CEO: ‘Newsmax would never become Trump TV’
Newsmax’s CEO Chris Ruddy pushed back on assertions that President Trump could seek to take over the network as a pro-Trump alternative to Fox News during an interview with Variety.
Ruddy said he was open to the president hosting a show on the network, but rejected the idea of a presidential takeover. Ruddy said in the interview that his staffers have “always seen ourselves as an independent news agency, and we want to continue with that mission.”
“Newsmax would never become ‘Trump TV,’ ” he continued, adding: “But we are open — [Trump] is going to be a political and media force after he leaves the White House, and we would be open to talking to him about a weekly show.”
Talk that Trump might enter the cable news competition has revved up given his loss in the presidential election to Democrat Joe Biden, and his anger at Fox News over their projection that Biden had won the critical state of Arizona.
Allies of the president have been reportedly looking at investing in a conservative alternative to Fox News for years and have looked at the possibility of investing in Newsmax, about which Trump has tweeted complimentarily on several occasions.
“Many great alternatives are forming & exist. Try @OANN & @newsmax, among others!” Trump wrote in a tweet Sunday ripping Fox News.
This is why @FoxNews daytime and weekend daytime have lost their ratings. They are abysmal having @alfredenewman1 (Mayor Pete of Indiana’s most unsuccessful city, by far!) on more than Republicans. Many great alternatives are forming & exist. Try @OANN & @newsmax, among others! https://t.co/ewHE8GBRNy
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 15, 2020
Newsmax is a much smaller entity than Fox News, however, and challenging Fox would be a tall order regardless of the president’s involvement.
Fox saw its ratings jump 22 percent to more than 6 million viewers a night during its election coverage, and Fox Corporation’s CEO has spoken confidently about handling competition.
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