Fox-Roku deal poised to clear Justice Department scrutiny under consent decree

Fox’s $22 billion purchase of Roku is expected to move forward despite scrutiny from the Justice Department, according to sources familiar with the ongoing deliberations. Despite efforts by a right-wing supporter of President Donald Trump to delay the deal, it remains uncertain what a consent decree would entail or the specific terms being discussed.

It's possible that the Department of Justice could change its stance on the matter. Fox chose not to comment on the issue, while Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward also declined to disclose any information, stating that the DOJ under President Trump's leadership will continue to prioritize affordability across the economy for all Americans.

The acquisition of Fox's content empire and Roku's dominant connected-TV operating system has raised concerns among rivals, who fear that Fox may favor its own content. Roku's free, ad-supported channels also compete with Tubi, which Fox owns. Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch has expressed his intention to run the two businesses separately while selling advertising across them.

Antitrust regulators have increased their inquiry into the deal, partly due to pressure from Newsmax majority owner Chris Ruddy, a Trump confidant and long-time rival of Fox owner Rupert Murdoch. Ruddy has been in a feud with Fox for over a year over streaming access to his media assets, and Murdoch's camp has dismissed Newsmax's efforts as a bid to "sue their way out of their own competitive failures."