''Lou Dobbs Tonight'' was an American political and financial talk program that was hosted by Lou Dobbs. The program initially aired on

CNN CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by ...

from its launch under the title ''Moneyline'', as its main financial news program. The program later shifted to an opinion-based format focusing on political and economic commentary, and was likewise renamed ''Lou Dobbs Tonight''. Field correspondents provided additional reporting and occasionally served as guest anchors. During Dobbs' tenure, prominent politicians and economists were regular guests on the show. On November 11, 2009, Lou Dobbs stepped down from CNN. On March 14, 2011, Dobbs moved to

Fox Business Fox Business (officially known as Fox Business Network, or FBN) is an American business news channel and website publication owned by the Fox News Media division of Fox Corporation. The channel broadcasts primarily from studios at 1211 Avenue ...

, hosting a new incarnation of ''Lou Dobbs Tonight.'' On February 5, 2021, Fox Business canceled ''Lou Dobbs Tonight'' after nearly 10 years on the channel, after a

defamation Defamation is the act of communicating to a third party false statements about a person, place or thing that results in damage to its reputation. It can be spoken (slander) or written (libel). It constitutes a tort or a crime. The legal defini ...

lawsuit was filed against

Fox News The Fox News Channel, abbreviated FNC, commonly known as Fox News, and stylized in all caps, is an American multinational conservative cable news television channel based in New York City. It is owned by Fox News Media, which itself is owne ...

Smartmatic Smartmatic (also referred as Smartmatic Corp. or Smartmatic International) or Smartmatic SGO Group is a multinational company that builds and implements electronic voting systems. The company also produces smart cities solutions (including publ ...

over statements made by Dobbs and other Fox Business and Fox News anchors.

History

Luther Strange on Lou Dobbs Tonight DAEKaeTUIAMZVgP

CNN era

''Lou Dobbs Tonight'' began with the name ''Moneyline'' with the premiere of CNN, and was CNN's main financial show for over 20 years, for a large portion of those years airing on

CNN International CNN International (CNNI, simply branded on-air as CNN) is an international television channel that is owned by CNN Global. CNN International carries news-related programming worldwide; it cooperates with sister network CNN's national and inter ...

as well. In late 1997, Dobbs hired former ABC News and NBC News Executive Producer

David Bohrman David Bohrman (born April 30, 1954) is a television and new media executive, working in network television news, cable news, new media, internet, convergence and consulting. Bohrman created almost a dozen new TV news programs at ABC News, NBC New ...

to turn the program into a more general evening newscast, which would be called ''The Moneyline NewsHour''. The program was half financially focused, and half general news. It was the first regular program at CNN to have its main control room outside of Atlanta. As the show moved more towards general news and economic and

political commentary Political criticism (also referred to as political commentary or political discussion) is criticism that is specific of or relevant to politics, including policies, politicians, political parties, and types of government. See also * Bad Subject ...

, it was renamed ''Lou Dobbs Moneyline'' and then ''Lou Dobbs Tonight''. The show was among CNN's most watched. On November 4, 2006, a taped weekend edition of ''Lou Dobbs Tonight'', entitled ''Lou Dobbs this Week'', began airing. The weekend show, which aired every Saturday and Sunday night, discussed issues from the past week and the week ahead. On November 11, 2009, Lou Dobbs left the network, telling viewers that the night's episode of ''Lou Dobbs Tonight'' was his last and that "some leaders in media, politics and business have been urging me to go beyond the role here at CNN". Although he had a contract with CNN until the end of 2011, CNN agreed to release him early. It was announced that John King would host a new program in the timeslot, and that the transitional program ''

CNN Tonight ''CNN Tonight'' is a title that has been used by multiple news programs broadcast by the U.S. cable news channel CNN. The title has primarily been used for transitional programs aired by CNN in the evening and prime time hours as part of chang ...

'' (initially hosted by

John Roberts John Glover Roberts Jr. (born January 27, 1955) is an American lawyer and jurist who has served as the 17th chief justice of the United States since 2005. Roberts has authored the majority opinion in several landmark cases, including ''Nati ...

) would replace ''Lou Dobbs Tonight'' in the meantime. John King's new program, '' John King, USA'', debuted in Lou Dobbs' timeslot on March 22, 2010.

Fox Business era

On November 10, 2010,

Fox Business Network Fox Business (officially known as Fox Business Network, or FBN) is an American business news channel and website publication owned by the Fox News Media division of Fox Corporation. The channel broadcasts primarily from studios at 1211 Avenue ...

announced that Dobbs would join the channel. On March 3, 2011, it was announced that Dobbs' program would premiere on March 14, and that it would also be known as ''Lou Dobbs Tonight.'' ''Lou Dobbs Tonight'' would become the network's highest-rated series, especially during the

presidency of Donald Trump Donald Trump's tenure as the 45th president of the United States began with his inauguration on January 20, 2017, and ended on January 20, 2021. Trump, a Republican from New York City, took office following his Electoral College victory ...

