Fox News Lands Licensing Deal With Popular 'ruthless' Podcast As Part Of Expansion Into New Media

FOX News Media announced Tuesday it has landed a licensing woody pinch nan celebrated "Ruthless" podcast arsenic portion of nan company's description into caller media. 

"The FOX News Media ecosystem we person built complete nan past 7 years continues to thrive and group caller records, and nan ‘Ruthless’ deal is simply a earthy hold of our powerhouse marque arsenic audiences reshape really they devour value content," FOX News Media CEO Suzanne Scott said successful a connection Tuesday. 

"We person cultivated an unrivaled chair of successful personalities who are well-positioned to excel successful today’s evolving media landscape, wherever podcasting offers nan benignant of heavy engagement our platforms are known for."

‘RUTHLESS’ SKYROCKETS TO #1 ON POLITICAL PODCAST CHART DAYS AFTER POLITICO RUNS HIT PIECE ON CONSERVATIVE SHOW

FOX News Media announced it has reached a licensing woody pinch nan celebrated nan "Ruthless" podcast, hosted by Josh Holmes, Comfortably Smug, Michael Duncan and John Ashbrook. (Fox News Media)

Fox News Digital President and Editor-in-Chief Porter Berry will beryllium expanding his domiciled to oversee nan caller media venture. 

"Porter is simply a talented executive whose activity will heighten these caller media ventures and creators, while further strengthening FOX News Digital," Scott said. 

"I americium honored to measurement into nan New Media domiciled and beforehand Suzanne’s bold imagination crossed digital, social, and podcasting," Berry said. "As nan creator system continues to germinate — a tone that 'Ruthless' has championed from nan commencement — we are expanding our scope to meet audiences wherever they prosecute pinch FOX News Media content, which remains successful a convention of its own."

The "Ruthless" co-hosts said successful a associated statement, "We are thrilled to return ‘Ruthless’ to nan adjacent level done this strategical partnership. There is simply a increasing appetite for authentic governmental and taste conversations, and our podcast delivers pinch no-holds-barred, irreverent takes that profoundly resonate pinch our dedicated audience." 

"Ruthless" tin beryllium listened to connected each podcast platforms and tin beryllium watched connected YouTube. (Fox News Media)

What began arsenic a mini audio podcast has go 1 of nan astir iconic blimpish brands successful nan integer age. 

"Ruthless" was launched successful October 2020 by Republican strategist Josh Holmes and nan net characteristic known arsenic Comfortably Smug pinch nan ngo of bringing nosy to blimpish politics. Liberals were instantly incensed by its sanction arsenic "Ruthless" made its debut conscionable days aft nan decease of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. 

"We felt for illustration location was a existent spread successful nan blimpish media scenery for group who bask politics, but want to person nosy while doing it. They want to cognize what’s really going on, but could do without nan ideological lecture," Holmes told Fox News Digital astatine nan clip of nan launch.

RUTHLESS PODCAST TO REPUBLICANS: IF THE MEDIA ASKS YOU ABOUT LIZ CHENEY, 2020 ELECTION, TELL'EM TO ‘F--- OFF’

Michael Duncan and John Ashbrook, who worked alongside Holmes successful their time jobs astatine their consulting patient Calvary, would later subordinate "Ruthless" arsenic co-hosts, rounding retired nan personalities connected nan "variety progrum."

"Ruthless" has since go a must-stop for GOP lawmakers, legislature candidates, and statesmanlike hopefuls.

The hosts group up shop extracurricular Fiserv Forum successful Milwaukee, Wisconsin for nan first GOP statesmanlike statement successful August 2023 and nan RNC normal successful July 2024, providing NFL-style arena coverage. In October 2024, they were later joined by early Vice President J.D. Vance for a typical sportfishing travel competition. 

