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The Fox Broadcasting Company, often just called FOX, is an American television network. It was started by News Corporation on October 9, 1986, to compete with the three big TV networks: ABC, CBS, and NBC. Even though it started later than those networks, FOX grew to become very popular.
FOX became especially successful in attracting viewers aged 18 to 49 from 2004 to 2012 and again from 2020 to 2021. During the 2007–08 season, it was even the most-watched TV network in the United States. Unlike the other big networks, FOX does not have its own news shows. Instead, it uses its 24-hour news channels like Fox News, Fox Business Network, and Fox Weather to provide news.
FOX also operates many entertainment channels around the world, though these may show different programs than the American version. The main office of FOX is in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, with other important offices in Los Angeles and Tempe, Arizona.
History
Fox Broadcasting Company started as part of 20th Century Fox, which had been making television shows since 1948. After some early attempts, Fox officially began in 1986, aiming to compete with bigger networks like ABC, CBS, and NBC.
Over the years, Fox grew into a major network. It found success with shows like The Simpsons, American Idol, and sports events like NFL games. Fox became known for its unique programming and strong ratings, especially among younger viewers. Today, Fox focuses more on sports and non-scripted shows, evolving to meet changing viewer habits.
Programming
Main articles: List of programs broadcast by Fox, List of programs previously broadcast by Fox, Fox News, and Fox Sports (United States)
As of 2015, Fox provides 17 hours of regularly scheduled programming each week. The network offers fifteen hours of prime time programming from Monday through Saturday from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m., and Sundays from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. (all times Eastern and Pacific). There is also an hour of late night programming on Saturdays from 11:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. Sports programming is usually shown on weekends, most commonly between 11:00 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. ET, especially during football season.
Adult animation
Main articles: Animation Domination, Animation on Fox, and Animation Domination High-Def
Fox often airs adult animated shows on Sunday nights during prime time. These shows include The Simpsons, Family Guy, Bob's Burgers, and Krapopolis. There was also a block called "Animation Domination High-Def" that aired on Saturday late nights, but it was discontinued in 2014 due to low ratings.
Children's programming
Main articles: Fox Kids, 4Kids TV, and Xploration Station
Fox began airing children's shows in 1990 with the Fox Kids Network. Popular shows included Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and Dragon Ball Z. In 2002, Fox replaced Fox Kids with 4Kids TV, featuring shows like Yu-Gi-Oh! and Sonic X. In 2014, Fox started airing Xploration Station, which focuses on science, technology, engineering, and math topics.
News
See also: Fox News
Fox does not currently air national news programs like morning, evening, or overnight news. However, it does provide coverage of important events such as the State of the Union address, presidential debates, and national election coverage. The network also airs Fox News Sunday on Sunday mornings.
Sports
Main articles: Fox Sports (United States) and Fox Deportes
See also: Fox Sports 1 and Fox Sports 2
Fox has broadcast major sports events since it began, including NFL football, NHL hockey, Major League Baseball, NASCAR racing, and college football. In 2011, Fox started broadcasting mixed martial arts events. The network's telecast of Super Bowl LVII in 2023 remains the highest-rated U.S. television program on average of all time. In 2024, Fox announced it would become the sole broadcaster of the IndyCar Series.
Stations
Main articles: List of Fox Broadcasting Company affiliates and Fox Television Stations
Fox has 18 stations it owns directly, and it works with 226 more stations in all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia and three U.S. areas outside the mainland. This helps Fox reach almost all homes with a TV in the United States. Right now, only three states — New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Delaware — do not have their own local Fox station. Instead, these places watch Fox through stations in nearby cities.
Fox stopped using older TV signals on June 12, 2009, when most TV stations switched to digital signals. Some smaller markets still use lower-power stations to show Fox programs, sometimes sharing airtime with bigger stations. One big company, Nexstar Media Group, runs the most Fox stations, while another, Sinclair Broadcast Group, runs many as well.