—whom Dobbs regularly supported on-air. On February 5, 2021, Fox Business abruptly cancelled ''Lou Dobbs Tonight''. Dobbs was one of several anchors that had been named in a defamation lawsuit against Fox News by voting machine vendor

, which accused the parties of spreading conspiracy theories alleging that it was responsible for

voter fraud Electoral fraud, sometimes referred to as election manipulation, voter fraud or vote rigging, involves illegal interference with the process of an election, either by increasing the vote share of a favored candidate, depressing the vote share of ...

during the

2020 presidential election This national electoral calendar for 2020 lists the national/federal elections held in 2020 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included. January *5 January: **C ...

. The program was replaced in its timeslot by ''Fox Business Tonight'', which is hosted by various Fox Business anchors.

Regular features

One regular feature on the show was "Exporting America", in which Dobbs documented the American companies that had outsourced jobs to overseas facilities, as well as those businesses that had taken special steps to keep jobs on U.S. soil. Dobbs had compiled a list of companies that had outsourced that he had posted on the show's website and occasionally repeated on the air. Dobbs frequently criticized U.S.

international trade International trade is the exchange of capital, goods, and services across international borders or territories because there is a need or want of goods or services. (see: World economy) In most countries, such trade represents a significant ...

policy as insufficiently protecting American jobs, advocating in favor of what many consider to be economic

protectionism Protectionism, sometimes referred to as trade protectionism, is the economic policy of restricting imports from other countries through methods such as tariffs on imported goods, import quotas, and a variety of other government regulations. ...

in contrast to

free trade Free trade is a trade policy that does not restrict imports or exports. It can also be understood as the free market idea applied to international trade. In government, free trade is predominantly advocated by political parties that hold econo ...

. As part of his criticism of

globalization Globalization, or globalisation (Commonwealth English; see spelling differences), is the process of interaction and integration among people, companies, and governments worldwide. The term ''globalization'' first appeared in the early 20t ...

, Dobbs often noted that the United States is running trade deficits with virtually every major trading partner it has, especially

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

. As well, the journalist has published a book titled ''Exporting America: Why Corporate Greed Is Shipping American Jobs Overseas'' detailing the individuals and interests behind the exporting of U.S. jobs overseas. Another regular feature was "Broken Borders", which highlighted what Dobbs considered to be the problems and costs associated with

illegal immigrants Illegal immigration is the migration of people into a country in violation of the immigration laws of that country or the continued residence without the legal right to live in that country. Illegal immigration tends to be financially upwa ...

, and the inefficiencies in the U.S. Border Patrol and immigration policies in general. Dobbs has remained consistent on this view on the Fox Business Network as well.

Correspondents and production

Kitty Pilgrim Kathryn Pilgrim, known professionally as Kitty Pilgrim, has worked throughout her career as international journalist and author. She was a CNN anchor and correspondent for 25 years. She has been active in the world of foreign policy, covering ...

was a correspondent for the CNN version of the program, and the most frequent substitute anchor when Dobbs was not on. Other reporters attached to CNN's ''Lou Dobbs Tonight'' included

Dana Bash Dana Ruth Bash (born June 15, 1971; née Schwartz) is an American journalist, news anchor, and chief political correspondent for CNN. Early life and education Bash was born Dana Ruth Schwartz in Manhattan, New York City, into a family of Jews, ...

Lisa Sylvester Lisa Sylvester is an American Peabody and Emmy award-winning journalist and television correspondent. She previously reported on CNN's '' The Situation Room''. She joined WPXI, Channel 11 in Pittsburgh in October 2013, anchoring the 6 and 11 p.m. ...

and

Suzanne Malveaux Suzanne Maria Malveaux (; born December 4, 1966) is an American television news journalist. She co-anchored the CNN international news program ''Around the World'' and editions of ''CNN Newsroom''. Malveaux also served as CNN White House correspo ...

. The show was broadcast live from CNN's New York studios, located in the

Time Warner Center Deutsche Bank Center (also One Columbus Circle and formerly Time Warner Center) is a mixed-use building on Columbus Circle in Manhattan, New York City. The building occupies the western side of Columbus Circle and straddles the border between ...

. The Fox Business version of the program originated from Studio B at the News Corp. Building, then towards the end, from a home studio on Dobbs' farm in Wantage Township in

Sussex County, New Jersey Sussex County is the northernmost county in the State of New Jersey. Its county seat is Newton. ...

Ratings

Its highest-rated show in 2008 was the day after the presidential election—two million viewers, according to

Nielsen Media Research Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen rat ...

data. At Fox Business, he had maintained a multi-year lead as the top business program in his time slot and overall on television.

References

External links

''Lou Dobbs Tonight'' website
* {{U.S. evening news programs 1980 American television series debuts 1980s American television news shows 1990s American television news shows 2000s American television news shows 2009 American television series endings 2010s American television news shows 2011 American television series debuts 2020s American television news shows 2021 American television series endings CNN original programming Fox Business original programming English-language television shows