HELSINKI (dpa-AFX) - Newsmax has filed a sweeping antitrust lawsuit against Fox News, alleging the Rupert Murdoch-owned broadcaster has unlawfully used its dominance to suppress right-leaning competitors in the pay-TV market.
Filed Wednesday in federal court in southern Florida, the complaint claims Fox engages in an 'exclusionary scheme' that leverages its market power to pressure distributors into sidelining or rejecting rival conservative channels, including Newsmax.
The suit alleges Fox conditions access to its must-have content on restrictive agreements, imposes financial penalties on distributors that carry competing outlets, and inserts contractual barriers that limit competition.
'Fox may have profited from exclusionary contracts and intimidation tactics for years, but those days are over,' said Christopher Ruddy, Newsmax's founder and CEO. Ruddy argued the practices deprived his network of fair distribution, advertising revenue, and earlier audience growth. Newsmax is seeking monetary damages potentially tripled under federal law as well as a permanent injunction against Fox's alleged practices.
Fox News dismissed the claims, saying in a statement, 'Newsmax cannot sue their way out of their own competitive failures simply because they can't attract viewers.'
The lawsuit underscores rising tensions within the conservative media world, where Newsmax has positioned itself as a pro-Trump alternative to Fox. Despite Fox's continued dominance as the most-watched cable news network, Newsmax has reported rising viewership, boasting 26 million quarterly viewers and strong year-over-year gains in primetime.
The case adds to Fox's mounting legal troubles, including last year's $787 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems and an ongoing $2.7 billion defamation suit from Smartmatic. Newsmax itself recently settled similar litigation for $67 million.
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