History of Fox News in Timeline
Fox News Channel (FNC) is a conservative American news and political commentary television channel and website headquartered in New York City. Owned by Fox News Media, a subsidiary of Fox Corporation, it is the most-watched cable news network in the U.S. As of 2023, it generates roughly 70% of Fox Corporation's pre-tax profit. Broadcasting primarily from Midtown Manhattan, Fox News serves 86 countries and territories, incorporating Fox Extra segments into international broadcasts.
May 1985: Murdoch's Network Plan
In May 1985, Rupert Murdoch and Marvin Davis announced plans to develop a network of independent stations to compete with CBS, NBC, and ABC through the purchase of six television stations owned by Metromedia.
July 1985: Purchase of Fox Filmed Entertainment
In July 1985, 20th Century Fox announced that Rupert Murdoch had completed his purchase of 50% of Fox Filmed Entertainment, the parent company of 20th Century Fox Film Corporation.
1989: Sky News Launch
In 1989, News Corporation's BSkyB subsidiary launched Sky News, Europe's first 24-hour news channel, in the United Kingdom, marking Murdoch's early involvement in the 24-hour news business.
December 1995: Fox News Website Launch
In December 1995, the Fox News website was introduced, featuring news articles and videos about national and international news, organized into sections like politics, media, U.S., and business.
January 30, 1996: News Corp Announces 24-Hour News Channel
On January 30, 1996, Murdoch announced that News Corp. would launch a 24-hour news channel on cable and satellite systems in the United States as part of a News Corp. "worldwide platform" for Fox programming.
February 1996: Roger Ailes Hired
In February 1996, Roger Ailes left America's Talking and was hired by Rupert Murdoch to start the Fox News Channel.
October 7, 1996: Fox News Channel Launch
On October 7, 1996, Fox News Channel launched to 17 million cable subscribers, marking the beginning of the network's presence in the cable news landscape.
1996: Fox News Introduction to Local Markets
From 1996–2000, the introduction of Fox News into local markets impacted Republican vote shares.
2000: Fox News Introduction to Local Markets
From 1996–2000, the introduction of Fox News into local markets impacted Republican vote shares.
2000: Fox News Lacks Ideological Tilt
Prior to 2000, Fox News had no obvious ideological leaning, with more Democrats than Republicans watching the channel at the time.
2001: Morning Show Falls Out of First Place
Following a decline in ratings, ratings were also down for Fox News. Although it remained ahead of other networks overall, its morning show fell out of first place for the first time since 2001.
2001: Fox News Launches on Stream TV in Italy
2001: Sean Hannity Calls Scientific Consensus on Climate Change "Phony Science"
In 2001, Sean Hannity described the scientific consensus on climate change as "phony science from the left".
2001: News Ticker Introduction
In 2001, during the September 11 attacks, Fox News was the first news organization to run a news ticker on the bottom of the screen to keep up with the flow of information.
August 2003: Fox News Sues Al Franken Over Slogan Use
In August 2003, Fox News sued comedian Al Franken over his use of the slogan "Fair and Balanced" as a subtitle for his book, Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right. The lawsuit was dropped three days later.
December 2003: FNC Wins Legal Battle Concerning Slogan
In December 2003, FNC won a legal battle concerning the slogan "Fair and Balanced", when AlterNet filed a cancellation petition with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to have FNC's trademark rescinded as inaccurate.
2003: Fox News Moves to Sky Italia
In 2003, Fox News moved from Stream TV to Sky Italia.
2003: CRTC Denies Fox News Channel Application in Canada
In 2003, the CRTC denied an application requesting permission for Fox News Channel to be carried in Canada due to a planned joint venture with Canwest's Global Television Network.
2003: Introduction of Fox News Radio
In 2003, with the growth of FNC, the company introduced Fox News Radio, a radio division syndicated throughout the United States, providing short newscasts and talk radio programs.
2003: Service to Japan Ceases
In the summer of 2003, Fox News service to Japan ceased, but it remained available on Americable, Mediatti, and Pan Global TV Japan.
March 2004: Fox Shelves Joint Venture in Canada
In March 2004, a Fox executive announced that the planned joint venture with Canwest's Global Television Network, tentatively named Fox News Canada, had been shelved.
2004: Pew Research Center Survey
A 2004 Pew Research Center survey found FNC was cited (unprompted) by 69 percent of national journalists as a conservative news organization.
2004: Fox News Coverage of John Kerry
During the 2004 United States presidential election, Fox News showed hostility in its coverage of Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry. The network heavily covered the Swift Boat smear campaign against Kerry.
2004: Fox News Highlights Attacks on John Kerry
In 2004, Fox News gave attention to the attacks on John Kerry by the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, as noted in 'Asymmetric Politics'.
2004: Higher Ratings than Major Networks
In 2004, Fox News' ratings for its broadcast of the Republican National Convention exceeded those of the three major broadcast networks, particularly during President George W. Bush's address.
2004: Release of Outfoxed
In 2004, Robert Greenwald's documentary film Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism argued Fox News had a conservative bias.
2004: Sean Hannity Alleges Scientists Can't Agree on Global Warming
In 2004, Sean Hannity falsely alleged that "scientists still can't agree on whether the global warming is scientific fact or fiction".
