History of Newsmax in Timeline

Newsmax is an American media company founded in 1998 by Christopher Ruddy, encompassing cable news (Newsmax TV), a website (Newsmax.com), and a monthly magazine. Known for its conservative to far-right perspective, Newsmax provides political opinion commentary and news content. Its website includes sections dedicated to health and finance. The company became publicly traded in March 2025.

1969: Company Operations Begin

In 1969, the company that would eventually become Humanix Books began operations to address the need for higher quality classroom materials.

March 2009: MarketWatch's Media Critic Jon Friedman on Newsmax

In March 2009, MarketWatch's media critic Jon Friedman stated that Newsmax has flourished because Ruddy has exhibited a stronger commitment to the bottom line than to presenting himself as an ideologue.

April 2010: Newsmax Featured in Talkers Magazine

In April 2010, Newsmax was featured in a cover story for Talkers Magazine as a model of future media companies called "Media Stations" that offer audio, video, digital, and print content.

2010: Bill Clinton Visits Newsmax Offices

In 2010, former president Bill Clinton visited Newsmax's offices.

2012: Newsmax's Role in GOP Politics

According to U.S. News & World Report, Newsmax is a major player in GOP politics, as seen during the 2012 primaries. Visitors to the office included Rep. Michele Bachmann, Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Sen. John Thune, Gov. Haley Barbour, Sen. Mitt Romney, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, and former Sen. Rick Santorum, among others.

2012: Acquisition by Newsmax Media and New Publisher

In 2012, the company was acquired by Newsmax Media, and Anthony Ziccardi was named the publisher of Humanix Books. The company also released "The ObamaCare Survival Guide" by Nick J. Tate.

March 2014: Bloomberg Businessweek Details Newsmax's Business Model

In March 2014, Bloomberg Businessweek detailed Newsmax's business model, which targeted higher-income baby boomers and included plans to launch a linear and over-the-top (OTT) content cable channel. The article described Newsmax as a "strange hybrid of the Heritage Foundation and Amway".

June 2014: Newsmax TV Launched

In June 2014, Newsmax Media launched Newsmax TV with 8 hours of live programming daily, available on Dish Network, DirecTV, and the Newsmax website, aiming to compete with Fox News Channel.

2015: New Publisher for Humanix Books

In 2015, Mary Glenn replaced Anthony Ziccardi as the publisher of Humanix Books.

2019: Deputy Publisher Named

In 2019, Adam Keith Pfeffer was named the deputy publisher of Humanix Books.

2019: Qatari Royal Family Investment

In 2019, a member of the Qatari Royal Family invested $50 million in Newsmax during the Qatar diplomatic crisis, according to a report by The Washington Post.

June 2020: Newsmax Adria Partnership Begins

In June 2020, Newsmax Adria, a partnership between Newsmax Media and United Media, began operating in most of the former Yugoslav countries. It produced daily news bulletins and a magazine program.

December 2020: Defamation Lawsuit by Eric Coomer

In December 2020, Newsmax was included as a defendant in a defamation lawsuit by Dominion executive Eric Coomer, who claimed Newsmax had characterized him as a "traitor", resulting in death threats.

2020: Qatari Royal Family Investment

In 2020, a member of the Qatari Royal Family invested $50 million in Newsmax during the Qatar diplomatic crisis, according to a report by The Washington Post.

April 2021: Retraction and Apology to Eric Coomer

In April 2021, Newsmax issued a retraction and apology on its website to Dominion executive Eric Coomer, stating they "found no evidence" to support allegations made against him.

August 2021: Dominion Lawsuit

In August 2021, Dominion sued Newsmax for allegedly "knowingly and continuously" promoting false election fraud narratives. Newsmax responded that it was simply reporting allegations made by public figures.

November 2021: Smartmatic Sues Newsmax for Defamation

In November 2021, Smartmatic sued Newsmax for defamation.

2021: GameStop Short Squeeze

In 2021, some traders compared Newsmax to GameStop in online discussions, referencing the 2021 GameStop short squeeze.

