Right-wing media company Newsmax is suing the conservative news juggernaut Fox News over what Newsmax calls an unfair “monopoly” for “US right-leaning pay TV news.”
The complaint in Newsmax Broadcasting LLC v. Fox Corp. claims that Newsmax’s media rival has “kept out, or restricted, competitors” due to its “significant market power and leverage.” The complaint goes on to call Fox News’ practices “anticompetitive” and alleges that the media giant “coerces” television providers, making them agree to terms that prevent them from carrying competing networks like Newsmax.
“Fox’s behavior represents a textbook abuse of monopoly power,” said Michael J. Guzman, lead counsel for Newsmax. “The law is clear: competition, not coercion, should decide what news channels Americans can watch. By leveraging its must-have status, Fox has blocked new voices, suppressed consumer choice, and extracted excess profits.”
In a statement on Wednesday, Fox News said that the complaint is sour grapes from a network that’s failing to find an audience.
“Newsmax cannot sue their way out of their own competitive failures in the marketplace to chase headlines simply because they can’t attract viewers,” a spokesperson shared.
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The lawsuit comes weeks after Newsmax settled a massive defamation lawsuit. In August, Newsmax agreed to pay $67 million to Dominion Voting Systems after spreading unfounded claims about the company rigging the 2020 election against Donald Trump. Newsmax defended its reporting after news of the settlement broke.
“We stand by our coverage as fair, balanced, and conducted within professional standards of journalism,” a company statement read.
