21st Century FoxEdit
21st Century Fox was a major American multinational media company formed in 2013 through the corporate split of News Corporation into two distinct entities. The new company concentrated on entertainment, including a film studio, television production, and a range of cable and broadcast properties. It stood out in a rapidly consolidating media landscape by combining blockbuster content with influential distribution platforms, and it became a focal point in debates about media ownership, editorial influence, and the policy environment for entertainment and news enterprises. In 2019, The Walt Disney Company completed a purchase of most of 21st Century Fox’s assets, leaving Fox Corporation to retain the company’s broadcast, sports, and news operations. This reshaped the global media map and left a lasting imprint on how content is created, distributed, and governed.
Rupert Murdoch and the next generation of leadership helped shape the company’s direction as a caseload of big-brand properties and well-known franchises were assembled under one roof. The governance and strategic decisions of the Murdoch family dominated much of the company’s pace and posture, with Lachlan Murdoch taking the helm in later years and guiding a shift toward stronger profitability through a mix of live programming, sports rights, and premium content. See Rupert Murdoch and Lachlan Murdoch for more on the principal leadership lineage, and note how the split from News Corporation created a more focused home for entertainment assets that could pursue blockbuster franchises and global distribution in a way the old combined entity could not.
History and corporate structure
Origins and separation from News Corporation In 2013, a corporate reorganization split News Corporation into two publicly traded firms: the publishing-focused News Corp and the entertainment-focused 21st Century Fox. This division allowed the media group to pursue a more assertive investment strategy in film, television, and live content while separating book, newspaper, and digital publishing interests from entertainment ventures. The move reflected a broader trend in the industry toward specialized management of content creation and distribution assets, with leadership anchored by Rupert Murdoch Rupert Murdoch and, over time, guided by his son Lachlan Murdoch Lachlan Murdoch.
Asset portfolio and market presence At its height, 21st Century Fox controlled a diversified portfolio that included the Fox Broadcasting Company Fox Broadcasting Company, major cable networks such as Fox News Channel Fox News and Fox Business Network Fox Business Network, and sports properties like Fox Sports Fox Sports. In entertainment, the company owned or controlled a number of cable networks (including FX FX (TV network) and FXX) and the film and television production units that built and distributed large-scale franchises. It also maintained a significant global footprint through international holdings such as a stake in Sky plc Sky plc (a major UK satellite platform), which would later be sold as part of the broader deal with Disney.
Disney acquisition and the Fox Corporation remnant In 2019, Disney agreed to acquire much of 21st Century Fox’s assets, a move that transferred the studio, certain television operations, and NatGeo-related assets to The Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company as part of a larger deal. The sale left Fox Corporation with the Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox Television Stations, Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, Fox Sports, and the company’s remaining live-event and sports businesses. The reorganization redirected Fox’s strategic emphasis toward news, sports, and other top-tier assets that can sustain profitable distribution in a changing media ecosystem.
International footprint and historical note Before the Disney deal, 21st Century Fox also had a substantial international presence through its stake in Sky plc Sky plc, the UK-based satellite and broadcasting platform. The sale of this stake to Comcast ended Fox’s involvement in Sky and signaled a narrowing of its global footprint, even as its domestic platforms remained influential in shaping U.S. media consumption. The company’s approach to international markets—investing in distribution networks and marquee content—illustrates a long-running strategy to monetize premium programming across platforms.
Assets and operations
Core U.S. properties - Fox Broadcasting Company (FOX): The flagship broadcast network, delivering a mix of news, entertainment, and sports programming that served as the company’s primary over-the-air outlet. Its scheduling emphasized high-appeal dramas, comedies, and live events, along with long-running franchises that drew large audiences. - Fox Television Stations: A network of local stations that expanded the reach of FOX’s programming and provided an integrated local-audience platform for national content. - Fox News Channel: A leading cable news outlet that became a central voice in American political and public affairs discourse, known for its opinion programming and breaking-news coverage. - Fox Business Network: A dedicated business-news channel offering market analysis and coverage tailored to investors and decision-makers.
Cable sports and entertainment networks - Fox Sports: A broad sports portfolio including regional and national sports rights, live events, and related programming on FS1 and FS2, contributing to a broad-based, live-content strategy. - FX and FXX: Cable networks focused on original dramas, comedies, and acquired series, known for a distinct brand identity within the entertainment ecosystem. - National Geographic Channels (NatGeo): A science and exploration brand that expanded the company’s non-fiction and documentary programming. - NatGeo Partners and related media ventures: The NatGeo platform extended into magazine, digital, and television distribution channels in collaboration with National Geographic Society.
Film and production - 21st Century Fox previously controlled a major film studio and related production arms, with a pipeline of blockbuster franchises that fed both domestic and international distribution. After the Disney acquisition, the studio branding was realigned under Disney’s umbrella as part of the broader consolidation of the film library.