October 2022: Newsmax Adria Ceases Production

In October 2022, Newsmax Adria ceased production.

August 2023: Judge Rejects Newsmax's Bid to Narrow Defamatory Statements

In August 2023, a Delaware judge rejected Newsmax's attempt to narrow the alleged defamatory statements cited by Smartmatic in their lawsuit.

November 1, 2023: Newsmax Places Content Behind Paywall on YouTube

On November 1, 2023, Newsmax placed its live content behind a paywall on YouTube ("Newsmax 2") while still offering a free streaming channel ("Newsmax+").

2023: Allen, Texas, Mall Shooting

In 2023, a man was falsely identified as the perpetrator of the Allen, Texas, mall shooting.

March 2024: The Washington Post Report on Qatari Investment

In March 2024, The Washington Post reported that between 2019 and 2020, a member of the Qatari Royal Family had invested $50 million in Newsmax. The report also stated that Newsmax leaders allegedly instructed staff to soften coverage of Qatar following the investment, but the network denied these claims.

April 2024: Defamation Lawsuit

In April 2024, Newsmax was named as a defendant in a defamation lawsuit by a man falsely identified as the perpetrator of the 2023 Allen, Texas mall shooting. The man alleged Newsmax and others published his photo and branded him as a neo-Nazi murderer.

June 10, 2024: Newsmax Announces Plans for IPO

On June 10, 2024, during coverage of a rally by Donald Trump in Las Vegas, Newsmax announced its plans to file for an initial public stock offering (IPO) either in late 2024 or early 2025.

September 5, 2024: Newsmax IPO Plan Confirmed

On September 5, 2024, Newsmax confirmed its plan for an IPO, with the company expected to be listed under the ticker symbol "NMAX" on the New York Stock Exchange in the first quarter of 2025.

September 2024: Newsmax Announces Resumption of Operations in Serbia

In September 2024, Newsmax announced that it would resume operations in Serbia as Newsmax Balkans in October.

September 2024: Newsmax Settles Smartmatic Lawsuit

In September 2024, Newsmax settled Smartmatic's lawsuit by agreeing to pay Smartmatic $40 million.

September 30, 2024: Trial Date Set for Smartmatic Lawsuit

The trial between Smartmatic and Newsmax was scheduled to begin on September 30, 2024, before a settlement was reached.

November 2024: Newsmax Offers Preferred Stock

In November 2024, Newsmax offered preferred stock to accredited investors in an effort to raise $100 million for its IPO.

January 25, 2025: Newsmax Extends Stock Offering to $200 Million

On January 25, 2025, Newsmax extended its preferred stock offering to $200 million.

March 2025: Newsmax Goes Public

In March 2025, Newsmax, Inc. went public as a company.

March 2025: Settlement Reached in Smartmatic Lawsuit

In March 2025, it was revealed that Newsmax agreed to pay $40 million to settle the defamation lawsuit brought by Smartmatic.

March 31, 2025: Newsmax Stock Market Debut

On March 31, 2025, Newsmax made its stock market debut. The shares, priced at $10 in the IPO, closed their first trading day at $83.51, an increase of over 700%.

April 9, 2025: Judge Rules Newsmax's Coverage of Dominion Defamatory

On April 9, 2025, a Delaware judge ruled that Newsmax's coverage of Dominion was defamatory, consisting of false claims that Dominion manipulated votes. A jury will determine if Newsmax acted with actual malice and assess possible damages.

April 2025: Newsmax TV Weekly Audience

As of April 2025, the average weekly audience for Newsmax TV was 319,000 people.

April 2025: Judge Rules Newsmax Broadcast False Statements

In April 2025, a judge ruled that Newsmax broadcast false and defamatory statements against Dominion about the election.

April 28, 2025: Trial Date Set for Dominion Lawsuit

The trial for the Dominion lawsuit against Newsmax is set to begin on April 28, 2025. The jury will evaluate whether Newsmax acted with actual malice and determine possible damages for the defamatory coverage of Dominion.