tucker Carlson is already working to raise hundreds of millions of dollars for a media company of his own, according to a Friday report from The Wall Street Journal. The new venture would allow Carlson—who lost his Fox show in April but remains under contract with the network through December of next year—to build upon his independently produced online show, per the Journal, by offering longer videos for paying subscribers.
Presumably, this could involve the use of Twitter’s relatively new subscription product, which allows creators to host subscriber-only content and cash in on membership fees. While members of Carlson’s team recently met with Twitter representatives to discuss the pending project, they are also looking into other platforms and distribution ideas. Additionally, the Journal reported that Carlson and former White House adviser Neil Patel—with whom he previously founded the conservative Daily Caller—are exploring the creation of a website and a mobile app.
During a recent interview on comedian Russell Brand’s podcast, Carlson praised Twitter owner Elon Musk for giving him a post–Fox News landing spot but said he has no financial relationship with the platform. “I don’t think I ever want to work for anyone again. I’ve done that,” he said. “I’d like to make money, I think that’s fair. I’ve made zero money since I left [Fox News], and that’s fine—but at some point, I’d like to.”
Somewhat relatedly, this week, Musk opened the door for high-engagement Twitter Blue users—including Ian Miles Cheong, Benny Johnson, and Brian Krassenstein—to earn money directly from Twitter’s advertising revenue. “We’re expanding our creator monetization offering to include ads revenue sharing for creators,” the company wrote in a Thursday release. “This means that creators can get a share in ad revenue, starting in the replies to their posts.” Following the announcement, some creators—like right-wing influencer Andrew Tate—reported receiving upwards of $20,000 from Twitter. The revenue-sharing program is only available to users who pay for Twitter Blue, the $8 monthly subscription service that replaced the site’s old verification system.
As for Tucker on Twitter, the former prime-time pundit has aired nine episodes so far. Among his most recent episodes was a two and a half hour interview with Tate, who was recently charged by Romanian authorities with rape, human trafficking, and creating an organized crime group to sexually exploit women. He has denied all charges.