Newsmax Broadcasting has filed a high-stakes antitrust lawsuit against Fox Corporation and Fox News, accusing the media giant of “unlawful monopolization” and engaging in a decade-long campaign to block competition in the conservative news market.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court on Wednesday, alleges that Fox News leveraged its dominant position in the cable and streaming television landscape to stifle Newsmax’s growth, penalize distributors, and limit consumer choice — all in an effort to maintain its grip as the leading right-leaning news source.
“Fox’s campaign to stunt Newsmax’s business has delayed, for almost a decade, Newsmax’s growth in pay TV distribution,” the complaint reads. “Newsmax is far from the only victim.”
Claims of Strong-Arm Tactics and Blacklisting
According to the suit, Fox imposed “no-carry provisions” on TV distributors that restricted or outright blocked them from airing competing channels, including Newsmax. Distributors that did carry Newsmax allegedly faced financial penalties or were forced to promote Fox’s less-watched properties as a condition for continuing to air its flagship networks, Fox News and Fox Business.
The suit also accuses Fox of using private investigators to target Newsmax executives and pressuring high-profile guests not to appear on the network — tactics Newsmax claims created a chilling effect and suppressed its potential rise in viewership and ad revenue.
In one specific example, Newsmax claims that in June 2025, the streaming service Fubo informed the network that it would not be included in its newly marketed Sports/Entertainment Package, allegedly due to Fox’s behind-the-scenes influence.
“Fox used its leverage to secure inclusion of Fox News and Fox Business… and impose terms that deter Fubo from adding additional news channels, including Newsmax,” the lawsuit claims.
A Fubo spokesperson disputed that allegation, telling the Daily Caller News Foundation that Newsmax is currently included in that package — though the timing and negotiations remain in dispute.
Newsmax: “Textbook Abuse of Monopoly Power”
In its legal filing, Newsmax is seeking damages under Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Antitrust Act, as well as the Florida Antitrust Act and the Florida Deceptive & Unfair Trade Practices Act. The network is also requesting a jury trial and a court order declaring Fox’s conduct unlawful.
“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.”
Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy echoed that sentiment, framing the lawsuit as a battle over media fairness and consumer choice.
“This case is about restoring fairness to the market and ensuring that Americans have real choice in the news they watch,” Ruddy said in a statement.
Fox News Responds: “They Can’t Attract Viewers”
In response, a Fox News Media spokesperson dismissed the claims as sour grapes from a failing competitor, telling the Daily Caller News Foundation, “Newsmax cannot sue their way out of their own competitive failures in the marketplace to chase headlines simply because they can’t attract viewers.”
The network did not specifically address the accusations of coercion, anti-competitive contracting, or blacklisting of guests.
A Broader Battle on the Right
The lawsuit is the latest escalation in a media war on the political right, where networks like Newsmax and The Daily Wire have sought to carve out space alongside Fox News, particularly as Fox has drawn criticism from some conservatives over its election coverage and corporate policies.
Some conservative viewers and influencers have already taken to social media praising Newsmax for “calling out the monopoly” and standing up against what they describe as a corporate media oligopoly.
Others, however, see the lawsuit as a sign of desperation — a legal gamble by a smaller network struggling to attain the same reach as Fox.
What Happens Next?
The case now moves into the federal court system, where it will likely face months — if not years — of litigation. If successful, Newsmax could force sweeping changes in how major networks negotiate with cable and streaming providers and open the door for smaller competitors to gain a foothold.
For now, the lawsuit is a powerful salvo that reveals just how contentious — and cutthroat — the business has become.
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