Differences between Fox and the "Big Three" networks
Fox has a different way of showing shows compared to the three bigger networks: ABC, CBS, and NBC. Fox shows its main evening programs for only two hours on Monday through Saturday nights and three hours on Sunday nights. The three bigger networks show their shows for three hours on Monday through Saturday nights and four hours on Sunday nights.
Fox does not show morning news or daytime shows like soap operas or game shows. Instead, local Fox stations decide what to show during those times. Fox also does not show children's shows on Saturday mornings or late-night shows on Monday through Friday nights. Local stations choose what to show in those slots.
Fox is special because it is the only network that shows animated comedy shows for older audiences. This started with The Simpsons in 1989, and many other popular shows followed. Other big networks have tried to copy this, but none have been as successful as Fox.
Related services
Video-on-demand services
Fox offers several ways for viewers to watch its shows. You can find Fox programs on a service called Fox on Demand, available through cable, satellite, streaming, and telecom providers. Fox also shares most of its shows on the streaming service Hulu, and you can watch full episodes on Fox.com. There is a mobile and digital media player app called "Fox Now" that lets you watch live broadcasts of primetime shows and sports, as well as live streams of Fox's cable networks, if you have a TV service subscription.
New episodes of Fox shows usually appear on Fox on Demand the day after they air. While you watch, you will still see the original ads from the broadcast, but after a week, these change to different ads. To encourage people to watch live or record shows right after they air, Fox makes most new episodes wait eight days before you can watch them on Hulu or Fox.com, unless you have a special TV service subscription.
In March 2020, Fox started streaming all its local station schedules through Fox Now. The same month, Fox bought a streaming service called Tubi. Tubi adds Fox shows a week after they air on TV. In July 2023, Fox stopped the Fox Now app, but you can still watch Fox shows on Hulu, Fox Local, or Tubi. Fox relaunched Fox Now as Fox One two years later.
Fox HD
Fox started broadcasting in high definition on September 12, 2004, beginning with football games. For many years, Fox did not show a small logo on the screen during most shows, but instead let each local station show its own logo. Some special shows like American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance used the Fox logo instead. Since March 14, 2016, Fox uses its regular logo on all shows, and you might see a quick flash of your local station's logo when a show starts or after commercials.
Some Fox shows show a special word above the logo on screen so viewers can easily find conversations about the show online. Fox began showing programs in widescreen before most other networks, and all Fox shows are now in high definition and widescreen.
Branding
During the early 1990s, Fox started having its stations use a branding structure that combined the "Fox" name with the station's channel number, often followed by the station's call letters. For example, WNYW in New York City, WTTG in Washington, D.C., and WAGA-TV in Atlanta, Georgia, were all branded as "Fox 5." By the mid-to-late 1990s, many stations made their call letters smaller while still following FCC rules.
Some Fox stations used different branding. For instance, Chicago's WFLD was called "Fox Chicago" from 1997 to 2012, and Philadelphia's WTXF-TV was called "Fox Philadelphia" from 1995 to 2003. Other stations used their call letters or simpler names, like WSVN in Miami, which has been "WSVN 7" since 1989.
When Fox began in 1986, it used a logo with three squares containing the letters FBC. In 1987, it changed to a logo with the word "FOX" and searchlights, similar to the old 20th Century Fox logo. Over the years, the logo changed many times, with the current version introduced in 1999 using just the word "FOX" without searchlights. Some stations still use older logo designs.
Controversy
In the early 2000s, the Fox Broadcasting Company faced criticism for some live shows. During a broadcast of the Billboard Music Awards, some words were said that many people found inappropriate. Even though there were delays to try to catch these words, they still appeared on air in some parts of the country. This led to many complaints and discussions about what is suitable for television.
The Parents Television Council also raised concerns about the content of several popular Fox shows. They sometimes asked government agencies to look into these issues. One case involved a show that led to a large fine, which was later reduced after some questions about the complaints were raised.