2004: AlterNet Includes Documentary Film in Lawsuit
In December 2003, AlterNet included Robert Greenwald's documentary film Outfoxed (2004) as supporting evidence in its case to have FNC's trademark rescinded as inaccurate.
August 2005: Fox News Highest-Ranked Network
In prime time and total day ratings for the week of April 15 to 21, 2013, Fox News, propelled by its coverage of Hurricane Katrina, was the highest-ranked network on U.S. cable television, for the first time since August 2005.
2005: Ratings Decline
In late 2005, Fox News experienced a decline in ratings.
2006: FNC Cable Ranking
In 2006, FNC ranked No. 8 in viewership among all cable channels.
2006: Decline and Surge in Ratings
In 2006, Fox News experienced a decline in ratings during the second quarter, with viewership decreasing for all prime-time programs compared to the previous quarter. However, following the 2006 North Korean missile test and the 2006 Lebanon War, Fox News saw a surge in viewership, maintaining its position as the top-rated cable news channel. The O'Reilly Factor and Hannity & Colmes finished first and second respectively.
2006: Introduction of Fox News Talk
In 2006, Fox News introduced Fox News Talk, a satellite radio station featuring programs syndicated by (and featuring) Fox News personalities.
2007: Increase in Partisan Views
According to a report published in September 2009 by the Pew Research Center, partisan differences in views of Fox News had increased substantially since 2007.
2007: FNC Cable Ranking
In 2007, FNC ranked No. 7 in viewership among all cable channels.
2007: Private Investigator's Fox News Appearance
In 2007, a private investigator who later made claims about Seth Rich appeared on Fox News warning about underground networks of "pink pistol-toting lesbian gangs" that were raping young women.
2007: Republicans Gained Percentage Points
In the 2000 presidential election, Republicans gained 0.4 to 0.7 percentage points in the towns that broadcast Fox News in 2007, suggesting Fox News convinced 3 to 28 percent of its viewers to vote Republican, depending on the audience measure.
May 1, 2008: Broadcast Resolution Format
On May 1, 2008, Fox News Channel began broadcasting in the 720p resolution format, available on major cable and satellite providers.
September 2008: Introduction of The Strategy Room
In September 2008, Fox News Channel introduced The Strategy Room, a live streaming segment on its website airing weekdays from 9 AM to 5 PM, featuring informal discussion and commentary on the news.
2008: Fox News Attention to Polls
A 2008 study found Fox News gave disproportionate attention to polls suggesting low approval for President Bill Clinton.
2008: Ranked Number One During Obama Election
During the week of Barack Obama's election in 2008 (November 3–9), Fox News ranked number one among all cable channels.
2008: "We Report, You Decide" Slogan
In 2008, FNC used the slogan "We Report, You Decide", referring to "You Decide 2008" for its coverage of election issues.
2008: Fox News Viewership in 25-54 Age Group
In 2008, in the 25–54 age group, Fox News had an average of 557,000 viewers.
March 2009: Launch of The Fox Nation
In March 2009, The Fox Nation was launched as a website intended to encourage readers to post articles commenting on the news.
June 2009: Chris Wallace Comments
In June 2009, Fox News host Chris Wallace said: "I think we are the counter-weight [to NBC News] ... they have a liberal agenda, and we tell the other side of the story."
September 2009: Obama Administration Engages in Conflict with Fox News Channel
In September 2009, the Obama administration engaged in a verbal conflict with Fox News Channel. On September 20, President Barack Obama appeared on all major news programs except Fox News.
September 2009: Pew Research Center Report on Public View of News Organizations
In September 2009, the Pew Research Center published a report stating that 72% of Republican Fox News viewers rated the channel as "favorable", while 43% of Democratic viewers and 55% of all viewers shared that opinion. Fox News also received the highest "unfavorable" rating of all national outlets studied (25% of all viewers).
September 2009: Obama's senior advisor David Axelrod and Roger Ailes meet in secret to attempt to smooth out tensions
In late September 2009, Obama's senior advisor David Axelrod and Roger Ailes met in secret to attempt to smooth out tensions between the two camps.
October 11, 2009: News Programming Hours
In an October 11, 2009, New York Times article, Fox said its hard-news programming runs from "9 AM to 4 PM and 6 to 8 PM on weekdays".
November 8, 2009: White House Warns Democratic Consultant
On November 8, 2009, the Los Angeles Times reported that an unnamed Democratic consultant was allegedly warned by the White House to not appear on Fox News. The article also mentioned that Dunn claimed in an email that colleagues denied telling anyone to avoid Fox. Patrick Caddell, a Fox News contributor, stated he had spoken with other Democratic consultants who received similar warnings.
2009: Pew Survey Results
A 2009 Pew survey found Fox News is viewed as the most ideological channel in America, with 47 percent of those surveyed said Fox News is "mostly conservative", 14 percent said "mostly liberal" and 24 percent said "neither".
2009: Fox News Stories on Democrats and Republicans
A 2009 study found Fox News was less likely to pick up stories that reflected well on Democrats, and more likely to pick up stories that reflected well on Republicans.
2009: Tapper Defends Fox News
In 2009, Jake Tapper, then a White House correspondent for ABC News, defended Fox News after the Obama administration questioned its legitimacy as a news organization. This occurred before Tapper criticized Fox News in 2017 for distorting his statements.
