Fox Broadcasting Company facts for kids
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| Type | Broadcast Television network |
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| Country | United States |
| Affiliates |
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| Headquarters | 1211 Avenue of the Americas New York, New York 10036 U.S. |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | English |
| Picture format | |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Fox Corporation |
| Parent | Fox Entertainment |
| Key people |
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| History | |
| Founded | October 9, 1986 |
| Launched |
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| Founder |
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| Former names | FBC (1986–1987) |
The Fox Broadcasting Company, usually called Fox, is a big American TV network. It's owned by Fox Corporation. Fox started on October 9, 1986. It was created to compete with the three main networks at the time: ABC, CBS, and NBC.
Fox became the most successful "fourth network" ever. It's known for showing shows that pushed boundaries. Some famous examples include Married... with Children, The Simpsons, Family Guy, and That '70s Show. From 2004 to 2012, and again from 2020 to 2021, Fox was the top-rated network for viewers aged 18–49. In the 2007–08 TV season, it was the most-watched American TV network overall.
Fox has offices in New York City, Los Angeles, and Tempe, Arizona. The network is named after the famous film studio, 20th Century Fox. That studio was once part of the same company as the TV network.
Contents
History of the Fox Network
How Fox Started
20th Century Fox had been making TV shows since the 1950s. They produced popular series like Perry Mason, Batman, and M*A*S*H. These shows aired on ABC, NBC, and CBS.
In March 1985, a company called News Corporation, owned by Rupert Murdoch, bought part of 20th Century Fox. Then, in May 1985, News Corporation bought six TV stations from another company, Metromedia. These stations were in big cities like New York City and Los Angeles.
In October 1985, 20th Century Fox announced they wanted to start a new TV network. This network would use their film studios and the newly bought TV stations. Rupert Murdoch bought the rest of 20th Century Fox in December 1985. The purchase of the Metromedia stations was approved in March 1986. These first six stations became known as the Fox Television Stations group.
Launching the Network
The Fox Broadcasting Company, first called "FBC," officially began on October 9, 1986. Its first show was a late-night talk show called The Late Show, hosted by Joan Rivers. The show started strong but lost viewers quickly.
Before its main launch, the network changed its name to just "Fox." This connected it to the long history of 20th Century Fox. The network's "grand opening" for prime time shows was on April 5, 1987. It started with the sitcom Married... with Children and the comedy show The Tracey Ullman Show.
Over the next few weeks, Fox added more shows. These included the drama 21 Jump Street and comedies like Mr. President. By July 1987, Fox also started its Saturday night schedule.
Early on, some stations were not happy with Fox's shows. They felt the programs were not strong enough. However, things started to change in the 1989–90 TV season. This season saw the debut of The Simpsons. This animated series started as short cartoons on The Tracey Ullman Show. The Simpsons became a huge hit and is now one of the longest-running TV shows ever.
In 1989, Fox also launched Cops and America's Most Wanted. These shows became very popular and stayed on the network for over two decades. Married... with Children also became more popular after some controversy. It ran for 11 seasons, becoming Fox's longest-running live-action sitcom.
Fox's Rise to Success in the 1990s
Fox succeeded where other attempts at a fourth network failed. This was partly because it aired fewer hours of programming than the "Big Three." This allowed Fox to make money in ways the older networks couldn't. Also, Rupert Murdoch was willing to spend money on good shows and talent. By the time Fox launched, cable TV made it easier for people to watch all types of stations.
Fox grew quickly but was still not seen as a major competitor to ABC, CBS, and NBC. Fox focused on shows for younger audiences (18-34 years old). These shows often had edgier content. In its early years, most Fox stations were like independent stations. They filled their schedules with syndicated shows or movies when the network wasn't airing programs.
In 1990, Fox made a deal with TCI, a large cable company. This allowed Fox shows to be seen in smaller towns that didn't have a local Fox station. This cable-only version was called Foxnet.
Fox slowly added more prime time programming. By the 1990–91 season, it aired shows on Thursday and Friday nights. The Simpsons moved to Thursdays, where it helped launch other hits like Beverly Hills, 90210 and Martin.
The sketch comedy show In Living Color (which started in 1990) helped launch the careers of stars like Jim Carrey and Jennifer Lopez. In 1992, Fox aired a special live episode of In Living Color during the Super Bowl. This was a way to compete with the Super Bowl halftime show and marked the start of Fox's rivalry with the "Big Three."
The early 1990s also saw popular dramas like Melrose Place and Party of Five. Fox also launched several shows for a black audience, including Martin and Living Single.
