Newsmax has filed a federal antitrust lawsuit against Fox News, accusing it of engaging in anticompetitive behaviors to maintain its dominance in the right-leaning pay-TV news market. The lawsuit, filed on September 3, 2025, seeks to challenge Fox’s alleged monopolistic practices and could have far-reaching implications for media competition.
The legal action was initiated in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, where Newsmax claims that Fox News uses its market power to force TV distributors into exclusive deals that prevent them from carrying competing conservative channels. According to the complaint, Fox’s tactics include offering content access only if distributors agree not to feature other right-wing networks, effectively stifling competition.
Newsmax alleges that Fox imposes financial penalties on distributors that do carry rival channels, creating a significant barrier to entry for competitors. Additionally, the lawsuit accuses Fox of intimidation tactics, such as pressuring its on-air talent and guests to avoid appearances on other networks, and even hiring private investigators to surveil Newsmax executives, as stated in the court filings.
In a statement, Fox News dismissed the lawsuit as a desperate attempt by Newsmax to compensate for its own competitive shortcomings, asserting that the claims are baseless and motivated by a desire for publicity. Fox News, part of Rupert Murdoch’s media empire, is the most-watched cable news network in the U.S. with a market value of approximately $26 billion, and it consistently leads in ratings among conservative audiences.
Newsmax, owned by Christopher Ruddy, has experienced growth in recent years, buoyed by support from former President Donald Trump. The network reported that in the first quarter of 2025, eight million cable viewers watched Newsmax but not Fox News, with prime-time viewership increasing by 20% year-over-year, and it is valued at around $1.8 billion, positioning it as a rising competitor.
This lawsuit marks a significant fracture in the conservative media landscape, as both networks cater to pro-Trump audiences but now find themselves in legal conflict. The competition highlights the intense rivalry for viewer attention and advertising revenue in a polarized media environment, where ideological alignment does not preclude business disputes.
If successful, the lawsuit could lead to substantial changes in how media distribution agreements are negotiated, potentially opening the market to more competitors and fostering greater diversity in news offerings. Newsmax is seeking monetary damages, which could be tripled under antitrust laws, and a court order to prohibit Fox from continuing its alleged exclusionary practices, aiming to restore fairness in the industry.
Both companies have faced legal challenges in the past; Newsmax recently settled a defamation lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems for $67 million over false claims about election fraud, while Fox settled a similar case for $787.5 million. This background of litigation adds context to the current dispute, underscoring the contentious nature of the media industry.