Fox News confident in face of new rivals from right in Newsmax, OAN


December 15, 2020

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Fox News is facing new competition for conservative viewers from rivals on the right amid a clash with President Trump as he leaves the White House.

The challenges are unlikely to knock Fox News from its perch as the cable news ratings giant. Fox has spent billions investing in its around-the-clock news division, and its prime-time lineup draws millions of viewers every night.

But fledgling conservative outlets such as Newsmax and One America News see an opportunity to challenge Fox by providing unabashed pro-Trump news and commentary.

Fox is also experiencing pressure from more established rivals CNN and MSNBC, which have both seen their ratings rise with a Democratic administration about to be sworn in...

“There’s always been tension at Fox between the news division and the commentary,” said Steven Livingston, a media studies professor at George Washington University. “You run into trouble with viewers when you fall out of the propaganda feedback loop, and that’s opened up some space for competitors. We saw this before with Breitbart, so we kind of know where the story goes. They’ll always be looking over their shoulder.”

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