Winning the NFL and Station Changes
Fox gained a lot of credibility when it won the rights to broadcast NFL games. In December 1993, Fox signed a contract to show games from the National Football Conference (NFC). CBS had shown these games since 1956. Fox paid a lot of money for these rights, starting with the 1994 NFL season. Fox also hired famous sports announcers from CBS.
After getting the NFL rights, Fox made deals with many TV station groups. On May 23, 1994, Fox bought a part of New World Communications. This company owned many stations that were affiliated with CBS, ABC, or NBC. As a result, 12 of these stations switched their affiliation to Fox. This was a huge change in the TV world.
These deals helped Fox improve its NFL coverage. It also meant that more Fox stations started airing local news. With the NFL rights and more stations, Fox became the fourth major network in the U.S. Fox later bought New World Communications in 1996, making those stations owned-and-operated by Fox.
New Shows and Cable Channels
Fox completed its prime time expansion to all seven nights by January 1993. This meant it aired shows every night of the week. In September 1993, the drama The X-Files debuted. It became a huge success and was one of Fox's first shows to be among the top 20 most-watched programs.
In 1995, Fox found success in late-night TV with MADtv. This sketch comedy show competed with NBC's Saturday Night Live for many years.
By the late 1990s, Fox had more animated sitcoms. Building on The Simpsons' success, shows like King of the Hill (1997), Family Guy (1999), and Futurama (1999) debuted. While Family Guy and Futurama were canceled for a time, they later returned due to popular demand. Other notable shows from the late 1990s included Ally McBeal and That '70s Show.
Throughout the 1990s, Fox also launched many cable channels. These included FX (general entertainment), FXM (movies), and Fox News Channel (news). Its sports operations also grew with channels like Fox Sports Net.
Fox in the 2000s: Becoming a Top Network
By 2000, many of Fox's original hit shows had ended. Fox then focused on reality shows. Some of these were controversial, like Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire? and Joe Millionaire. Joe Millionaire became the first Fox show to reach the top 10 in ratings.
Fox also added popular dramas like 24, The O.C., House, and Bones. Comedies like The Bernie Mac Show and Malcolm in the Middle also joined the lineup.
Fox started to beat ABC and NBC in ratings. By 2005, Fox became the most-watched U.S. network for the 18–49 age group. This was largely thanks to the singing competition show American Idol. American Idol was incredibly popular, with up to 38 million viewers for its finales. It became the top-rated U.S. TV show overall from 2003–04.
House, which aired after American Idol, also became very popular. It was Fox's first drama to reach the Nielsen Top 10. In February 2005, Fox won its first "sweeps" period (a time when ratings are measured closely). This was due to Super Bowl XXXIX and the strength of its hit shows.
In 2008, Fox became the most-watched TV network in the United States overall. This was a huge achievement, helped by Super Bowl XLII and the continued success of American Idol and House. Fox is the only network outside the "Big Three" to ever achieve this.
In the late 2000s, Fox launched more hits. Game shows like Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? and Don't Forget the Lyrics were popular. The mystery series Fringe gained a loyal fanbase. In 2009, Glee premiered and received positive reviews.
Fox in the 2010s: Changes and New Hits
In the early 2010s, new comedies like Raising Hope and New Girl became successful for Fox. Glee's second season had very high ratings, especially its episode after Super Bowl XLV. This Super Bowl telecast also helped Fox become the first U.S. network to have an average audience of over 100 million viewers in one night.
American Idol eventually lost its top spot in ratings in 2012. However, it had been the top show for eight years, a record for a prime time broadcast series. Fox continued to be the top network for the 18–49 age group for eight years in a row.
However, Fox's overall viewership declined in the 2012–13 season. American Idol and Glee saw big drops in ratings. By the end of the season, Fox fell to third place in total viewers.
In 2014, Fox had renewed success with its broadcast of Super Bowl XLVIII. This became the second most-watched TV broadcast in U.S. history. The shows that aired after it, New Girl and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, also did well.
The 2014–15 season saw the end of Glee and the start of new hit dramas. These included Gotham (based on Batman) and Empire. Empire's ratings grew every week during its first season. It was the first show to consistently increase its viewership like that since 1992.
The 2015–16 season was a good one for Fox. It moved up to third place in ratings. This was helped by shows like Grease: Live and the return of The X-Files. Grease: Live was the first live musical TV special of the 21st century to be performed in front of a live audience.
By 2016, Empire and The X-Files were both in the Nielsen Top 10. This was the first time Fox had two shows in the top 10 without American Idol. In 2016, American Idol also ended its original run on Fox after 15 seasons. In February 2017, Fox broadcast Super Bowl LI, which was one of the most-watched Super Bowl games ever.