2009: Leaked Emails Show Fox News Editors Instructed Journalists to Dispute Climate Change
In 2009, leaked emails showed Bill Sammon, the Fox News Washington managing editor, instructed Fox News journalists to dispute the scientific consensus on climate change and avoid asserting the planet had warmed or cooled without immediately pointing out that such theories are based upon data that critics have called into question.
January 2010: Fox News Reaches Top Spot
In January 2010, Fox News reached the top spot again during the week of the special Senate election in Massachusetts.
January 2010: Fox News Discontinued on New Zealand TV Channel Prime
In January 2010, Fox News was discontinued on free-to-air UHF New Zealand TV channel Prime, reportedly due to an expiring broadcasting license.
2010: Fox News Mobilizing Voters
In 2010, Fox News helped mobilize voters to participate in midterm elections, contributing to Republican efforts.
2010: Fox News Audience
In 2010, Fox News overall audience was 1.89 million.
2010: Glenn Beck Promotes Conspiracy Theories About George Soros
In 2010, Glenn Beck, during his tenure at Fox News, promoted conspiracy theories about George Soros, depicting him as a "puppet-master" and using anti-Semitic tropes. A three-part series depicted Soros as a villain trying to "form a shadow government", promoting the false theory that he was a Nazi collaborator. Fox News defended Beck amid criticism.
2010: Hannity Calls Climategate a Scandal Exposing Global Warming as a Myth
In 2010, Sean Hannity referred to "Climategate" as a "scandal" that "exposed global warming as a myth cooked up by alarmists". He frequently invites contrarian scientists to his shows.
2011: Fox News as Platform for Climate Change Deniers
In 2011, James Lawrence Powell's study of the climate science denial movement stated Fox News provides "the deniers with a platform to say whatever they like without fear of contradiction."
2011: Fox & Friends Calls Climate Change "Unproven Science"
In 2011, the hosts of Fox & Friends described climate change as "unproven science" and a "disputed fact," criticizing the Department of Education for collaborating with Nickelodeon to educate children about climate change.
October 22, 2012: Record-Breaking Viewership for Presidential Debate
On October 22, 2012, Fox News set a record for its highest-rated telecast, with 11.5 million viewers for the third U.S. presidential debate.
December 2012: Sean Hannity on Benghazi Attack
In December 2012, Fox News host Sean Hannity described the 2012 Benghazi attack as "the story that the mainstream media ignores" and "obviously, a cover-up. And we will get to the bottom of it."
2012: 2012 Election Coverage
David Carr, media critic for The New York Times, praised the 2012 United States presidential election results coverage on Fox News for the network's response to Republican adviser and Fox News contributor Karl Rove challenging its call that Barack Obama would win Ohio and the election.
2012: Fox News Focuses on Hillary Clinton's Role in Benghazi Attack
In 2012, Fox News focused on Hillary Clinton's role in the attacks on the American consulate in Benghazi, Libya, as detailed in the book 'Asymmetric Politics'.
October 2, 2013: Fox News Cites Fake Story
On October 2, 2013, Fox News host Anna Kooiman cited on air a fake story from the National Report parody site. The story claimed Obama had offered to keep the International Museum of Muslim Cultures open with cash from his own pocket.
2013: Decline in Positive Perceptions
A Public Policy Polling poll concluded in 2013 that positive perceptions of FNC had declined from 2010; 41% of polled voters said they trust it, down from 49% in 2010, while 46% said they distrust it, up from 37% in 2010. It was also called the "most trusted" network by 34% of those polled.
2013: Political Affiliation of Fox Viewers
According to a 2013 Gallup poll, 94% of Fox viewers "either identify as or lean Republican".
2013: Aged Demographic
As indicated by a 2013 New York Times article, based on Nielsen statistics, Fox appears to have a mostly aged demographic.
2013: Fox News Viewership in 25-54 Age Group Decreases
In 2013, Fox News viewership in the 25–54 age group dropped to 379,000 while increasing its overall audience from 1.89 million in 2010 to 2.02 million in 2013.
2013: Rupert Murdoch Defends "Fair and Balanced" Slogan
In a 2013 interview with Peter Robinson of the Hoover Institution, Rupert Murdoch defended the company's "Fair and Balanced" slogan.
2013: Fox News Highest-Ranked Network
In prime time and total day ratings for the week of April 15 to 21, 2013, Fox News, propelled by its coverage of the Boston Marathon bombing, was the highest-ranked network on U.S. cable television.
2014: Impact on Representatives
A 2014 study found congressional representatives become less supportive of President Clinton in districts where Fox News begins broadcasting than similar representatives in similar districts where Fox News was not broadcast.
2014: Fox News Mobilizing Voters
In 2014, Fox News helped mobilize voters to participate in midterm elections, contributing to Republican efforts.
2015: Median Age of Prime-Time Viewer
As of 2015, the median age of a Fox News prime-time viewer was 68.
2015: Prime-time Lineup Change
From 2015 to 2017, the Fox News prime-time lineup shifted from skepticism towards Trump to a "Trump safe space".
2015: Results Confirmed
In 2015, the results from a 2007 study were confirmed.
August 2016: Phasing Out "Fair and Balanced" Slogan
In August 2016, Fox News Channel began to quietly phase out the "Fair and Balanced" slogan in favor of "Most Watched, Most Trusted".