"Ruthless" podcast co-hosts Josh Holmes, Comfortably Smug, Michael Duncan and John Ashbrook astatine GOP statement festivities extracurricular Fiserv Forum successful Milwaukee, Wisc., connected Aug. 23, 2023. (Joseph A. Wulfsohn/Fox News Digital)

In summation to tackling nan news of nan time and hot-button discussions among Republicans, which nan hosts often mention to arsenic giving nan assemblage their "vegetables," they besides supply plentifulness of "candy" whether it's successful nan shape of animal news and debates complete what's nan largest animal they deliberation they tin termination pinch their bare hands, their takedowns of nan wide media, aliases playing their signature games. 

Those see "Dem aliases Journo," wherever nan hosts person to conjecture which of 4 societal media posts was written by a Democratic operative versus members of nan media, and "Veep aliases Veep," nan Biden-era situation of deciphering whether a quote came from then-Vice President Kamala Harris aliases nan fictitious Selina Meyer played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus connected HBO's "Veep." 

Perhaps nan astir high-stakes crippled is their play "King of nan Hill," wherever 2 hosts compete complete which "Never Trump" pundit of their choosing has nan astir chaotic basking takes posted connected societal media successful nan past week.

RUTHLESS PODCAST PLAYS ‘VEEP OR VEEP’ USING QUOTES FROM KAMALA HARRIS, FICTIONAL VP SELINA MEYER

They've besides taken nosy to X pinch their yearly NCAA-style Liberal Hack Tournament (or #HackMadness). "Ruthless" listeners capable retired brackets of 64 wide media figures and ballot successful polls conducted by Smug connected who they deliberation is nan biggest hack.

The "Ruthless" co-hosts person sought to span nan disagreement among conservatives betwixt nan much traditional, constitution Republicans and nan MAGA base. Holmes, Duncan and Ashbrook are each seasoned staffers of outgoing Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., while Smug cultivated his pursuing connected nan online right. 

Josh Holmes, John Ashbrook and Michael Duncan, seen present successful 2015, established themselves successful Washington D.C. arsenic apical staffers for Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.  (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

But possibly astatine nan halfway of nan podcast's increasing assemblage is nan spot nan co-hosts person earned from their listeners. Holmes, Smug, Duncan and Ashbrook aren't acrophobic to talk difficult truths for conservatives complete nan years, from tackling Trump's conclusion successful nan 2020 predetermination to nan underwhelming 2022 midterm results for Republicans. They besides supply penetration from their acquisition connected Capitol Hill to explicate nan complexities of legislation, astir precocious nan passing of nan One Big Beautiful Bill.

Politico dubbed "Ruthless" stars nan "bad boys of blimpish talk" pinch galore outlets declaring nan podcast nan right's reply to "Pod Save America," nan influential left-wing podcast hosted by erstwhile Obama aides and speechwriters often referred to arsenic "Obama Bros."

A caller canvass conducted by National Research, Inc. recovered that "Ruthless" is simply a apical news root among men ages 18-45.

The power of "Ruthless" reached each nan measurement to nan White House arsenic Ashbrook was among nan first to beryllium successful nan "new media" spot established by nan Trump management for nan White House property briefing, which wasn't to nan elite media's liking.

"I've interacted pinch a batch of these aforesaid reporters arsenic a property caput backmost successful nan day. So, erstwhile I walked into nan room, I saw a batch of oculus rolls and a batch of smirks and that is precisely what I was hoping for," Ashbrook told Fox News' Will Cain successful January. 

RUTHLESS PODCAST HOSTS MOCK POD SAVE AMERICA FOR ‘BULLS--- COPY’ OF VIRAL ‘LIBERAL HACK TOURNAMENT’

"Ruthless" podcast co-host John Ashbrook asked nan first mobility arsenic a personnel of nan "new media" astatine nan White House property briefing connected Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (Screenshot/White House)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Smug signs disconnected each podcast by telling listeners," "Keep nan faith, clasp nan line, and ain nan libs… Stay ruthless."

New episodes of "Ruthless" are released each Tuesday and Thursday connected each podcast platforms and YouTube.