Fox & Friends’ New Push to Capture Morning Show Market: Will Their Bold Strategy Shift Advertising Landscape?

In a bold move to further solidify its dominance in the morning television market, Fox News’ flagship morning show, Fox & Friends, is embarking on a strategic overhaul. With competition in the TV landscape growing fiercer, the program is taking significant steps to revamp its approach, targeting a larger share of the coveted morning-show ad dollars. Fox News is hoping that this fresh gamble will not only captivate viewers but also challenge its rivals for greater control of advertising revenue. Could this initiative push them ahead of their competitors, or will it spark a series of unforeseen challenges? Here’s a closer look at the power play Fox News is attempting—and whether it can succeed.

The New Approach: Embedding Advertisers in the Show

Traditionally, Fox & Friends has focused on delivering news and commentary, leaving commercials to air between segments. However, starting this week, Fox News is making a concerted effort to shift the way it engages with advertisers. As part of this new approach, segments within the show will now feature embedded product placements, allowing advertisers to integrate their brands into the program itself. For instance, Fox & Friends will feature a series of vignettes showing the hosts in everyday situations, highlighting a Dodge Durango SRT as they go about their daily lives. Brian Kilmeade is seen traveling with his dogs through Massapequa, Ainsley Earhardt is shown outside the Fox News studio, and Steve Doocy is spotted picking up his family in Jupiter, Florida. Each vignette ends with on-screen graphics announcing that the segment is sponsored by Dodge, subtly integrating the product into the daily show.

This new strategy marks a significant departure from the traditional ad sales model, one that has typically kept hard news and sponsorships separate. The success of this integration could dramatically change the landscape of morning television advertising, especially as networks continue to navigate the changing dynamics of media consumption.

A Bold Bid for Morning TV’s Ad Dollars

The new advertising strategy comes as Fox News continues to face pressure from rivals and new digital platforms. With traditional ad dollars slowly shifting to digital platforms and streaming services, TV networks are scrambling to find new ways to capture a larger piece of the pie. Fox & Friends—already a powerhouse in morning cable television—seeks to capitalize on this shift by providing a new kind of advertising opportunity that blends seamlessly with the content. In doing so, the program hopes to create a compelling offer for advertisers who are seeking more innovative, less intrusive ways to connect with viewers.

Jeff Collins, executive vice president of ad sales at Fox News, commented on the initiative, saying, “You’re going to see a lot more from us in this area moving forward.” This marks a concerted push by Collins, who joined Fox in May, to diversify revenue streams and attract new advertisers, particularly in the wake of a turbulent media landscape ahead of the 2024 election cycle.

Competing with Broadcast Networks

One of the main driving forces behind this strategy is to secure more advertising dollars from high-profile clients who traditionally gravitate toward broadcast networks like NBC’s Today or ABC’s Good Morning America. In 2018, the cost of a 30-second spot on Fox & Friends was far lower than on its broadcast counterparts, costing $3,400 compared to $42,700 for Today and $34,800 for Good Morning America.

By providing advertisers a platform that reaches more viewers than some primetime programs on cable, Fox & Friends offers a competitive alternative to pricier options. The show’s ability to deliver solid viewership numbers at a fraction of the cost is a major selling point for brands eager to invest in morning television but hesitant to pay the premium for a slot on broadcast networks. With fewer ad dollars going into traditional entertainment programming and more emphasis on the news cycle, Fox News hopes its morning programming can stand out even further.

A New Revenue Stream

As Collins notes, Fox News is strategically positioning itself to capture a share of entertainment-oriented advertising categories. This includes movie studios and quick-service restaurants, industries that have traditionally allocated larger budgets to broadcast morning shows. By creating a more flexible advertising model that can cater to both hard news and lifestyle segments, Fox & Friends aims to attract a broader spectrum of advertisers. These industries are looking for more cost-effective advertising avenues, and Fox News sees an opportunity to provide them with just that.

Additionally, Collins’ team has been engaging with potential sponsors from non-news sectors, recognizing that the nature of morning programming has changed. As more people turn to social media and streaming services for their news fix, the traditional model of solely hard news-focused programming may not be enough to draw in the big-ticket advertising dollars that morning shows once commanded. By blending sponsor-driven content into softer segments, Fox & Friends is catering to a growing demand for creative advertising solutions.

The Fine Line: Balancing Content and Commercials

However, this move comes with a major caveat: carefully balancing content and commercial interests. The inclusion of embedded sponsorships and branded segments requires careful handling to avoid alienating viewers who expect news shows to remain free from perceived commercial interference. Networks like MSNBC and CBS have run into issues when advertisers and sponsors had a visible presence in editorial content, leading to accusations of undue influence and bias.

Fox News executives have made it clear that they intend to carefully avoid blending sponsorships with hard news and politics, which remain central to the network’s identity. As Collins mentioned, Fox News will continue to adhere to “strong standards-and-practices guidelines,” ensuring that these integrations occur mainly in softer segments, such as those focused on health, home improvement, and sports. It remains to be seen, however, how audiences will respond to a more product-centric morning show, and whether it will change the way they view the balance between content and commercial interests.

The Fallout: Will This Move Reshape Morning TV?

The stakes for Fox News are high. The success of this gamble could fundamentally alter how brands invest in morning television and shift the balance of advertising dollars from traditional networks to cable news. If successful, Fox & Friends could set a precedent for other cable news programs looking to make a similar push for sponsorship dollars, leaving broadcast networks with a decision to make: adapt to the new reality or continue to dominate traditional ad sales without embracing these changes.

However, there are potential risks involved, especially if the sponsorships alienate core viewers or result in accusations of editorial bias. In today’s polarized media environment, the fine line between delivering entertainment and serving the news without commercial interruption is more important than ever.

Conclusion: The Future of Fox & Friends

Fox & Friends’ strategic push into new forms of advertising represents a daring shift in how the morning-show market operates. By embedding sponsored segments into their programming, the show is seeking to capture a bigger slice of the TV ad pie, positioning itself as a strong competitor to its broadcast rivals. As television ad dollars move toward digital platforms, Fox News is hoping to carve out a niche for itself, solidifying its standing in the morning show market while keeping the balance between content and commerce intact.

Will this new approach be enough to propel Fox & Friends into the lead, or will it spark a backfire that leaves the network scrambling? Only time will tell, but one thing’s for sure: the race for morning-show dominance is only just beginning, and Fox & Friends is certainly not sitting on the sidelines.