2016: Most-Shared Source Among Trump Supporters on Twitter
A 2017 study by the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University found that Fox News was the third most-shared source among supporters of Donald Trump on Twitter during the 2016 presidential election, behind The Hill and Breitbart News.
2016: Network Develops Election Calling System
After the 2016 election, Fox News developed a cutting-edge system to call elections.
2016: Fox News Kills Stormy Daniels Story
Before the 2016 United States presidential election, Fox News killed a story by Diana Falzone about the Stormy Daniels-Donald Trump scandal after Fox News executive Ken LaCorte stated Rupert Murdoch wanted Donald Trump to win.
2016: Shift to Pro-Trump Stance
By 2016, Fox News had politically shifted further rightwards and became solidly pro-Trump, indicating a strong alignment with the then-presidential candidate.
2016: Fox News Coverage of Hillary Clinton
During the 2016 United States elections, Fox News dedicated far more coverage to Hillary Clinton-related stories, with critics claiming the intent was to deflect attention from the investigation into Russian interference.
2016: First Prime-Time GOP Candidates' Forum
In 2016, Fox News hosted the first prime-time GOP candidates' forum of the 2016 campaign on August 6. The debate reached a record-breaking 24 million viewers.
2016: Fox News Profiled in 'Asymmetric Politics'
In 2016, the book "Asymmetric Politics" highlighted Fox News' tendency to amplify scandals and controversies involving Democrats, which often receive less attention in other media outlets. These included topics such as Barack Obama's connection to William Ayers and Hillary Clinton's role in the 2012 Benghazi attack.
2016: Rupert Murdoch's Role
Since 2016, Rupert Murdoch was the executive chairman. Murdoch said in 2023 that he would step down and hand responsibilities to his son, Lachlan.
January 2017: Fox News Renews O'Reilly's Contract After Harassment Settlement
In January 2017, shortly after Bill O'Reilly settled a sexual harassment lawsuit for $32 million, Fox News renewed Bill O'Reilly's contract.
March 14, 2017: Napolitano's Claim
On March 14, 2017, Andrew Napolitano, a Fox News commentator, claimed on Fox & Friends that British intelligence agency GCHQ had wiretapped Trump on behalf of Barack Obama during the 2016 United States presidential election.
March 16, 2017: Spicer Repeats Claim
On March 16, 2017, White House spokesman Sean Spicer repeated the claim that British intelligence agency GCHQ had wiretapped Trump on behalf of Barack Obama during the 2016 United States presidential election.
March 17, 2017: Fox News Admits No Evidence
On March 17, 2017, Shepard Smith, a Fox News anchor, admitted the network had no evidence that Trump was under surveillance. British officials said the White House was backing off the claim. Andrew Napolitano was later suspended by Fox News for making the claim.
May 2017: Harvard Study on Trump Coverage
A May 2017 study by Harvard University's Shorenstein Center found Trump received 80% negative coverage from the overall media, and received the least negative coverage on Fox – 52% negative and 48% positive.
May 2017: Hannity Calls Ailes "a second father"
In May 2017, Sean Hannity called Roger Ailes "a second father" and said to Ailes's "enemies" that he was "preparing to kick your a** in the next life".
May 16, 2017: Fox News Runs Lead Story on Seth Rich Conspiracy Theory
On May 16, 2017, Fox News ran a lead story about a private investigator's uncorroborated claims about the murder of Seth Rich, a DNC staffer, while other news outlets focused on Donald Trump's revelation of classified information to Russia. The Fox News report reignited right-wing conspiracy theories about the killing.
June 2017: Reports on Slogan Change
In June 2017, changes were reported that Fox News Channel was wishing to distance itself from Ailes' tenure at the network.
July 2017: Fox & Friends Falsely Accuses The New York Times
In July 2017, Fox & Friends falsely reported that The New York Times disclosed intelligence that helped Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi evade capture. The report cited an inaccurate assertion by Gen. Tony Thomas. The chyron read "NYT Foils U.S. Attempt To Take Out Al-Bahgdadi". Pete Hegseth criticized the "failing New York Times". President Donald Trump tweeted about the report. Fox News later updated the story without apologizing or addressing the inaccuracies.
August 29, 2017: Sky Drops Fox News in the UK
On August 29, 2017, Sky dropped Fox News in the United Kingdom, citing a lack of commercial viability due to low viewership.
September 2017: Hannity Hosts O'Reilly on His Show
In September 2017, several months after Bill O'Reilly was fired from Fox News, Sean Hannity hosted O'Reilly on his show, leading to criticism from some Fox News employees.
October 2017: Fox News's Coverage of the Weinstein Scandal
In October 2017, Fox News dedicated at least 12 hours of coverage to the Harvey Weinstein scandal. However, only dedicated 20 minutes to Bill O'Reilly, who just like Weinstein had been accused of sexual harassment by a multitude of women.
October 2017: Fox News Shifts Focus to Trump's Political Opponents
In October 2017, as the Mueller investigation intensified, Fox News shifted its coverage to focus on the alleged scandals of President Trump's political opponents, particularly Bill and Hillary Clinton, framing them as the 'real conspirators.'
