By: Benyamin Davidsons
Allies of President Donald Trump have reportedly been looking into the option of purchasing the conservative cable network Newsmax. According to Spectrum News, this endeavor would help replace Fox News, which has stepped away from its previous staunch support for Trump. Such a move would also serve as retaliation against Fox News. Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy said they “are not actively selling”, although he conceded that “investors, investment banks and strategic players,” have expressed interest in his news outlet.
As per the WSJ, Hicks Equity Partners, a private-equity firm linked to the Republican National Committee and its Co-Chair Tommy Hicks Jr., has held talks in recent months with Newsmax. The firm aims to raise $200 million to spend on a potential pro-Trump cable and video-streaming news network, following the President’s recent disappointment with Fox News.
Though Fox News has had generally good ties with President Trump, over the last few weeks the media outlet’s support for the president has gone dry. Trump and his supporters are furious at Fox for being the first to call Arizona a victory for Democratic contender Joe Biden the morning after Election Day. The network was also quick to start calling Biden the president-elect, even as President Trump has refused to concede defeat. Trump also complained that Fox gave Biden too much attention leading up to the election. Last week, President Trump took to Twitter to say the networks ratings are now falling as a result of its brushing him off. “Fox News daytime ratings have completely collapsed”, the President wrote. “They forgot what made them successful, what got them there. They forgot the Golden Goose.”
On the other hand, Newsmax, which has supported Trump’s assertions of election fraud and that the election was stolen from him, has seen its primetime ratings jump 156% since the election, as per the WS Journal.
On Sunday, President Trump directly called on his supporters to look for other news sources to replace Fox News. “Many great alternatives are forming & exist. Try @OANN & @newsmax, among others!” It is not clear if Trump would be involved in trying to purchase the news outlet, however, last week Axios reported that Trump has told friends that he would like to start a digital media company to get back at Fox News.
On Sunday, Ruddy, who is himself a close ally to Trump, said that Newsmax “would never become ‘Trump TV.’” “We have always seen ourselves as an independent news agency, and we want to continue with that mission,” said Ruddy.
