Fox News Channel History
Fox News, also known as The Fox News Channel (FNC), is an American conservative news and political commentary TV channel and website headquartered in New York City. It falls under the ownership of Fox News Media, a subsidiary of the Fox Corporation.
Renowned as the most-watched cable network in the U.S., Fox News contributes approximately 70% to its parent company’s pre-tax profit as of 2023. The channel operates from studios located at 1211 Avenue of the Americas in Midtown Manhattan and extends its service to 86 countries and territories. International broadcasts include Fox Extra segments during advertising breaks.
Established by Australian-American media mogul Rupert Murdoch in 1996, Fox News was designed to cater to a conservative audience. Murdoch appointed former Republican media consultant and CNBC executive Roger Ailes as its founding CEO. The channel commenced operations on October 7, 1996, reaching 17 million cable subscribers at the outset.
Over the late 1990s and 2000s, Fox News expanded to become the predominant cable news subscription network in the United States. By September 2018, it could reach 87 million U.S. households, equivalent to 91 percent of television subscribers. In 2019, Fox News claimed the top spot as the highest-rated cable network, with an average of 2.5 million viewers during prime time.
Rupert Murdoch, serving as the executive chairman since 2016, announced in 2023 his intention to step down and pass on responsibilities to his son, Lachlan. Suzanne Scott has held the position of CEO since 2018.
Fox News has faced controversies, including allegations of biased reporting favoring the Republican Party and conservative causes, often portraying the Democratic Party negatively. Critics argue that the channel undermines the overall integrity of news. In response to such accusations in 2009, Fox News denied bias in its news reporting, maintaining that its reporting operates independently of its opinion journalism.
A notable controversy arose when Dominion Voting Systems filed a defamation lawsuit against Fox News concerning its reporting on the 2020 U.S. election. Internal communications from Fox News were released during the legal proceedings, revealing that presenters and senior executives privately doubted claims of a stolen election, even though Fox continued to broadcast such claims.
Fox settled the lawsuit in 2023, agreeing to pay Dominion $787.5 million and acknowledging the court ruling that Fox had spread falsehoods about Dominion. According to the Pew Research Center in 2019, 65 percent of Republicans and individuals leaning Republican expressed trust in Fox News.
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Fox News Political Alignments
Fox News has been accused of engaging in partisan reporting that favors the Republican Party, the administrations of George W. Bush and Donald Trump, and conservative causes. Critics argue that this practice undermines the overall integrity of news.
Despite these allegations, Fox News denies bias in its news reporting, asserting that its news coverage operates independently of its opinion journalism. Rupert Murdoch, the owner of Fox News, testified under oath during lawsuits related to the channel’s coverage of the 2020 presidential election, acknowledging that Fox anchors endorsed conservative conspiracy theories about the election.
In the documentary “Outfoxed” from 2004, four individuals identified as former employees claimed that Fox News pressured them to “slant the news in favor of conservatives.” Fox News countered this by stating that the film misrepresented the employment situations of these individuals.
Fox News Channel Outlets
The Fox News Channel (FNC) preserves a comprehensive archive of its programs, encompassing the Movietone News series of newsreels from its original movie studio, 20th Century Fox, which is now owned by Disney. Licensing for the Fox News archive is managed by ITN Source, the archiving division of ITN.
Television
FNC offers a diverse range of programming, delivering up to 15 hours of live broadcasts daily, along with content for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The majority of programs originate from Fox News headquarters in New York City, located at 1211 Avenue of the Americas.
The streetside studio on Sixth Avenue in the west wing of Rockefeller Center is also utilized, and this facility is shared with the Fox Business Network, a sister channel. Fox News Channel operates eight studios in its New York City headquarters, serving both its programming and that of Fox Business: Studio B (for Fox Business programming), Studio D (formerly used for studio audiences, now inactive), Studio E (for Gutfeld! and The Journal Editorial Report), Studio F (for various programs including The Story with Martha MacCallum, The Five, Fox Democracy 2020, Fox & Friends, Outnumbered, The Faulkner Focus, and Fox News Primetime), Studio G (housing Fox Business shows, The Fox Report, Your World with Neil Cavuto, and Cavuto Live), Studio H (Fox News Deck for breaking news coverage, currently not in use), Studio J (for America’s Newsroom, Hannity, Fox News Live, Fox & Friends First, and Sunday Morning Futures).