October 30, 2017: Fox News Focuses on Clinton Allegations Amid Mueller Indictments
On October 30, 2017, while most media focused on the indictments of Paul Manafort and Rick Gates by special counsel Robert Mueller, Fox News focused on unsubstantiated allegations against Hillary Clinton and the Clinton Foundation, accusing them of selling uranium to Russia and funding the Steele dossier. Sean Hannity mistakenly referred to her as President Clinton.
November 1, 2017: Vox Analyzes Fox News Coverage of Mueller Investigation
On November 1, 2017, Vox analyzed the transcripts of Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC, finding that Fox News often linked the Mueller investigation to Hillary Clinton, downplayed the involvement of Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos, and questioned Mueller's credibility.
November 2017: Trump's Access to Fox News
By November 2017, Donald Trump had given 19 interviews to Fox News during his presidency, while only giving 6 to all other news channels in total. The New York Times described Trump's Fox News interviews as "softball interviews".
November 2017: Shepard Smith Debunks Uranium One Scandal
In November 2017, Fox News host Shepard Smith debunked the alleged Uranium One scandal, which involved claims of Hillary Clinton's wrongdoing. This action reportedly infuriated viewers, leading to suggestions that Smith should work for CNN or MSNBC.
November 2017: Fox News Distorts Jake Tapper's Statement After NYC Attack
In November 2017, after the New York City truck attack, Fox News distorted Jake Tapper's statement to make it seem like he said "Allahu Akbar" was beautiful in all circumstances, omitting his condemnation of its use in the attack. This distortion was amplified on FoxNews.com and the Fox News Twitter account, leading to criticism from Tapper, who accused Fox News of deliberately lying. The tweet was later deleted.
December 2017: Fox News Escalates Attacks on Mueller Investigation
In December 2017, Fox News escalated its attacks on the Mueller investigation, with hosts and guest commentators suggesting the investigation amounted to a coup. Jeanine Pirro called the investigation team a 'criminal cabal'.
December 2017: Fox News Runs Inaccurate Headline About Roy Moore Accuser
In December 2017, Fox News, along with Breitbart News and The Gateway Pundit, ran an inaccurate headline which claimed one of Roy Moore's accusers admitted to forging an inscription by Roy Moore in her yearbook; Fox News later added a correction to the story.
2017: Republican Vote Shares Increased
A 2017 study found Fox News increases Republican vote shares by 0.3 points among viewers induced into watching 2.5 additional minutes per week by variation in position.
2017: Most-Shared Source Among Trump Supporters on Twitter
A 2017 study found that Fox News was the third most-shared source among supporters of Donald Trump on Twitter during the 2016 presidential election, behind The Hill and Breitbart News.
2017: Rhetorical and Nonfactual Themes
By 2017, a growing number of studies and academic literature found Fox's prime-time programming engaging in rhetorical and nonfactual themes similar to propaganda and not journalism or persuasion.
March 2018: Introduction of "Real News. Real Honest Opinion." Ad Campaign
In March 2018, the network introduced a new ad campaign, Real News. Real Honest Opinion, to promote its opinion-based programming and counter perceptions surrounding "fake news".
April 9, 2018: Federal Agents Serve Search Warrant on Michael Cohen's Office
On April 9, 2018, federal agents from the U.S. Attorney's office served a search warrant on Michael Cohen's office and residence. Sean Hannity defended Cohen on air and criticized the federal action.
April 2018: Controversy Surrounds Sean Hannity's Relationship with Michael Cohen
In April 2018, Fox News faced controversy when it was revealed that primetime host Sean Hannity had defended Trump's personal attorney Michael Cohen on air without disclosing that Cohen was his lawyer.
April 16, 2018: Cohen's Lawyers Reveal Hannity as a Client
On April 16, 2018, in a court hearing, Cohen's lawyers revealed that Sean Hannity was one of his clients, leading to further controversy regarding Hannity's prior on-air defense of Cohen without disclosure.
June 2018: Executives Instruct Producers
In June 2018, Fox News executives instructed producers to head off inappropriate remarks made on the shows aired by the network by hosts and commentators after incendiary comments made about the Trump administration's policy of separating migrant children from their parents.
July 2018: Fox News Coverage of Trump's Presidency
In July 2018, The Economist described Fox News' coverage of Donald Trump's presidency as "reliably fawning".
August 2018: Fox News Prioritizes Murder Coverage Over Manafort and Cohen Convictions
In August 2018, Fox News was criticized for prominently covering a murder committed by an undocumented immigrant while downplaying the convictions of Paul Manafort and Michael Cohen, which received widespread coverage in other mainstream media outlets.
September 2018: Fox News Household Reach
By September 2018, Fox News was available in 87 million U.S. households, representing 91% of television subscribers, indicating its widespread accessibility.
October 2018: Fox News Praises Kanye West's Meeting with Trump
In October 2018, Fox News positively covered the meeting between Kanye West, a Trump supporter, and President Trump in the Oval Office. This contrasted with the network's previous negative coverage of rappers involved with Democratic politicians.
October 2018: Trust in Fox News
In an October 2018 Simmons Research survey, 44.7% of surveyed Americans said they trusted Fox News.
