Fox News is marking its 30th anniversary as the dominant player in cable news. President Jay Wallace says the network isn’t focused on winning viewers from its rivals.
What We Know: Fox News signed on the air October 7th, 1996, and has since built a commanding position in cable news. During the third quarter, the network averaged more than 2 million viewers in primetime, while its challengers failed to reach 1 million. However, Wallace says Fox News’ growth hasn’t come from aggressively targeting competing networks’ audiences. Instead, he credits the network with expanding its overall audience and reaching viewers beyond the traditional cable news base. The comments from Wallace came during an interview with Variety’s Brian Steinberg.
What They Said: “We are not out there courting other people’s viewers … It’s hard to go after another network’s audience. We really expanded the center, of the amount of people who watch us.” -Fox News President Jay Wallace
What Remains Unclear: Wallace’s comments don’t indicate whether Fox News plans to adjust its strategy as the cable news marketplace continues to evolve. Meanwhile, competitors continue looking for ways to close the gap in audience size and attract viewers across television and digital platforms. Additionally, it remains unclear how much Fox News’ approach could change as younger audiences increasingly consume news outside traditional cable television.
What It Means: Fox News enters its fourth decade with a sizable advantage over its cable news competitors. Still, Wallace’s comments suggest the network sees audience expansion, rather than directly taking viewers from rivals, as a key part of its long-term strategy.
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