A Fox News segment was cut off after a progressive radio host from Wisconsin blasted the network for not airing the January 6 hearings.
Radio host Mike Crute criticized the network during an appearance on Sunday afternoon for not broadcasting Thursday night’s primetime hearing by the House Select Committee investigating the Capitol riot on 6 January 2021. Fox News instead stayed with its regular right-wing opinion-based nighttime lineup of Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity, and Laura Ingraham.
“We should be talking about the January 6th hearings that go again live, that this network failed to cover,” Mr Crute said. “Because I tell you what. The real fight is for democracy. The real fight is for the soul. And the real bulls*** that your network won’t cover it.”
Fox News anchor Mike Emanuel rejected Mr Crute’s assertion, noting the network’s coverage of the hearing on Fox Business, Fox Nation, and foxnews.com, as well as the network’s intention to air Monday’s hearing on Fox News.
“Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa,” Mr Emanuel responded. “We covered it plenty. We just aired it on the Fox Business Network.”
“Fox Business Network my butt, Mike,” Mr Crute said.
“Dude. You’re gonna come on here, let me set the record straight,” Mr Emanuel responded. “I wanna be neutral here. But when you attack our network, I’ve got a problem with that.”
“Did you run any ads during Tucker Carlson’s show?” Mr Crute asked in reference to Fox News’s decision to not take a commercial break for more than two and a half hours on Thursday night to slam the January 6 hearing as it was being broadcast live on numerous other outlets, Mediaite reported.
Jeff Crouere, a conservative radio host from Louisiana, was also taking part in Sunday’s segment. As he tried to start speaking about inflation, the discussion derailed and as he and Mr Crute began speaking over each other, prompting Mr Emanuel to end the debate.
“Fellas, we gotta run,” he said.
“I’m trying to get a point in here…” Mr Crouere said.
“Slug it out after the break,” Mr Emanuel responded.
Mr Crouere kept speaking, undeterred by the host. Mr Crute attempted to respond, but his mic had been turned off.
“All right,” Mr Emanuel said as the broadcast went to an ad break. “See you later.”