November 4, 2018: Sean Hannity's Appearance at Trump Rally
On November 4, 2018, Fox News host Sean Hannity was announced as a 'special guest appearance' at a Trump rally, but later stated he wouldn't be on stage campaigning with the President. Despite this, Hannity appeared at the rally and mocked the 'fake news,' leading to outrage from Fox News employees. Jeanine Pirro also appeared on stage with Trump.
December 30, 2018: Most Watched Cable Network
In 2018, Fox News was rated by Nielsen as America's most watched cable network, averaging a record 2.4 million viewers in prime time and total day during the period of January 1 to December 30, 2018.
2018: Launch of Fox Nation
In 2018, Fox News announced that it would launch a subscription video on demand service known as Fox Nation, featuring original and acquired programming designed to appeal to Fox News viewers.
2018: Election System Proves Successful
In 2018, Fox News' election calling system proved very successful during the midterm elections.
2018: Thursday Night Football Pregame Show
Starting in 2018, Thursday Night Football had its pregame show, Fox NFL Thursday, originating from Studio F at Fox News headquarters in New York City.
March 2019: Jane Mayer Reports on Killed Story
In March 2019, Jane Mayer reported in The New Yorker that Fox News.com reporter Diana Falzone had her story of the Stormy Daniels-Donald Trump scandal killed by Fox News executive Ken LaCorte before the 2016 election.
June 16, 2019: Fox News Poll Misrepresented on Air
On June 16, 2019, Fox News released a poll showing unfavorable results for Trump. The next morning, Heather Childers misrepresented the poll on Fox & Friends First. Later, America's Newsroom displayed the correct poll question but highlighted the opposition to impeachment rather than the support. Trump criticized the polls on Twitter.
October 2019: Shepard Smith Leaves Fox News
Shepard Smith, known for acknowledging the reality of climate change, left Fox News in October 2019. His views drew criticism from Fox News viewers and conservatives.
2019: Age of Fox News Main Source Viewers
A 2019 Pew Research Center survey showed that among those who named Fox News as their main source for political news, 69% are aged 50 or older.
2019: Top-Rated Cable Network
In 2019, Fox News was the top-rated cable network, averaging 2.5 million viewers in prime time, demonstrating its popularity and viewership dominance.
2019: Trump Criticizes Fox News Personalities
In 2019, Trump criticized Fox News anchors Shepard Smith and Chris Wallace, as well as analyst Andrew Napolitano, for being adversarial. He also criticized the network for hiring Donna Brazile.
2019: Fox News Falsely Claims Climate Science Research Shows Earth Heading to New Ice Age
In 2019, a widely shared Fox News report falsely claimed that new climate science research showed that the Earth might be heading to a new Ice Age. The author of the cited study stated that Fox News "utterly misrepresents our research". Fox News later corrected the story.
2019: Political Affiliation of Fox News Main Source Viewers
The 2019 Pew survey showed that among people who named Fox News as their main source for political and election news, 93% identify as Republicans.
January 2020: Pew Research Center Study on Trust in Fox News
A January 2020 Pew Research Center study found that 43% of all American adults trusted Fox News, including 65% of Republicans, while 61% of Democrats distrusted Fox News.
May 2020: Fox News Focuses on Unmasking of Trump Associates
In May 2020, Fox News primetime hosts described the unmasking of Trump associates by Obama administration officials as a "domestic spying operation." This followed the declassification of a list of officials who had requested the unmasking. An inquiry into the unmaskings later concluded with no findings of wrongdoing.
August 19, 2020: Fox News Leads in Network Ratings Race
According to the Los Angeles Times on August 19, 2020, Fox News Channel had six of last week's 11 highest-rated prime-time programs to finish first in the network ratings race for the third time since June 2020.
November 2020: Fox CEO Criticizes Fact-Checking
In November 2020, Fox CEO Suzanne Scott criticized fact-checking, stating that she cannot "keep defending these reporters who don't understand our viewers and how to handle stories."
November 2020: Hannity Hosts Powell, Doubts Her Claims
In November 2020, Sean Hannity hosted Sidney Powell, who asserted Dominion machines had been rigged, but Hannity said in his deposition, "I did not believe it for one second."
November 2020: Carlson and Ingraham Mock Powell; Carlson Calls for Heinrich's Firing
In November 2020, internal communications revealed Tucker Carlson accusing Sidney Powell of lying and Laura Ingraham calling Powell a "complete nut." Carlson also called for Fox journalist Jacqui Heinrich to be fired for fact-checking Trump's voter fraud claims.
November 2020: "Standing Up For What's Right" Slogan
In mid-November 2020, following the election, Fox News began to use the slogan "Standing Up For What's Right" to promote its primetime lineup.
December 2020: Dominion Demands Retractions from Sidney Powell
In December 2020, Dominion Voting Systems sent a letter demanding retractions to Trump attorney Sidney Powell, who had promoted allegations on Fox programs.
December 2020: Fox CEO Demands Fact-Checking Stop
In December 2020, Fox CEO Suzanne Scott responded to Eric Shawn's fact-checking of Donald Trump's false 2020 election claims by demanding that the fact-checking "has to stop now."
December 2020: Smartmatic Demands Retractions from Fox News
In December 2020, after the 2020 election, Smartmatic sent a letter to Fox News demanding retractions for baseless allegations promoted by hosts Jeanine Pirro, Lou Dobbs, and Maria Bartiromo that Smartmatic and Dominion Voting Systems conspired to rig the election against Trump.
