Brian Stelter joins Matt to discuss Fox's relationship with Hollywood after Rupert's retirement, including their profitable deals with the NFL and ad-supported TV service Tubi. They also explore Fox News as a business, challenges faced by Fox Nation in building a niche news streaming service, and opinions on NFL football broadcast and Tom Brady's potential involvement.
Fox News remains successful by dominating the right-wing news space and leveraging its strong sports offerings, including lucrative NFL rights until 2033.
Despite struggling in the streaming space, Fox Broadcasting thrives by focusing on live sports and reality shows, while its streaming service, Fox Nation, caters to extreme conservative politics and heartland-style programming.
Deep dives
The Future of Fox: Challenges and Opportunities
Despite controversies and scandals, Fox News remains a formidable network, dominating the right-wing news space and attracting a loyal audience. The channel's success is boosted by its strong sports offerings, including lucrative NFL rights until 2033. While Fox News generates significant profits, their streaming service, Fox Nation, has struggled to build a substantial subscriber base. The channel's decision not to compete in the streaming wars has been a deliberate choice, as they focus on maintaining stability and extracting profits from cable television. The pending lawsuits and controversies surrounding Fox News pose an ongoing challenge, but the network's resilience and dedicated fanbase continue to drive its success.
A Look at Fox Broadcasting and Entertainment Assets
Fox Broadcasting, despite its limited scripted offerings, remains a steady business with a strong focus on live sports and reality shows like Lego Masters. While the network has struggled to compete in the streaming space, Fox has carved out a niche with its streaming service, Fox Nation, which offers a mix of extreme conservative politics and heartland-style programming. The service is on track to surpass 2 million subscribers this year, though it faces difficulties in attracting a younger demographic, as the Fox News flagship channel already serves their interests. The network's decision not to invest in streaming has both positives and negatives, allowing them to maintain stable ad revenue and affiliate deals, but potentially hindering their long-term growth.
The Potential Challenges for Fox News
Fox News, the dominant force in right-wing news, faces challenges from ongoing lawsuits and controversies. Settlement payouts of nearly $800 million and the potential for more legal challenges, such as the Dominion case, loom over the network. The influence of former President Trump remains a factor, with a delicate balance between the network and Trump, each vying for perceived strength. However, despite the controversies, Fox News has proven resilient, retaining its conservative audience and continuing to thrive as a media powerhouse. The ongoing political and legal landscape, along with the network's aging viewership, pose potential challenges for Fox News in the future.
The Unlikely Prospect of Tom Brady Joining the Fox Booth
Despite the initial announcement of Tom Brady joining the Fox broadcasting booth for a reported 10-year, $375 million deal, it is highly unlikely to materialize. Brady's image and aspirations may not align with a broadcasting role, as he likely sees himself more as an owner than a commentator. Fox, on the other hand, may not be eager to commit such a significant amount of money to Brady, especially considering the consistent ratings success they are currently enjoying without him. Ultimately, it seems that the announcement of Brady joining the booth served its purpose in generating excitement, but the actual agreement is improbable to come to fruition.
Matt is joined by journalist and former chief media correspondent for CNN Brian Stelter to discuss the unique business behind Fox and its relationship with Hollywood moving forward in post-Rupert era, including how it continues to generate billions in profits every year, their lucrative deal with the NFL, and their ad-supported TV service, Tubi. Matt finishes the show with a prediction on Tom Brady’s media career.
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