Starting in 2018, Thursday Night Football’s pregame show, Fox NFL Thursday, was produced by Studio F. Another Fox Sports program, First Things First, also uses Studio E. Certain programs, such as Special Report with Bret Baier, The Ingraham Angle, Fox News @ Night, Media Buzz, and editions of Fox News Live not originating from the New York City studios, are broadcast from Fox News’s Washington, D.C. studios, situated on Capitol Hill across from Union Station in a secure building shared with other television networks like NBC News and C-SPAN. The Next Revolution is broadcast from Fox News’ Los Angeles bureau studio, also utilized for news updates from L.A. Life, Liberty, & Levin is produced from Levin’s studio in Virginia. Additionally, audio simulcasts of the channel are transmitted on SiriusXM Satellite Radio.
In a New York Times article on October 11, 2009, Fox stated that its hard-news programming spans “9 AM to 4 PM and 6 to 8 PM on weekdays.” However, such claims are not extended to its other broadcasts, which predominantly feature editorial journalism and commentary.
Fox News Channel transitioned to broadcasting in the 720p resolution format on May 1, 2008, available through major cable and satellite providers. Fox News Media is responsible for producing Fox News Sunday, which airs on Fox Broadcasting and is rebroadcast on FNC. The network also produces occasional special event coverage broadcast on FBC.
Radio
As FNC expanded, it launched Fox News Radio in 2003, extending its reach into the radio domain. This division, syndicated across the United States, delivers concise news updates and talk radio shows showcasing personalities from both television and radio segments. In 2006, Fox News further diversified its presence with the introduction of Fox News Talk, a satellite radio station airing programs syndicated by and featuring Fox News personalities.
Online
Launched in December 1995, the Fox News website provides news articles and videos covering both national and international events. The content on the website is categorized into politics, media, U.S., and business.
Fox News articles draw from the network’s broadcasts, reports from Fox affiliates, and articles produced by various news agencies, including the Associated Press. Typically, articles are accompanied by related videos. Fox News Latino caters to a Hispanic audience, primarily presented in English with a dedicated Spanish section.
According to NewsGuard, “Much of FoxNews.com’s content, particularly articles produced by beat reporters and broadcasts by network correspondents, is accurate and well-sourced … However, FoxNews.com has regularly advanced false and misleading claims on topics including the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, the Russo-Ukrainian War, COVID-19, and U.S. elections.”
In September 2008, FNC introduced a live-streaming segment to its website called The Strategy Room, aimed at appealing to older viewers. This segment airs weekdays from 9 AM to 5 PM, taking the form of an informal discussion with ongoing commentary on the news.
Regular discussion programs within The Strategy Room include Business Hour, News With a View, and God Talk. In March 2009, The Fox Nation was launched as a website encouraging readers to post articles and comments on the news. Fox News Mobile is the segment of the FNC website designed for streaming news clips formatted for video-enabled mobile phones.
Fox Nation
In 2018, FNC revealed plans to introduce a subscription video-on-demand service named Fox Nation. This service complements FNC and offers exclusive talk, documentary, and reality programming, both original and acquired, to engage Fox News viewers. Several of its original programs showcase Fox News personalities and contributors.
Fox News Channel Ratings and Reception
In 2003, Fox News experienced a substantial increase in ratings during the initial phases of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. At the peak of the conflict, some reports suggested that Fox News witnessed a staggering 300% surge in viewership, averaging around 3.3 million daily viewers.
In 2004, Fox News’ broadcast of the Republican National Convention surpassed the ratings of the three major broadcast networks. During President George W. Bush’s address, Fox News garnered 7.3 million viewers nationally, outperforming NBC, ABC, and CBS, which had viewerships of 5.9 million, 5.1 million, and 5.0 million, respectively.
