All articles tagged with #fox corp
YouTube TV and Fox Corp. have agreed to a short-term extension of their contract, preventing an immediate blackout of Fox News and other Fox channels while negotiations for a new deal continue, amid ongoing disputes over programming fees.
Fox Corp. announced that its new streaming service, Fox One, will launch on August 21 at a monthly price of $19.99, targeting cord-cutters and pay-TV subscribers with a mix of news, sports, and entertainment programming, marking its entry into the streaming market after previously focusing on ad-supported services like Tubi.
US Representatives Jerrold Nadler and Joaquin Castro have raised concerns about the anticompetitive implications of the proposed sports streaming joint venture between Disney/ESPN, Fox Corp., and Warner Bros. Discovery, requesting answers from the CEOs about its impact on pricing, access, and competition in the sports streaming market. The joint venture, set to debut in 2024, has drawn scrutiny from the Justice Department and faces a federal lawsuit from Fubo alleging antitrust violations. Disney CEO Bob Iger believes the venture will clear regulatory scrutiny, while the companies have announced former Apple TV+ exec Peter Distad as the JV's CEO.
Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch projects that the sports streaming venture backed by Disney, Fox Corp, and Warner Bros Discovery will reach 5 million subscribers in its first five years, emphasizing the appeal to "cord-nevers" seeking affordable sports access. The service, set to launch this fall, will offer 14 linear network feeds covering major sports leagues, with pricing expected to be above $50 per month. Despite the growing urgency for streaming presence in sports programming, Murdoch does not foresee regulatory issues and believes the financial returns can be robust even with a relatively marginal subscriber count. Fox's decision not to invest in a subscription streaming outlet of its own is seen as a point of pride, with the company focusing on live news and sports while remaining "distribution agnostic."
Fox Corp, Disney, and Warner Bros. Discovery's sports streaming joint venture aims to reach 5 million subscribers within five years, offering a bundled sports package available directly to consumers in the U.S. and as an add-on to services like Disney+, Hulu, and Max. CEO Lachlan Murdoch emphasized the venture's potential to tap into the market of "cord-nevers" who have shunned traditional cable and satellite TV, despite facing opposition from companies like Fubo and potential regulatory scrutiny. Additionally, Fox Nation, the streaming-subscription offshoot of Fox News, currently has about 2 million customers.
Fox Corp's streaming service Tubi has unveiled a new logo and brand identity, featuring vibrant colors and a playful audio tone to reflect its "find your rabbit hole" concept. The update comes ahead of the fourth anniversary of Fox's acquisition of Tubi and has been credited with contributing to the company's increase in ad revenue. With over 74 million monthly active users and a significant share of TV viewing, Tubi's rebranding coincides with Anjali Sud's tenure as CEO and aims to provide a fun, bold, and engaging platform for viewers.
Sports leagues are suspicious of a joint streaming service announced by ESPN, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Fox Corp, fearing that it could lead to reduced media rights fees as a combined entity may bid for live-game rights. The NBA is likely to expand its partners to four by extending with ESPN and TNT while adding Amazon and NBC. Leagues were reportedly blindsided by the announcement, and concerns have been raised about the potential impact on the competition for sports rights.
Fox Corp CEO Lachlan Murdoch is confident that the new sports streaming venture with Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery will attract "tens of millions" of cord-nevers without undermining the traditional pay-TV bundle. The non-exclusive programming licenses will bring 14 linear networks into a package that can be bundled with Max, Hulu, and ESPN+. Murdoch assured analysts that the streaming service would be "unique and innovative" and emphasized that the new venture will not significantly affect pay-TV affiliate partners.
ESPN, Fox Corp, and Warner Bros. Discovery are teaming up to launch a new sports streaming platform in the fall, aiming to capture younger audiences and reduce costs. The service will feature a new brand with an independent management team and will be available via a new app, with pricing to be announced later. Each company will own one-third of the joint venture, and the platform will bring together sports linear networks and Disney's ESPN+. Subscribers will also have the option to bundle the product with Disney+, Hulu, and Max.
A New York judge ruled that Fox Corp must face Smartmatic's $2.7 billion defamation suit, while Smartmatic must also face Fox's counterclaims alleging the defamation claims are intended to suppress free speech. The ruling continues the lengthy court battle between the voting company and Fox News Corp over election conspiracy theories. The judge disagreed with Fox's motion to dismiss the claims, stating that Corp. employees played an affirmative role in the publication of the defamation, but also denied Smartmatic's motion to dismiss Fox's counterclaims. Fox had previously settled similar claims with Dominion Voting Systems for $787.5 million.
OpenAI is in discussions with CNN, Fox Corp, and Time to license their content for training its ChatGPT tool, amid allegations of copyright infringement. The startup aims to enhance the accuracy and relevance of its AI chatbot by incorporating news, video, and digital media content. OpenAI is currently facing legal challenges related to copyright infringement.
Rupert Murdoch, former chairman of Fox Corp and News Corp, is set to be deposed in Smartmatic's $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox Corp over coverage of debunked vote-rigging claims involving the 2020 US presidential election. Smartmatic alleges that Fox knowingly spread false claims about its software being used to flip votes. Although Murdoch is not a named defendant, his involvement in decision-making about Fox's coverage could establish liability for Fox Corp. Smartmatic's lawyers may question Murdoch about his private opinions on the election and his role in shaping Fox's coverage. Murdoch previously sat for a deposition in a similar defamation case brought by Dominion Voting Systems, which resulted in a $787.5 million settlement.
Rupert Murdoch, chairman of News Corp and co-chairman of 21st Century Fox, is being deposed under oath in a $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit filed against Fox Corp. by Smartmatic, a voting technology company. This is the second time Murdoch has been deposed this year in a lawsuit accusing Fox News of airing damaging lies about the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Murdoch stepped down as chairman of Fox and News Corp. earlier this month.
Rupert Murdoch, former chairman of Fox Corp, is set to be deposed in Smartmatic's $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox Corp over coverage of debunked vote-rigging claims involving the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Smartmatic alleges that Fox knowingly spread false claims about their software being used to flip votes in favor of Joe Biden. Murdoch's deposition will take place in Los Angeles, and although he is not a named defendant in the case, Smartmatic aims to establish his involvement in decision-making at Fox to prove liability. Murdoch previously sat for a deposition in a similar defamation case brought by Dominion Voting Systems, which Fox settled for $787.5 million.
Lachlan Murdoch is set to become the new power behind Fox News as his father, Rupert Murdoch, announced his resignation as the head of News Corp. and Fox Corp. Lachlan will assume the role of chair at News Corp. while remaining chief executive and chair at Fox Corp. This move solidifies Lachlan's position as the leader of the media empire his father built, although Rupert has a history of undermining and setting his children against each other. Lachlan's journey in the Murdoch business has seen ups and downs, including a brief resignation in 2005 and his involvement in addressing the U.K. phone-hacking scandal. Despite criticism of Fox News' conspiratorial and misinformation-promoting broadcasts, Lachlan's recent behavior suggests some ambivalence about his role at News Corp. as he has relocated to Sydney and commutes to work remotely.