International footprint and legacy brands - Sky plc (before sale): A major European pay-TV provider that exemplified the global reach of the group’s content distribution. The stake was ultimately sold as part of the asset-divestiture process tied to the Disney deal.
After the Disney deal, many of the acquired assets in the entertainment space were integrated into Disney’s broader content and streaming strategy, while Fox Corporation retained platforms that provide ongoing direct relationships with audiences, such as the Fox broadcast network, sports programming, and news coverage. This separation created a bifurcated landscape in which one company controlled the entertainment studios and much of the prime-time and premium content, while Fox Corporation focused on news, sports, and broadcast distribution.
Controversies and debates
Editorial influence and political coverage The prominence of Fox News in American media has made it a focal point in debates about editorial balance and political influence. Supporters argue that Fox News provides a critical counterweight to other major outlets and reflects the views of a substantial portion of the electorate that favors deregulation, pro-growth policies, and a skeptical view of expansive government programs. Critics contend that some programming advances a partisan perspective and emphasizes provocative commentary at the expense of even-handed reporting. From a practitioner’s standpoint, the key issue is whether a robust, transparent approach to journalism and opinion can coexist with a profitable news operation, and whether viewers are given access to a wide range of voices within the same media ecosystem. The right-of-center perspective tends to emphasize the importance of editorial diversity and the marketplace of ideas, while arguing that criticisms of bias should not be used to justify stifling or censoring market-credible outlets.
Media concentration and market power As one of the largest pure-play entertainment and news conglomerates of its era, 21st Century Fox sparked ongoing concerns about media concentration and its implications for competition, regional control of information, and cultural influence. Proponents of consolidation often argue that large-scale operations enable efficient content production, international distribution, and competitive pricing for consumers, while critics warn of reduced competition, potential homogenization of viewpoints, and the risk that a small number of powerful owners shape national discourse. The public debate around these issues gained additional intensity as media platforms shifted toward streaming and direct-to-consumer models, with calls for thoughtful antitrust considerations and standards that preserve a pluralistic information environment.
Woke criticism and editorial ethics In the cultural debates surrounding journalism and entertainment, some observers dismissed criticisms that particular outlets favor a progressive political agenda as overstated or politically motivated. From a perspective that stresses the value of free expression and the primacy of viewer choice, such criticisms are often framed as attempts to police viewpoint rather than to promote accountability. Defenders of editorial independence argue that the presence of strong opinions on cable networks or in scripted entertainment does not inherently undermine the integrity of factual reporting; instead, it reflects an ecosystem where audience preferences are varied and where competition among brands helps to drive high-quality content. Critics of woke critiques may argue that focusing on perceived bias distracts from the core business case for content creation, distribution efficiency, and delivering value to shareholders, while supporters insist that media responsibility and accuracy remain essential, especially for outlets with a broad public-facing role.
Strategic restructuring and shareholder value The 2019 reorganization—splitting entertainment assets away from the remaining Fox Corporation properties—was defended by proponents as a prudent capital decision that allowed for sharper strategic focus and more disciplined portfolio management. Opponents viewed it as a staged retreat that diminished the international reach of a once-global media powerhouse. The practical dividend of this move was a clearer separation between profit-driven broadcasting and the broader enterprise of delivering news and live events, with the perception that this would better align resources with audiences and monetization opportunities in an era of streaming, sports rights auctions, and shifting advertising markets.
Economic and cultural impact
Content creation and franchises 21st Century Fox helped catalyze the growth of major film franchises and high-quality television programming. By investing in blockbuster productions and serialized storytelling, the company contributed to a robust entertainment ecosystem that fed theaters, home entertainment, and later streaming platforms. The combination of a production engine with distribution channels created synergies that supported cross-promotion, global merchandising, and brand recognition across multiple media formats.
News, sports, and public life Fox News Channel and Fox Sports, as part of the Fox portfolio, became central to everyday public life in the United States and beyond. The ability to deliver live sports, timely news, and compelling commentary on a consistent basis helped shape audience expectations for immediacy and reliability in a crowded media landscape. In this sense, the company’s assets contributed to a strong, real-time information infrastructure that is valued by millions of viewers and advertisers who rely on scale and reach.
Economic footprint The company supported thousands of jobs in production, engineering, broadcasting, journalism, and related services. Its studios and facilities, licensing agreements, and distribution networks formed an intricate economic web that had ripple effects in local communities, regional markets, and the broader supply chain of the entertainment and news industries. The transition of many assets to Disney further integrated these works into new ecosystems, influencing how content is financed, produced, and monetized in the streaming era.
Global reach and cultural exchange While the Disney deal reoriented the company’s assets toward a single global conglomerate, the Fox portfolio historically contributed to a wider cultural exchange by distributing American-made entertainment and news content around the world. The presence of global brands and cross-border distribution helped American media reach diverse audiences while also exporting entertainment norms and production practices that have shaped international media markets.