U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon on Friday dismissed Newsmax’s antitrust lawsuit against Fox News, calling the filing a “shotgun complaint.”
Newsmax, which filed the case earlier this week, accused Fox of abusing its market dominance to block competitors from pay TV distribution and limit their advertising potential.
Judge’s Ruling
Cannon explained that a “shotgun complaint” occurs when each count of a lawsuit adopts all prior allegations, creating a sprawling and confusing filing. “The court has an independent obligation to dismiss such pleadings and require repleader,” she wrote.
Newsmax has six days to refile the suit correctly.
Newsmax Response
Newsmax in a statement said, “We understand this is just a technical matter and our law firm is refiling.”
Allegations Against Fox
The Newsmax complaint alleged Fox uses at least three anticompetitive tactics:
Forcing distributors into “no-carry” provisions that bar deals with other right-leaning outlets.
Penalizing carriers that add competitors by requiring them to buy Fox’s less-watched channels at high fees.
Imposing restrictive contractual barriers designed to limit rivals’ growth.
The network argued these practices prevented it from reaching wider distribution, building audience share, and attracting major advertisers sooner.
