Fox News shook up its prime-time lineup Monday in the first major reorganization of its most popular program since the start of the Trump administration. The moves include permanently filling the 8 pm slot, which has been vacant since the network canceled Tucker Carlson’s show in April.
The changes will result in the promotion of two of the network’s rising stars — Jesse Watters, whose show will move to 8 p.m. from 7 p.m., and Greg Gutfeld, who will host of an 11 pm comedy and current affairs program that consistently gets higher ratings. than late night rivals like Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel. The show of Mr. Gutfeld at 10 p.m
Laura Ingraham, who has hosted a program at 10 p.m. since 2017, will move to 7 p.m., occupying the time slot hosted by Mr. Watters. Sean Hannity, a mainstay of Fox News since its early days, will retain his 9 pm slot.
Fox’s prime-time ratings have always been among the highest in cable news but have fallen by nearly a third since the network pulled Mr. Carlson from the air. His departure followed a series of public relations headaches and legal problems stemming from his offensive comments, on and off the air, and a lawsuit from a former producer who claimed he had a toxic workplace.
In April, shortly before the cancellation of Mr. Carlson, Fox News and its parent company have settled a defamation lawsuit against Dominion Voting Systems for $787.5 million. Some of the private text messages of Mr. Carlson has been public during the case, including several in which he attacked network partners, disparaged former President Donald J. Trump and said he did not believe the results of the 2020 election were affected by voter fraud material. .
A particularly damaging text, which caused a crisis at the top of the Fox Corporation, expressed inflammatory views about violence and race.
