After a three-year tenure as a prime-time host, Eric Bolling has officially departed from Newsmax, the right-wing cable news channel. The announcement of his exit came on Friday in a joint statement from both Bolling and the network.
According to the statement, “It’s time for Eric to embark on new endeavors.” The brief announcement also stated, “Eric and Newsmax are grateful for their time together and proud of the work they have produced.”
Bolling’s program, “The Balance,” was still airing on Thursday, covering the significant news of former President Trump’s conviction in the hush-money trial. Bolling’s personal website has indicated that he plans to announce his next project in the upcoming weeks, leaving speculation about his future career path open.
Newsmax has stated that a news program featuring rotating hosts will fill Bolling’s 8 p.m. Eastern time slot starting the following Monday. Nielsen ratings data revealed that in May, Bolling’s show averaged 311,000 viewers, marking a 34% decrease compared to the viewership in the same period last year.
Newsmax has strategically positioned itself to attract conservative viewers who perceive Fox News’ coverage of Trump to be insufficiently supportive. The network experienced a surge in viewership in late 2020 and 2021, particularly among viewers who were dissatisfied with Fox News following Trump’s election loss.
Image alt text: Bill Melugin of Fox News reporting live from the Rio Grande, covering the ongoing migrant situation at the southern border.
Newsmax also saw a ratings increase in 2023 after Fox News dismissed Tucker Carlson from his primetime show. However, despite these boosts, Newsmax has generally remained in fourth place in the cable news ratings hierarchy, consistently drawing significantly fewer viewers than industry leader Fox News.
Furthermore, Newsmax has faced challenges in negotiating fees with pay TV providers who carry the network, reflecting broader industry pressures and carriage disputes.
Prior to his time at Newsmax, Eric Bolling established himself as a prominent figure in cable news during his tenure at Fox News. He was a co-host on the highly popular program “The Five” for six years. However, his departure from Fox News in September 2017 was preceded by an internal investigation into allegations of sending unsolicited inappropriate photos to female colleagues.
In a statement released at the time of his Fox News exit, the network indicated that Bolling and Fox News had “agreed to part ways amicably.”
Bolling’s career began as a commodities trader before transitioning to television as a commentator on CNBC. He later joined Fox Business Network in 2007 and subsequently became part of “The Five.” He also co-hosted “Fox News Specialists,” a program that was short-lived and canceled following his departure.
Eric Bolling’s exit from Newsmax coincides with the approaching September trial date for the defamation lawsuit filed by voting equipment manufacturer Smartmatic against Newsmax. This lawsuit alleges that Smartmatic’s business was negatively impacted by false statements broadcast on Newsmax concerning the 2020 election results.
Newsmax had repeatedly aired claims suggesting that Smartmatic and its software manipulated votes to ensure Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election. However, it has been clarified that Smartmatic’s technology was only used in Los Angeles County during the 2020 election and not in any of the swing states that ultimately determined the outcome of the presidential contest.
While the official statements regarding Eric Bolling leaving Newsmax point to “new endeavors,” the backdrop of declining viewership, a complex media landscape, and ongoing legal challenges at Newsmax provides a broader context for his departure.
