Fox Nation, the $5.99 subscription streaming video service, officially launches today (Nov. 27) offering “Fox & Friends”-style conservative commentary, opinions, documentaries and related content (“Cooking with Steve Doocy,” a Fox News host) for streamers who like their entertainment red-state.
New programs include “First Thoughts” and “Final Thoughts” featuring online siren Tomi Lahren, and “Un-PC” talk show, co-hosted by Britt McHenry, the former ESPN reporter infamously suspended in 2015 after an ugly video of her dressing down a towing-lot attendant went viral.
John Finley, SVP of development and production at Fox News, characterizes Fox Nation as a mixture of Netflix and Facebook Live, featuring similar content options — but geared toward the Fox News demographic that helped put Donald Trump in the White House.
“We have fans, other news organizations simply have viewers,” Finley told The New York Times.
Fox News has become basic cable’s most-watched network averaging 1.4 million viewers during the day; 2.4 million during 8-11 p.m. prime time hours, according to Nielsen — a ratings reality the network has championed for more than two years.
“It’s another way to service and provide content to our most dedicated fans,” Finley said. “We can give them an infinite amount of content.”
But not 24/7.
Fox Nation, which will feature many Fox News on-air talent, including Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham (but reportedly not Chris Wallace and Shepard Smith), will cease all live programming at 7 p.m. — the time when Fox News begins its prime-time lineup.
Indeed, Fox News remains a revenue machine for corporate parent 21st Century Fox, generating more than $1 billion annually in ad-sales. The unit was not part of Fox’s $71 billion 20th Century Film Corp.’s sale to The Walt Disney Co.