What Happened to Fox News Channel?

Fox News Channel (FNC) was launched on October 7, 1996, by media mogul Rupert Murdoch with the aim of providing a conservative alternative to what he perceived as a liberal bias in mainstream media. Under the leadership of its founding CEO, Roger Ailes, the network quickly gained traction by focusing on opinion programming and appealing to a conservative audience. By 2002, Fox News had surpassed CNN in ratings, establishing itself as a dominant force in cable news.

The network's influence grew significantly, particularly during key political events, and it became closely associated with the Republican Party's base. However, this rise was not without controversy. In the mid-2010s, Fox News faced sexual harassment lawsuits against Ailes, leading to his departure. More recently, the network became embroiled in major defamation lawsuits following the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Dominion Voting Systems sued Fox News for $1.6 billion, alleging the network broadcast false claims that its machines were rigged. In April 2023, just as the trial was set to begin, Fox News settled with Dominion for $787.5 million, acknowledging the court's ruling that false statements about Dominion had been broadcast.

Shortly after the Dominion settlement, prominent host Tucker Carlson abruptly departed from the network in April 2023, a significant event given his high viewership. Despite these challenges, Fox News has maintained its ratings dominance. In the first quarter of 2026, it topped all of cable for the 20th consecutive quarter and even surpassed CBS in weekday primetime viewers. Fox News commanded nearly 60% of the cable news audience in both total day and primetime during this period. Its digital platforms also continue to perform strongly, with Fox News Digital leading all news brands in multiplatform unique visitors in May 2026.

As of August 2026, Fox News is still navigating a $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit filed by Smartmatic, another voting technology company, which is moving towards trial after a New York appellate court rejected Fox's dismissal attempt in January 2025. In terms of corporate strategy, Fox Corporation, the parent company of Fox News Media, reported record fiscal 2026 revenue of over $17 billion. The company has also been expanding its direct-to-consumer streaming services, launching FOX One in 2025 and announcing the acquisition of Roku in 2026, aiming to combine its television and streaming businesses with Roku's extensive user base. The Murdoch family's control over the media empire was further solidified in September 2025, ensuring Lachlan Murdoch's continued leadership.