Fox Entertainment Group

{{About|the defunct company|the present company owned by Fox Corporation|Fox Entertainment}}

{{Infobox company

| name = Fox Entertainment Group

| logo = File:Fox Entertainment Group.svg

| logo_caption = Logo used until 2019

| type = Division

| traded_as = {{NYSE was|FOX}}

| predecessor = TCF Holdings

| foundation = {{start date and age|1990|1|23}}

| fate = Assets dispersed to other Disney divisions

| successors = Fox Entertainment {{small|(division of Fox Corporation, successor of the reused unit name for Fox Corp. entertainment operations without using the word "Group")}}

Walt Disney Studios

| hq_location = Fox Plaza

| hq_location_city = Century City, Los Angeles, California

| hq_location_country = U.S.

| industry = Film
Television

| founder = Rupert Murdoch

| defunct = 2019

| products = Motion pictures
television programs

| revenue = {{profit}} $13.28 billion USD

| revenue_year = 2012

| operating_income = {{profit}} $3.3 billion USD

| income_year = 2012

| net_income = {{profit}} $4.98 billion USD

| net_income_year = 2012

| num_employees = 12,100

| num_employees_year = 2012

| parent = {{unbulleted list|News Corporation {{small|(1990–2013)}}|21st Century Fox {{small|(2013–2019)}}}}

| divisions =

| subsid = {{unbulleted list|20th Century Fox|Fox 2000 Pictures|Fox Music|Fox Searchlight Pictures|Fox Star Studios (JV with Star India)|Fox Studios Australia|FoxNext|Hulu (30%)|||Regency Enterprises (20%)|Fox Broadcasting Company|FX Networks|}}

}}

The Fox Entertainment Group (FEG) was an American entertainment company specialized in filmed entertainment owned by 21st Century Fox. Following the acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney, the group's assets were dispersed to various Disney units. The film studios 20th Century Fox (now known as 20th Century Studios), Fox Searchlight Pictures (now known as Searchlight Pictures) and Fox 2000 Pictures were transferred to Walt Disney Studios, while Fox Star Studios (now known as Star Studios) transferred to Disney India.{{cite magazine|url=https://deadline.com/2019/03/disney-film-executives-post-merger-team-set-1202580586/|title=After Trying Day, Disney Sets Film Leadership Lineup|last=Hipes|first=Patrick|date=March 22, 2019|magazine=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=March 27, 2019}}

Its former owner, 21st Century Fox, previously known as News Corporation, acquired all the stock of Fox Entertainment Group in 2005. In 2013, News Corporation was renamed 21st Century Fox and its publishing assets were spun off into the newly formed News Corp as part of a corporate reorganization.{{cite news|title=News Corp confirms plan to split the media giant|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18621949|work=BBC News|access-date=June 28, 2012|date=June 28, 2012}}{{cite web|title=News Corp. Will Use Fox Name as Breakup Proceeds|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-12-03/news-corp-moves-ahead-with-split-gives-names-for-new-companies.html|publisher=Bloomberg|access-date=December 3, 2012}}

FEG was indirectly named after William Fox, who created Fox Film. This would eventually merge with Twentieth Century Pictures to become 20th Century Fox (now known as 20th Century Studios).{{cite web |title=The Formation of Twentieth Century-Fox |url=http://www.cobbles.com/simpp_archive/zanuck-schenck.htm |access-date=December 14, 2023 |website=Cobbles |location=United States}}

History

Fox Entertainment Group was formed in the 1980s after the purchase of the Metromedia-owned independent stations by the 20th Century Fox film studio, at the time jointly owned by Australian-American media mogul Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, and Denver billionaire Marvin Davis.{{cite news|author=Thomas C. Hayes|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/06/20/business/rich-to-sell-fox-stake-to-davis.html|title=Rich to Sell Fox Stake to Davis|work=The New York Times|date=June 20, 1984}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/05/07/business/murdoch-to-buy-tv-stations-cost-2-billion.html|title=Murdoch to Buy & Tv Stations; Cost $2 Billion|last=Cole|first=Robert J.|date=May 7, 1985|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 12, 2019|issn=0362-4331}} These stations would later become the foundation of the Fox television network (launched in October 1986), which would become the foundation of the company (named after the TV network) itself. Not long after the Metromedia deal was made, Murdoch purchased Davis's shares and News Corp assumed full control of the film studio, which was then placed within Fox Entertainment Group.{{sfn|Wolff|2010|page=167}}

