In case you missed it, there are reports that soon-to-be ViacomCBS chair Shari Redstone is exploring launching a conservative media competitor of Fox News:
Shari Redstone and ViacomCBS are exploring to launch a conservative cable news competitor to Fox News: https://t.co/NoKJzJRj24
— Alex Weprin (@alexweprin) October 15, 2019
More from the Hollywood Reporter:
This Redstone plan for a new TV service also would have a streaming component. THR has learned that Pluto, which Viacom acquired in March for $340 million, is about to launch an as-yet-unannounced streaming conservative news and opinion channel. A source says the idea for that network was in the works before the Pluto acquisition.
Redstone has approached current and former Fox News personalities about such a plan, sources say, and she has spoken with former NBC News host Megyn Kelly. A rep for Kelly declined to comment.
As the merger of Viacom and CBS awaits regulatory approval, a Redstone spokesperson confirms that she quietly visited President Trump in the White House recently but denies any plan to launch a conservative TV network (as does a spokesperson for Viacom). Redstone plays her personal politics close to the vest but shortly after Trump’s election she told THR, “He’s always been very good to me and a tremendous supporter of me personally.”
Time will tell whether this hypothetical outlet comes to fruition, but the mere possibility has really got the wheels in Vox senior correspondent Ian Millhiser’s head turning:
I'm just going to toss this out there, but maybe someone should consider launching a liberal cable news station during a period when there's an unpopular Republican president and a highly engaged opposition to that president. https://t.co/7jSzHFgL81
— Ian Millhiser (@imillhiser) October 15, 2019
Yeah, Ian! Maybe!
lol, yes, what an idea! https://t.co/pgX6omgUZq
— Halloween Name Griswold (@HashtagGriswold) October 15, 2019
Amazing ThinkProgress didn’t last with that kind of brainpower in their arsenal.
Do you have ANY electronics in your home?
— Hellion 2172 (@hellion2172) October 15, 2019
Hang on aren't there already so many lib media outlets that they're dying off due to over-saturation of the market
— ❤️ Jayvie ❤️ (@OneFineJay) October 15, 2019
Because ABC CBS NBC CNN and MSNBC don’t exist? Wow.
— Don't Fake The News And Don't Embargo It, Either. (@JaxBemused) October 15, 2019
WTF are you talking about dude? You have ABC NBC MSNBC CBS and CNN
— AttackPilotTrader (@BenAltitude) October 15, 2019
Does Ian not know MSNBC exists?
Or… CNN? https://t.co/a1Gr6XKbpE
— RBe (@RBPundit) October 15, 2019
To be fair, Ian seems pretty oblivious to reality in general. So this is pretty much on-brand for him.
Wut
— not important enough to Free Hong Kong (@MarkMazman) October 15, 2019
LOL. Wow. Zero self-awareness.
— Charles Bellows (@charles_bellows) October 15, 2019
Another Millhiser "I have no self-awareness" classic.
— Garrick, the Ard-Rí na hÉireann (Probationary) (@Boydesian) October 15, 2019
— Scott H (@dadbod_thor) October 15, 2019
Never change, Millhouse. Never change. pic.twitter.com/03L2NkL8Hf
— I still like Brains ?♂️ ?? (@BruinOregon81) October 15, 2019