2020: Promotion of Trump and the Republican Party
During and after the 2020 presidential election, its primetime hosts promoted Trump and the Republican Party, and host Jeanine Pirro was in communication with the chair of the Republican National Committee.
2020: Decline in Ratings After Election
Following a decline in ratings after the 2020 U.S. presidential election, Fox News began to see a loss in viewership.
2020: Fox News Relationship with Trump Sours After Election
Following the 2020 United States presidential election, the relationship between Trump and Fox News deteriorated after Trump refused to concede to Joe Biden. This led to increased viewership of Newsmax and One America News, and Fox News promoted conspiracy theories about voter fraud.
2020: Promotion of Conspiracy Theories
In 2020, Fox News knowingly endorsed false conspiracy theories, including claims regarding fraud with Dominion voting machines, climate change denial, and COVID-19 misinformation.
2020: Fox News Settles With Seth Rich's Family
In 2020, Fox News settled with the Rich family over its false reporting on Seth Rich's murder, making a payment reported to be in the seven figures. The announcement was delayed until after the 2020 presidential election.
2020: Studio F used for Fox Democracy 2020
In 2020, Studio F in Fox News headquarters was used for Fox Democracy 2020, which shares the space with other programming, indicating the studio's versatility.
2020: Highest-Rated Quarter in Network History
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic led to increased viewership, and Fox News had their highest-rated quarter in the network's history, with Nielsen showing a prime time average total audience of 3.387 million viewers. Sean Hannity's program, Hannity, was the top-rated show in cable news for the quarter averaging 4.2 million viewers. Fox ended the quarter with the top five shows in prime time. The Fox Business Network also had its highest-rated quarter in history.
2020: Statements Related to Dominion About the Election
On March 31, 2023, Delaware Superior Court judge Eric Davis ruled that it "is CRYSTAL clear that none of the statements relating to Dominion about the 2020 election are true"
2020: Crime Rates Since 2020
The Fox News narrative consisted of reported violent crime anecdotes rather than FBI crime rate statistics showing violent crime had declined significantly since 2020.
January 1, 2021: Fox News Channel Temporarily Unavailable on Cignal in the Philippines
On January 1, 2021, Fox News Channel became unavailable on Cignal in the Philippines due to contract expiration.
January 2021: Murdoch Urges Focus on Georgia Runoff
As a January 2021 Georgia runoff election approached, Rupert Murdoch told Suzanne Scott, "Trump will concede eventually and we should concentrate on Georgia, helping any way we can."
February 2021: Smartmatic Files Defamation Suit Against Fox News
In February 2021, Smartmatic filed a $2.7 billion defamation suit against Fox News, hosts Jeanine Pirro, Lou Dobbs, and Maria Bartiromo, Sidney Powell, and Rudy Giuliani over election rigging allegations.
April 2021: Fox Personalities Amplify False Meat Consumption Story
In April 2021, at least five Fox News and Fox Business personalities amplified a story published by the Daily Mail that incorrectly linked a university study to President Joe Biden's climate change agenda, to falsely assert that Americans would be compelled to dramatically reduce their meat consumption.
April 2021: Fox Seeks Dismissal of Smartmatic Suit
In an April 2021 court brief, Fox News attorney Paul Clement argued the network was merely "reporting allegations made by a sitting President and his lawyers" in response to the Smartmatic defamation suit.
May 12, 2021: Fox News Reports False Border Wall Story
On May 12, 2021, Fox News reported on its website that "Biden resumes border wall construction after promising to halt it." The story was later updated to clarify that a levee wall was being constructed.
August 2021: Fox News Coordinated with DeSantis Aides
In August 2021, it was reported that Fox News producers coordinated with aides of Florida governor Ron DeSantis to promote his political prospects, according to a review of four months of emails.
September 2021: Fox Corporation's Employee Vaccination Rate
By September 2021, more than 90% of Fox Corporation's full-time employees had been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
December 2021: Khalil Sues Fox, Dobbs, and Powell
In December 2021, Venezuelan businessman Majed Khalil sued Fox, Lou Dobbs, and Sidney Powell for $250 million, alleging they falsely implicated him in rigging Dominion and Smartmatic machines.
2021: False and Misleading Claims
According to NewsGuard, 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.
2021: Fox News Settles Human Rights Violation Claim
In 2021, Fox News agreed to pay a $1 million settlement to New York City after the Commission on Human Rights cited a pattern of violating the NYC Human Rights Law.
2021: Programming Adjustment
In 2021, Media analyst Brian Stelter observed that Fox News had adjusted its programming to present "less news on the air and more opinions-about-the-news" throughout the day.
2021: Shepard Smith Says Fox News Became "Untenable"
In a 2021 interview with Christiane Amanpour on CNN, Shepard Smith said that his presence on Fox had become "untenable" due to the "falsehoods" and "lies" intentionally spread on the network's opinion shows.
March 2022: Smartmatic Suit Against Fox News Allowed to Proceed
In March 2022, a New York State Supreme Court judge ruled that Smartmatic's defamation suit against Fox News could proceed, dismissing allegations against Sidney Powell and Jeanine Pirro, and some claims against Rudy Giuliani, but allowing allegations against Maria Bartiromo and Lou Dobbs to stand.