In 1995, Saban entered into a joint venture with the Fox children's television network to form Fox Kids Worldwide. In 1997 it was renamed Fox Family Worldwide.{{cite web|url=http://www.saban.com/html/invest/fox.html|title=Fox Family Worldwide Inc|work=Saban|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080211084146/http://www.saban.com/html/invest/fox.html|archive-date=February 11, 2008|access-date=February 23, 2009}} On July 23, 2001, Saban announced that Fox Family Worldwide (now ABC Family Worldwide Inc.) would be sold to Disney.{{cite news|url=http://www.saban.com/html/press/010723.html |title=News Corp. and Haim Saban Reach Agreement to Sell Fox Family Worldwide to Disney for $5.3 Billion |date=July 23, 2001 |work=saban |access-date=February 23, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090421070416/http://www.saban.com/html/press/010723.html |archive-date=April 21, 2009 }} On October 24, 2001, the sale was completed.{{cite web|url=http://www.saban.com/html/team/saban.html|title=Haim Saban|work=Saban|access-date=February 23, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090302104301/http://saban.com/html/team/saban.html|archive-date=March 2, 2009}}

On March 20, 1998, Fox Entertainment Group (under the management of Rupert Murdoch) purchased the Los Angeles Dodgers from Peter O'Malley on $311-million of dollars. On January 20, 2004, Fox Entertainment Group sold the Dodgers to Frank McCourt.{{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/05/sports/fox-group-reaches-deal-to-buy-dodgers.html | title=Fox Group Reaches Deal to Buy Dodgers | website=The New York Times }}{{cite web | url=https://ryanferguson.co.uk/blogs/blog/rupert-murdoch-dodgers | title=When Rupert Murdoch and Fox owned the Los Angeles Dodgers }}{{cite web | url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/monteburke/2012/03/28/rupert-murdochs-costly-mistake-with-the-los-angeles-dodgers/ | title=Owners Approve Sale of Dodgers to Murdoch | website=Forbes }}{{cite web | url=https://variety.com/2003/scene/markets-festivals/murdoch-s-dodgers-sell-for-400-mil-1117893832/ | title=Murdoch's Dodgers sell for $400 mil }}{{cite web | url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/fox-entertainment-sells-los-angeles-dodgers-for-us430m-20040130-gdi9ci.html | title=Fox Entertainment sells Los Angeles Dodgers for $US430m }}

On August 14, 1998, Fox launched an initial public offering as a publicly traded company, trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE,) while Fox Entertainment Group's address has been moved from Los Angeles to New York City.[https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1068002/0000950130-98-004085-index.html EDGAR Filing Documents for 0000950130-98-004085] The company has traded on the NYSE since its launch under ticker symbol FOX until its acquisition in 2005 by News Corporation.[https://web.archive.org/web/20160701124657/http://www.nasdaq.com/markets/ipos/company/9421-4766 FOX ENTERTAINMENT GROUP INC (FOX) IPO – NASDAQ.com]

In January 2005, shortly after News Corporation reincorporation in the United States, News Corp announced that it was offering $5.9 billion to buy out the remaining 18% of shares in Fox that News Corporation did not already own.{{cite news|last=Lazaroff|first=Leon|title=Murdoch to buy out Fox shares|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2005/01/11/murdoch-to-buy-out-fox-shares/|access-date=October 11, 2012|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=January 11, 2005}} The maneuver delisted Fox from the New York Stock Exchange; Fox Entertainment Group traded on the NYSE under the ticker FOX.{{cite web|title=News Corporation Completes Acquisition of Fox|url=http://www.newscorp.com/news/news_245.html|publisher=News Corp|access-date=October 11, 2012|archive-date=May 13, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513122337/http://www.newscorp.com/news/news_245.html|url-status=dead}}

