Despite the emergence of several right-wing cable news and internet channels, Fox News appears to have been unscathed, as their ratings are as good, if not better than they’ve ever been.
But that could all change.
A major new player is only gearing up to challenge Fox News and they may even do so with some of Fox News’ own former talent:
POLITICO – Sinclair Broadcast Group, which for months has denied any interest in challenging Fox News while awaiting approval of a merger with Tribune Co., is gearing up to do just that.
Sinclair executive chairman David Smith has been holding meetings with potential future employees, including former Fox News staff members, and laying out a vision for an evening block of opinion and news programming that would compete with Fox’s top-rated lineup, according to a person familiar with the meetings.
Sinclair currently owns the Tennis Channel, and, as part of the $3.9 billion Tribune deal pending before the Federal Communications Commission, would acquire WGN America, a cable network that currently reaches 80 million homes.
Smith, who has been personally involved in at least some of the meetings, still appears to be working through several aspects of the plan, including which of those networks would house his news and opinion programming. He has been discussing a block of at least three hours, but also potentially up to six. Smith is settled, though, on basing his new operation in Washington, D.C., just down the road from Sinclair headquarters in Baltimore, said the person familiar with the discussions. The company already owns local Washington station WJLA, where it produces some of its national content.
Greta…
One apparent Sinclair target is former Fox News host Greta Van Susteren, who left the network in September 2016 and then had a short stint at MSNBC before signing on with Voice of America. Van Susteren wrote in an email that she has spoken with Smith.
“I am intellectually challenged by my weekly VOA show, which broadcasts all over the world and is translated into many languages, including Farsi (airs in Iran), Mandarin etc.,” Van Susteren wrote. “I do know [executive chairman] David Smith and have over time spoken to him. If the Sinclair deal happens, I might talk to him further. … but it would have to be something that would not take me from VOA.”
Eric Bolling and James Rosen…
Other potential hires are former Fox anchor Eric Bolling and reporter James Rosen, who both declined to address whether they’ve met with Smith or other Sinclair executives.
The New York Post reported Wednesday night that Bolling, who has just signed on to do a show with digital streaming network Conservative Review TV, has also been in talks with MSNBC, Newsmax and Sinclair. A person familiar with Bolling’s situation said that the CRTV job would not preclude a return to television.
“I’ve had meetings with several different media groups, let’s just leave it at that,” said Bolling, who left Fox News in September amid a sexual harassment probe.
Rosen would also come with baggage. Shortly after he left in December, NPR reported that Rosen was facing harassment accusations. But Sinclair has shown a willingness to stomach those sort of complications. Last fall, reports emerged that the network had talked with former Fox host Bill O’Reilly, though those discussions fell apart and O’Reilly no longer appears to be on the table.
It looks like this could be the most formidable challenge yet to Fox News, who Politico says is in more than 90 million homes. Given that Fox News has gone through some big changes since 2016, the pickings could be ripe for Sinclair to succeed in stealing a significant amount of ratings, especially if they can snag some solid young talent like that of Ben Shapiro or Dana Loesch.
It could get very interesting.