Newt Gingrich (above) was fired. (Credit: YouTube, ngingrich, screenshot)

Fox News ended its contracts with Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum last week after suspending them in March, POLITICO reported. Cinema Blend noted: “Had either man officially stated he wasn’t running, the contracts would have been reinstated and the two men could have returned to their work at the network.”

As iMediaEthics has reported, the suspensions were for the potential presidential candidates to determine if they would officially announce any campaign.  The suspensions also indicated an effort from Fox News to show it wouldn’t be giving free publicity to those candidates.

ABC News noted that Santorum took part in last week’s “Fox News-sponsored presidential debate” but Gingrich didn’t.

The New York Times added that “Fox still employs three commentators whose names have been bandied about as potential candidates: Mike Huckabee, Sarah Palin and John Bolton.”