Between late 2005 and early 2006, Fox News experienced a temporary decline in ratings, including a notable drop in viewership during the second quarter of 2006. However, following events like the 2006 North Korean missile test and the 2006 Lebanon War, Fox News rebounded with a surge in viewership, maintaining its position as the top-rated cable news channel. In 2006, Fox News produced eight of the top ten most-watched nightly cable news shows.
In subsequent years, Fox News continued to dominate the cable news landscape, ranking eighth in viewership among all cable channels in 2006 and seventh in 2007. It achieved the number one position during significant weeks, such as Barack Obama’s election week in 2008 and the special Senate election in Massachusetts in January 2010. In May 2010, Fox News drew an average daily prime-time audience of 1.8 million viewers, surpassing competitors MSNBC and CNN.
A 2009 Pew Research Center report indicated that Fox News received favorable ratings from 72% of polled Republican viewers, while 43% of Democratic viewers and 55% of all polled viewers shared a favorable opinion. However, Fox News also received the highest “unfavorable” rating among all national outlets studied, with 25% of all polled viewers expressing unfavorable views. In 2010, the Wikipedia community discussed Fox News’ reliability, determining it was politically biased but generally reliable.
Over time, Fox News faced fluctuations in public perception. A 2013 Public Policy Polling poll noted a decline in positive perceptions, with 41% of voters expressing trust in Fox News, down from 49% in 2010. The network set a record for its highest-rated telecast on October 22, 2012, during the third U.S. presidential debate, with 11.5 million viewers.
In January 2014, Fox News marked its 145th consecutive month as the highest-rated cable news channel. During the 2014 U.S. elections, Fox News had the highest ratings among all cable channels, and its election night coverage surpassed that of other cable or network news sources.
In 2016, Fox News hosted the first prime-time GOP candidates’ forum, breaking records with 24 million viewers. A 2017 study identified Fox News as the third most-shared source among supporters of Donald Trump on Twitter during the 2016 presidential election.
In 2018, Fox News secured its position as America’s most-watched cable network, as per Nielsen ratings, averaging a record 2.4 million viewers in both prime time and total day from January 1 to December 30. According to a Simmons Research survey in October 2018, Fox News ranked in the middle in terms of trust among 38 news organizations, with 44.7% of surveyed Americans expressing trust in it.
During the first quarter of 2020 (January 1 – March 31), Fox News achieved its highest-rated quarter in the network’s history, with Nielsen reporting a prime-time average total audience of 3.387 million viewers. Sean Hannity‘s program, Hannity, became the top-rated show in cable news for the quarter, averaging 4.2 million viewers, surpassing both cable news and network competition in the same time slot.
Fox News dominated the prime-time ratings, with the top five shows, including Tucker Carlson Tonight, The Five, The Ingraham Angle, and Special Report with Bret Baier. Despite the overall dominance, The Rachel Maddow Show was the highest non-Fox show on cable, securing the sixth position.
Fox News continued its success, with Fox & Friends averaging 1.8 million viewers, surpassing the combined viewership of CNN’s New Day and MSNBC’s Morning Joe. Additionally, Fox Business Network achieved its highest-rated quarter in history, and Fox News closed March as the highest-rated network in cable for the 45th consecutive month.
In July 2020, the Wikipedia community adjusted its stance, no longer considering Fox News “generally reliable” in reporting science and politics, cautioning users to verify contentious claims in these areas. The decision was influenced by Fox News downplaying the COVID-19 pandemic, allegations of spreading misinformation about climate change, and reporting on the false concept of “no-go zones” for non-Muslims in British cities.
Amid criticism, ratings decline, and shifts in viewership preferences post-2020 U.S. presidential election, Fox News rebounded in 2021 to regain its lead in cable news ratings, surpassing CNN and MSNBC. In 2022, the Wikipedia community classified Fox News as “marginally reliable” in its reporting of science and politics, cautioning against using it as a source for “exceptional claims,” with reliability determined on a case-by-case basis for other scientific and political claims. This decision applies solely to news articles on Fox News’ website and excludes Fox News articles on non-scientific or political topics.