In 2012, Rupert Murdoch announced that News Corporation would be split into two publishing and media-oriented companies: a new News Corporation, and 21st Century Fox, which operated the Fox Entertainment Group and 20th Century Fox and other studios. Murdoch considered the name of the new company a way to maintain the 20th Century Fox's heritage as the group advances into the future.{{cite web|last=Welch|first=Chris|title=21st Century Fox logo unveiled ahead of News Corp split|url=https://www.theverge.com/2013/5/9/4316444/21st-century-fox-logo-revealed-by-rupert-murdoch|work=The Verge|date=May 9, 2013|access-date=May 9, 2013}}{{cite web|last=Rushe|first=Dominic|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/jun/18/rupert-murdoch-split-empire-news-corp|title=Rupert Murdoch splits empire but keeps faith in tomorrow's newspapers|work=The Guardian|date=June 18, 2013|access-date=June 18, 2013}}

In January 2017, Fox Entertainment Group and 20th Century Fox formed FoxNext, which would handle video game developments, VR experiences and theme park businesses.{{cite web | url = https://variety.com/2017/digital/news/fox-immersive-business-with-foxnext-taps-salil-mehta-1201962954/ | title = Fox Amps Up Immersive Business With FoxNext, Taps Salil Mehta | first = Dave | last = McNary | date = January 18, 2017 | access-date = January 19, 2017 | work = Variety }}

After Disney completed the acquisition of the 21st Century Fox assets on March 20, 2019, Fox Entertainment Group assets became Disney properties and are now reorganized under other Disney units.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2019/biz/news/disney-fox-deal-complete-1203167374/|title=Disney Closes $71 Billion 21st Century Fox Deal|work=Variety|access-date=March 27, 2019|date=March 19, 2020|first=Cynthia|last=Littleton}} The Fox Entertainment name would later be used by the Fox Corporation for its entertainment assets.{{cite news |last1=Holloway |first1=Daniel |title=Charlie Collier Named Fox Entertainment CEO; Gary Newman Exits |url=https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/charlie-collier-fox-ceo-gary-neman-exits-1202986809/ |access-date=July 9, 2019 |work=Variety |date=October 19, 2018 }}

Units

=Transferred to [[Walt Disney Studios (division)|The Walt Disney Studios]]=

20th Century Fox, renamed to 20th Century Studios
20th Century Fox Animation, renamed to 20th Century Animation
Blue Sky Studios, closed on April 10, 2021
20th Century Fox Games, renamed to 20th Century Games
Fox Family, renamed to 20th Century Family
Fox Family Entertainment
New Regency Productions (20%, joint venture with Regency Enterprises)
Fox Searchlight Pictures, renamed to Searchlight Pictures
Fox 2000 Pictures, dissolved on May 14, 2021
20th Century Fox Consumer Products, folded into Disney Experiences
Fox Music, folded into Disney Music Group
Zero Day Fox, renamed to 20th Digital Studio before dissolving on October 9, 2023
Boom! Studios (minority stake)
Fox Studios Australia, renamed to Disney Studios Australia
Fox Stage Productions, folded into Disney Theatrical Group

=Transferred to [[Disney General Entertainment Content|Walt Disney Television]]=

20th Century Fox Television, renamed to 20th Television
Fox 21 Television Studios, renamed to Touchstone Television before merging with 20th Television on December 1, 2020
Fox Television Animation, renamed to 20th Television Animation

=Transferred to [[Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer & International]]=

Fox Star Studios, renamed to Star Studios
Hulu (30%)
Hulu Documentary Films
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, renamed to 20th Century Home Entertainment before being folded into Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment in 2020
Fox-Paramount Home Entertainment (joint venture with Paramount Home Media Distribution)

=Transferred to [[Disney Experiences|Disney Parks, Experiences and Products]]=

FoxNext, closed on January 23, 2020 and sold to Scopely
Aftershock Studios
20th Century Fox World (license to Resort World by Genting Group)

References

=Works cited=

{{Cite book |last=Wolff |first=Michael |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZWleLGIrwBcC&pg=PT167 |title=The Man Who Owns the News: Inside the Secret World of Rupert Murdoch |publisher=Random House |year=2010 |isbn=978-1-4090-8679-6 |location=New York City}}