Fox News, which alienated its conservative audience by resisting Trump in 2016, enforcing a vaccine mandate for its New York employees, and rushing to call Arizona for Joe Biden in 2020, is now trying to regain favor with viewers. Fox Corporation, the network’s parent company, announced the acquisition of Red Seat Ventures, a media company that manages content for former Fox hosts Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly.
The purchase brings Carlson and Kelly, both of whom left Fox News under controversial circumstances, back into the company’s larger media fold. Red Seat Ventures operates independently but will now be housed within Fox’s Tubi Media Group. While neither Carlson nor Kelly will be direct employees of Fox, the move signals an effort by the network to reconnect with audiences who abandoned it in recent years.
Fox News has struggled to maintain its once-loyal conservative audience after multiple missteps. The network’s decision to call Arizona for Biden in 2020, while refusing to acknowledge election irregularities, infuriated Trump supporters. Fox also drew criticism for implementing a vaccine mandate for its New York employees, even as it claimed to stand against government overreach. The network’s firing of Carlson in 2023 only added to the backlash.
Carlson, who became one of the most influential conservative voices, built a massive following with his independent media ventures. Kelly, who previously distanced herself from Trump, has also reemerged as a major conservative commentator. Their influence has remained strong outside of Fox, raising questions about whether this acquisition is an attempt by the network to stay relevant.
While Fox’s decision to acquire Red Seat Ventures might indicate an acknowledgment of past mistakes, it remains to be seen whether conservatives will trust the network again. Many on the right still view Fox as an unreliable platform that capitulated to establishment forces at crucial moments.
