Fox Cancels ‘Lou Dobbs Tonight’ After Anchor Was Named in Lawsuit

Mr. Dobbs’s 5 p.m. ET time slot on Fox Business will be replaced by “Fox Business Tonight,” an interim show helmed by hosts Jackie DeAngelis and David Asman on alternating days, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Fox News on Thursday was sued by voting-machine company Smartmatic USA Corp., which alleged the network aired defamatory comments about the company’s products following the presidential election. The lawsuit also mentioned remarks made about Smartmatic by Fox News Media anchors including Mr. Dobbs and Maria Bartiromo.

Fox called the lawsuit meritless and said it was proud of its 2020 election coverage. It said it would vigorously defend the lawsuit in court. Fox Corp. and Wall Street Journal parent News Corp share common ownership.

While Mr. Dobbs, 75 years old, isn’t expected to continue appearing on Fox Business, he still has months left to go in his contract with the network, according to another person familiar with the matter.

The cancellation of Mr. Dobbs’s show was earlier reported by the Los Angeles Times.

In December, after Smartmatic sent a letter to Fox News threatening a defamation lawsuit, the news division aired segments to clarify facts related to the voting-machine company. Mr. Dobbs hosted one of the segments on his show featuring voting-technology expert Edward Perez, who pushed back on claims that Smartmatic software was used to meddle in the voting process.

The cancellation of Mr. Dobbs’s show comes on the heels of a prominent addition to the network’s lineup. In late January, Fox said that Larry Kudlow, the former director of the White House National Economic Council, would host his own weekday program on Fox Business.

Mr. Dobbs became a Fox Business anchor in 2011 after a long career with CNN, where he became known for his strong views on immigration. In 2007, he helped quash an immigration overhaul championed by President George W. Bush when he aired a report—later discredited—saying illegal immigrants caused a spike in leprosy. He once likened Mexican illegal immigrants to “an army of invaders.”

Mr. Dobbs served two stints with CNN, initially anchoring “Moneyline” from its inception in 1980. He then left in 1999 and started an astronomy-news website. He returned in 2001 and left again in 2009.

Write to Benjamin Mullin at [email protected]

Mr. Dobbs’s 5 p.m. ET time slot on Fox Business will be replaced by “Fox Business Tonight,” an interim show helmed by hosts Jackie DeAngelis and David Asman on alternating days, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Fox News on Thursday was sued by voting-machine company Smartmatic USA Corp., which alleged the network aired defamatory comments about the company’s products following the presidential election. The lawsuit also mentioned remarks made about Smartmatic by Fox News Media anchors including Mr. Dobbs and Maria Bartiromo.

Fox called the lawsuit meritless and said it was proud of its 2020 election coverage. It said it would vigorously defend the lawsuit in court. Fox Corp. and Wall Street Journal parent News Corp share common ownership.

While Mr. Dobbs, 75 years old, isn’t expected to continue appearing on Fox Business, he still has months left to go in his contract with the network, according to another person familiar with the matter.

The cancellation of Mr. Dobbs’s show was earlier reported by the Los Angeles Times.

In December, after Smartmatic sent a letter to Fox News threatening a defamation lawsuit, the news division aired segments to clarify facts related to the voting-machine company. Mr. Dobbs hosted one of the segments on his show featuring voting-technology expert Edward Perez, who pushed back on claims that Smartmatic software was used to meddle in the voting process.

The cancellation of Mr. Dobbs’s show comes on the heels of a prominent addition to the network’s lineup. In late January, Fox said that Larry Kudlow, the former director of the White House National Economic Council, would host his own weekday program on Fox Business.

Mr. Dobbs became a Fox Business anchor in 2011 after a long career with CNN, where he became known for his strong views on immigration. In 2007, he helped quash an immigration overhaul championed by President George W. Bush when he aired a report—later discredited—saying illegal immigrants caused a spike in leprosy. He once likened Mexican illegal immigrants to “an army of invaders.”

Mr. Dobbs served two stints with CNN, initially anchoring “Moneyline” from its inception in 1980. He then left in 1999 and started an astronomy-news website. He returned in 2001 and left again in 2009.

Write to Benjamin Mullin at [email protected]

Mr. Dobbs’s 5 p.m. ET time slot on Fox Business will be replaced by “Fox Business Tonight,” an interim show helmed by hosts Jackie DeAngelis and David Asman on alternating days, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Fox News on Thursday was sued by voting-machine company Smartmatic USA Corp., which alleged the network aired defamatory comments about the company’s products following the presidential election. The lawsuit also mentioned remarks made about Smartmatic by Fox News Media anchors including Mr. Dobbs and Maria Bartiromo.

Fox called the lawsuit meritless and said it was proud of its 2020 election coverage. It said it would vigorously defend the lawsuit in court. Fox Corp. and Wall Street Journal parent News Corp share common ownership.

While Mr. Dobbs, 75 years old, isn’t expected to continue appearing on Fox Business, he still has months left to go in his contract with the network, according to another person familiar with the matter.

The cancellation of Mr. Dobbs’s show was earlier reported by the Los Angeles Times.

In December, after Smartmatic sent a letter to Fox News threatening a defamation lawsuit, the news division aired segments to clarify facts related to the voting-machine company. Mr. Dobbs hosted one of the segments on his show featuring voting-technology expert Edward Perez, who pushed back on claims that Smartmatic software was used to meddle in the voting process.

The cancellation of Mr. Dobbs’s show comes on the heels of a prominent addition to the network’s lineup. In late January, Fox said that Larry Kudlow, the former director of the White House National Economic Council, would host his own weekday program on Fox Business.

Mr. Dobbs became a Fox Business anchor in 2011 after a long career with CNN, where he became known for his strong views on immigration. In 2007, he helped quash an immigration overhaul championed by President George W. Bush when he aired a report—later discredited—saying illegal immigrants caused a spike in leprosy. He once likened Mexican illegal immigrants to “an army of invaders.”

Mr. Dobbs served two stints with CNN, initially anchoring “Moneyline” from its inception in 1980. He then left in 1999 and started an astronomy-news website. He returned in 2001 and left again in 2009.

Write to Benjamin Mullin at [email protected]