Newsmax’s broadcasting licensing revenue rose 563.5% year over year in the second quarter of 2026 as the media company expands its strategy around artificial intelligence content agreements, international brand licensing, and foreign-market channel launches.
Licensing revenue reached $4.6 million during Q2, up from approximately $700,000 in the prior-year period. The rapid increase made licensing one of the strongest growth components within Newsmax’s broadcasting business and helped shift the company’s revenue mix toward what management describes as its highest-margin revenue streams.
Newsmax is expanding licensing domestically through agreements with technology companies. During the quarter, the company entered into its first major AI content partnership through a multi-year agreement with Meta that puts Newsmax content across Meta apps and devices. Management said the transaction is part of a broader strategy to license its content to leading AI technology companies.
The company is simultaneously expanding internationally by licensing the Newsmax brand and content to media partners and launching local channels in foreign markets. Management characterized the model as requiring minimal capital from Newsmax while extending the reach and monetization of its content and brand.
Newsmax expects international licensing revenue to increase 344% year-over-year to approximately $16 million in 2026. The expansion includes multiple brand-content licenses signed during the year and the Q2 launch of the Newsmax Poland channel with longtime partner Telekom Serbia. Newsmax said its brand now reaches more than 100 countries worldwide.
Licensing was part of a broader increase in broadcasting revenue. Total broadcast revenue increased 20.5% to $45.8 million from $38 million. Affiliate fee revenue increased 81.9% to $13.4 million, benefiting from new contractual relationships and rate increases that took effect in late 2025 and 2026.
Those increases more than offset weakness in some other areas. Broadcasting advertising revenue declined 7% to $24.4 million, while broadcast subscription revenue decreased 7.9% to $3.5 million. Digital revenue declined 1.3% to $8.3 million, although digital advertising increased 21.3% to $4.4 million.
Total Q2 revenue nevertheless reached a company record of $54.1 million, increasing 16.5% from $46.4 million a year earlier. Newsmax also reached profitability, reporting net income of $2.9 million, or $0.02 per share, compared with a $75.2 million net loss in the prior-year period.
Adjusted EBITDA reached $5.7 million, the company’s highest level since becoming publicly traded and an improvement of $9.5 million from an adjusted EBITDA loss of $3.8 million a year earlier. Newsmax attributed the improvement primarily to growth in high-margin affiliate fee and licensing revenue and lower general and administrative expenses, partially offset by continued investments in programming, production and OTT initiatives.
The company ended Q2 with $128.3 million of cash and short-term investments, including $25.9 million of cash and equivalents and $102.4 million of short-term investments. Management also said Newsmax has no debt and plans to continue investing in content, distribution and streaming while maintaining a disciplined approach to capital allocation.
Newsmax reiterated full-year 2026 revenue guidance of $212 million to $216 million, representing approximately 13% year-over-year growth at the midpoint.
KEY QUOTES:
“This was a milestone quarter for Newsmax. We delivered record revenues and our first quarterly net income since becoming a public company, led by strong growth in affiliate fees and licensing, our highest-margin revenue streams. Halfway through the year, we continue to execute on our growth strategy. With the majority of one-time costs of becoming a public company largely behind us, the value creation opportunities of our multi-platform model are showing positive results.”
“We are still in strategic investment mode, and that will not change. We continue to invest in content and streaming, while our licensing strategy is growing rapidly, domestically with AI deals like the one we completed with Meta, and internationally with media partners licensing our brand and content. Our strategy is to maximize these relationships to license the Newsmax brand and launch local channels in foreign markets, a model that requires minimal capital from us. We are also staying at the forefront of emerging technology, and our recently announced AI partnership will help us meet viewers wherever they consume content. The market for center right news is huge with limited options and significant whitespace to grow, increase monetization and deliver sustainable, long-term growth for our shareholders.”
Christopher Ruddy, CEO of Newsmax
“Our second quarter results demonstrate the operating leverage we are building across the business, with net income of $2.9 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $5.7 million. The improvement in our revenue mix, combined with the operating discipline we have established in our second year as a public company, allowed strong top-line growth to flow through to the bottom line. We will continue to invest in content, distribution and OTT initiatives that support long-term growth, and with a strong balance sheet, no debt and a disciplined approach to capital allocation, we are reiterating our full-year revenue guidance and remain focused on sustainable, long-term shareholder value.”
Darryle Burnham, CFO of Newsmax
