Billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban has shared his aspirations to purchase both Fox News and Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, although he admits he lacks the financial means for such acquisitions.
In a recent interview with *Wired*, the “Shark Tank” star discussed the complexities of engaging what he calls the “Fox News generation.” He stated, “If I had enough money to do it, which I don’t, I’d buy [Fox News] in a heartbeat.” Despite his considerable wealth—estimated at $5.7 billion by Forbes—he believes he cannot afford Rupert Murdoch’s network.
Cuban projected that turning around Fox News would cost between $15 billion and $20 billion, explaining that acquiring the network would require a minimum 50 percent premium, bringing the total to around $22 billion, plus another $2 billion for necessary changes. “I don’t have $15 or $20 billion in cash sitting around,” he added.
Mark first introduced the term “Fox News generation” in an earlier interview with *The New York Times*, expressing his disappointment over shifting attitudes among his peers: “It’s so upsetting to me. You have no idea.”
While he also expressed a hypothetical interest in acquiring X, Cuban acknowledged that Musk “has no reason” to sell the platform. The two billionaires have publicly clashed, particularly over X’s algorithms, which Cuban believes favor right-leaning politics. Musk responded by claiming that the platform’s algorithm is “open source” and based on user interactions.
Cuban reiterated his concerns during the *Wired* interview, stating, “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.”
Their disagreements extend to workplace diversity and inclusion initiatives, with Musk vocally opposing DEI measures. Cuban countered this perspective, asserting, “You can’t hire less qualified people, because that’s business suicide. But you can go out and find the really, really smart people who aren’t being discovered.”
In addition to his media ambitions, 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 veteran investor.