June 2022: Dominion Suit Against Fox News Moves Forward
In June 2022, a Delaware Superior Court judge declined to dismiss the Dominion suit against Fox News and allowed Dominion to sue Fox Corporation. The judge suggested Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch may have acted with actual malice.
June 16, 2022: Fox News Channel Returns to Cignal in the Philippines
On June 16, 2022, Fox News Channel returned to Cignal in the Philippines.
December 2022: Dominion Obtains Fox News Internal Communications
In December 2022, The New York Times reported that Dominion had acquired communications between Fox News executives and hosts showing they knew that what the network was reporting about Dominion was untrue.
2022: Violent Crime Data
The FBI released crime data for 2023 showing that violent crime had declined 3% from 2022.
February 2023: Fox News Hosts Mock Trump Advisers in Internal Messages
A February 2023 Dominion court filing showed Fox News primetime hosts messaging each other to insult and mock Trump advisers, indicating the hosts knew the allegations made by Powell and Giuliani were false.
February 2023: Fox's Internal Communications Released
In February 2023, Fox's internal communications were released, showing that its presenters and senior executives privately doubted Donald Trump's claims of a stolen election.
February 2023: Fox News Bid to Dismiss Smartmatic Suit Rejected
In February 2023, The New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division unanimously rejected Fox News bid to dismiss the Smartmatic suit, reinstating defamation allegations against Giuliani and Pirro.
March 2023: Fox News Removed from Movistar Plus+ Satellite Offer in Spain
In March 2023, Fox News was removed from the operator's satellite offer by Movistar Plus+.
March 2023: More Fox Internal Communications Released
In March 2023, more of Fox's internal communications were released showing Fox CEO Suzanne Scott criticizing fact-checking and expressing concern about losing viewers' trust in November 2020 and December 2020.
March 31, 2023: Judge Rules Statements About Dominion Untrue
On March 31, 2023, Delaware Superior Court judge Eric Davis ruled that it "is CRYSTAL clear that none of the statements relating to Dominion about the 2020 election are true" and ordered for the case to go to trial.
April 2023: Dobbs and Fox News Settle with Khalil
In April 2023, Lou Dobbs and Fox News reached a confidential settlement with Majed Khalil regarding the defamation lawsuit.
April 18, 2023: Fox News Settles with Dominion for $787.5 Million
On April 18, 2023, Fox News reached a settlement with Dominion just before the trial started, agreeing to pay Dominion $787.5 million and acknowledged the court's rulings finding certain claims about Dominion to be false.
May 2023: CRTC Announces Public Consultation Regarding Fox News Channel
In May 2023, the CRTC announced that it would open a public consultation regarding the channel's carriage in Canada, acting upon complaints regarding an episode of Tucker Carlson Tonight containing content described as "malicious misinformation".
2023: Fox News' Profit Contribution
In 2023, Fox News generated approximately 70% of its parent company's pre-tax profit, highlighting its financial significance within Fox Corporation.
2023: Rupert Murdoch's Stepping Down
In 2023, Rupert Murdoch announced he would step down as executive chairman and hand responsibilities to his son, Lachlan Murdoch, marking a significant leadership transition within Fox Corporation.
2023: Murdoch Deposed, Testifies About Election Fraud Claims
In 2023, Rupert Murdoch was deposed and testified that some Fox News commentators were endorsing election fraud claims they knew were false.
2023: Murdoch Ditching Plan
In 2023, The Economist reported that Murdoch had "ditched a plan" to remerge News Corporation with Fox because it "faced resistance from News Corp investors unhappy at the prospect of being lumped together with Fox News, which they consider a toxic brand."
2023: FBI Crime Data for 2023 Released
Later that month, weeks before the 2024 presidential election, the FBI released crime data for 2023 showing that violent crime had declined 3% from 2022.
February 2024: Johns Hopkins Professor Comments on Fox News
In February 2024, Alan Rosenblatt of Johns Hopkins University stated that Fox News is primarily an entertainment company with a news division, blurring the lines between news and opinion.
March 2024: Most Watched News Network
In March 2024, Fox was the most watched news network in total day and prime time viewers in primetime, with 2.135 million/1.306 million viewers respectively. In the Adults age 25-54 category, Fox also leads with 246,000 in primetime and 158,000 in day viewers
September 2024: Media Matters Reports False Crime Crisis Narrative on Fox
Media Matters reported in September 2024 that during the Biden presidency Fox News had promoted a false "crime crisis" narrative, particularly directed toward undocumented migrants.
2024: Jesse Watters Promotes Conspiracy Theory
In early 2024, Fox News host Jesse Watters promoted a conspiracy theory involving Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, and the Democratic Party.
September 2025: Lachlan Murdoch Secured Control of Fox News
In September 2025, Lachlan Murdoch secured control of Fox News, the New York Post and The Wall Street Journal in a $3.3 billion dollar deal as part of a renegotiated trust. The new trust and Lachlan's control was described as ensuring the channel's conservative slant until its expiration in 2050.
2050: Expiration of New Trust
In September 2025, Lachlan Murdoch secured control of Fox News, the New York Post and The Wall Street Journal in a $3.3 billion dollar deal as part of a renegotiated trust. The new trust and Lachlan's control was described as ensuring the channel's conservative slant until its expiration in 2050.
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