Presidents of Fox Broadcasting Company Entertainment
| Executive | Term | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Garth Ancier | 1986–1989 | In 1986, Barry Diller, Jamie Kellner and Rupert Murdoch tapped the then 28-year-old Ancier to be the first Entertainment President for the Fox Broadcasting Company, where he put The Tracey Ullman Show, Married... with Children, 21 Jump Street, Cops, In Living Color, and The Simpsons on the air. Ancier ultimately went from Fox (resigning March 1, 1989) to Disney as president of network television for Walt Disney Studios on April 18, 1989. |
| Peter Chernin | 1989–1992 | During Chernin's tenure as president of entertainment for the Fox Broadcasting Company, programming grew from two to seven nights a week. Beverly Hills, 90210 and Herman's Head were launched under Chernin's watch. Fox Kids (originally Fox Children's Network) was also launched under Chernin's watch by its division's president Margaret Loesch. |
| Sandy Grushow | 1992–1995 | In this particular leadership role, Grushow oversaw the development and launch of The X-Files, Melrose Place, New York Undercover, Party of Five, and Living Single while also expanding the network from four to seven nights of primetime programming. He also brought Fox Sports to air, including obtaining rights to National Football League (NFL) for the 1994 season. |
| John Matoian | 1995–1996 | He officially became the president of Entertainment at Fox Broadcasting in September 1995. However, in 1996, Matoian left Fox and soon he became the president of HBO. Before he left, both MADtv and Millennium were aired under Matoian's tenure, and both Ally McBeal and King of the Hill were greenlit also under his tenure. |
| Peter Roth | 1996–1998 | He appeared in a short cameo in the Ally McBeal episode, "Silver Bells". It was first broadcast December 15, 1997. Network shows under Roth's tenure included Ally McBeal, King of the Hill, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, That '70s Show and the game show Guinness World Records Primetime. That '70s Show, The PJs, Futurama, and Family Guy were also greenlit under Roth's tenure. |
| Doug Herzog | 1998–2000 | The PJs, Futurama, Family Guy, Malcolm in the Middle, Boston Public, and both reality shows When Animals Attack! and World's Wildest Police Videos were launched under Herzog's watch. |
| Gail Berman | 2000–2005 | Network shows under Berman's tenure included American Idol, The Simple Life, Hell's Kitchen, Nanny 911, Arrested Development, The Bernie Mac Show, The War at Home, 24, House, Bones, Prison Break, The O.C., American Dad!, and Family Guy (although the latter debuted during Herzog's era, it was still brought back to Fox under Berman's watch thanks to an overnight success from Adult Swim reruns and its DVD sales). |
| Peter Liguori | 2005–2007 | Liguori has been credited with helping the channel FX grow in prominence. Prior to assuming that position in 2005, Liguori was president and CEO of News Corp.'s FX Networks since 1998, overseeing business and programming operations for FX and Fox Movie Channel. 'Til Death and Talkshow with Spike Feresten debuted under Liguori's watch. |
| Kevin Reilly | 2007–2014 | Reilly introduced or championed Sleepy Hollow and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, as well as The Following, Fringe, The Cleveland Show, Bob's Burgers, Glee, The Mindy Project, Raising Hope, and New Girl. Reilly also championed a "no pilot season" strategy (designed to nurture fewer new Fox shows with more investment), during which he was responsible for greenlighting hit shows Gotham, The Last Man on Earth, and Empire. He left Fox in May 2014. |
| David Madden | 2014–2017 | The NFL coverage of Super Bowl LI would be the second highest viewed Super Bowl coverage during that time. Gotham, The Last Man on Earth, Empire, and even both Lucifer and Lethal Weapon were launched under Madden's tenure, and The X-Files and 24 also returned to the network. |
| Michael Thorn | 2017–present | The Orville, The Gifted, 9–1–1, The Resident, Fantasy Island, The Moodys, Call Me Kat, Bless the Harts, Duncanville, The Great North, Krapopolis, Grimsburg, Universal Basic Guys, Spin the Wheel, The Masked Singer, Lego Masters, Beat Shazam, Name that Tune, Mental Samurai, and The Floor, as well as the revival of American Dad!, were launched under Thorn. |
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