In a recent interview with Wired, the "Shark Tank" star addressed the difficulties of connecting with what he refers to as the Fox News generation.
Mark commented, "If I had sufficient funds to do it, which I don’t, I’d purchase [Fox News] immediately." He elaborated that, despite his considerable wealth—estimated at $5.7 billion by Forbes—he is unable to acquire Rupert Murdoch’s network.
He projected that it would take between $15 billion and $20 billion to revamp Fox News. "You need to offer at least a 50 percent premium, which brings it to $22 billion. Then, additional changes would require around $2 billion," he remarked, adding, I don’t have $15 or $20 billion in liquid assets.
Cuban first introduced the concept of the "Fox News generation" in a prior interview with The New York Times, expressing concern over the evolving perspectives among his contemporaries. He lamented, It’s incredibly frustrating for me. You can’t imagine.
While Mark indicated a theoretical interest in acquiring X, he recognized that Elon Musk has "no incentive" to sell the platform. The two billionaires have had public disagreements, especially regarding X’s algorithms, which Cuban believes tend to favor right-leaning views. Elon has countered by asserting that the platform's algorithm is "open source" and reflects user interactions.
Mark reiterated his concerns during the Wired interview: He who controls the algorithm controls the platform—controls that world, that community. And Elon has built, X has built, a very strong right-leaning community.
The two have also disagreed over workplace diversity and inclusion efforts, with Elon taking a publicly anti-DEI stance. Mark rebutted, stating, You can’t hire less qualified individuals, as that would be detrimental to business. However, you can seek out exceptionally talented individuals who are overlooked.
In addition to his media aspirations, Cuban recently announced that the upcoming season of "Shark Tank" on ABC will be his last after 16 seasons, indicating a potential shift in focus for the experienced investor.