Fox Today: New Ownership and Focus
In 2019, a big change happened. Most of 21st Century Fox's assets, including the 20th Century Fox film studio, were sold to The Walt Disney Company. However, the Fox Broadcasting Company, its TV stations, and the Fox Sports and Fox News cable channels were not sold. They remained part of a new company called Fox Corporation. Because Disney already owns ABC, the law prevents them from owning another major broadcast network like Fox.
After this sale, Fox focused more on sports and unscripted shows. They acquired rights to Thursday Night Football from the NFL and the FIFA World Cup. They also brought in new game shows like The Masked Singer, which became a big hit.
Fox also started to work more with "independent" studios. This means they would buy shows from studios not owned by the big networks. This was to create more opportunities for different types of shows.
In 2019–20, Thursday Night Football and The Masked Singer were among the highest-rated shows. Fox finished that season as the highest-rated network for viewers aged 18–49. They repeated this success in the 2020–21 season. In 2022, Fox also began broadcasting the USFL games.
Fox Programming
Fox currently provides 17 hours of regular TV shows each week. This includes prime time shows from Monday to Saturday evenings and on Sundays. They also have a late-night show on Saturdays and a Sunday morning political talk show called Fox News Sunday.
Fox also airs sports, usually on weekends. This includes NFL football, Major League Baseball, and NASCAR auto racing.
Animated Shows for Adults
Fox is known for its adult animated sitcoms, which often air on Sunday nights. This block of shows has been called Animation Domination or Sunday Funday.
Some of the first shows in this lineup were American Dad!, Family Guy, The Simpsons, and King of the Hill. Later, The Cleveland Show and Bob's Burgers joined. Today, the lineup includes The Simpsons, Family Guy, Bob's Burgers, Duncanville, The Great North, and Housebroken.
Fox has tried other adult animated shows, but most were short-lived. While other networks have tried to copy Fox's success with adult cartoons, none have been as successful.
Kids' Shows on Fox
Fox started airing children's programming on September 8, 1990. This was a block called Fox Kids, which aired on Saturday mornings and weekday afternoons. Fox Kids featured mostly animated series and some live-action shows.
Popular shows on Fox Kids included Bobby's World, X-Men, Spider-Man, Goosebumps, and Digimon. It also aired shows from Warner Bros. Animation like Tiny Toon Adventures and Animaniacs. Fox Kids' biggest hit was Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, which started in 1993.
In 2001, Fox sold its children's division to The Walt Disney Company. In 2002, Fox Kids was replaced by a new block called FoxBox, later renamed 4Kids TV. This block featured shows like Yu-Gi-Oh! and Sonic X.
Fox stopped airing children's programming in 2008. They said it was hard to compete with cable channels for kids. Instead, they gave those hours back to their local stations.
Since 2014, many Fox stations air Xploration Station. This is a two-hour block of educational shows on Saturday mornings. These shows focus on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
News Coverage on Fox
Unlike ABC, CBS, and NBC, Fox does not have national morning, evening, or overnight news programs. Fox focuses on its prime time shows and sports. However, its parent company, Fox Corporation, owns Fox News Channel, a cable news channel.
Fox News Channel is separate from the Fox broadcast network. But it does produce some content for the network. For example, Fox airs coverage of the State of the Union address, presidential debates, and national election coverage. These are often called "Fox News Special Report." The political discussion show Fox News Sunday also airs on the Fox network.
Fox also has a news service called Fox NewsEdge. This provides national and international news reports for local Fox stations to use in their own newscasts.
Many local Fox stations do have their own news departments. They often air a late-evening newscast after the network's prime time shows. Many also have a weekday morning newscast. Some Fox stations get their news produced by another local station, often an ABC, NBC, or CBS affiliate.
Sports on Fox
Fox believed that sports, especially professional football, would help it become a major network quickly. In 1993, Fox won the rights to broadcast NFL games from the National Football Conference. This was a big deal because CBS had shown these games since 1955. This event helped Fox become a major network.
With its new sports division, Fox also got broadcast rights for the National Hockey League (1994–99), Major League Baseball (since 1996), and NASCAR auto racing (since 2001).
From 2007 to 2010, Fox aired the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) college football games. In 2011, Fox made a deal with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to broadcast live mixed martial arts events.
Fox's broadcast of Super Bowl LVII in 2023 is the highest-rated U.S. TV program of all time by average viewership. Its 2017 broadcast of Super Bowl LI holds the record for the largest overall audience in U.S. TV history.
Fox Stations Across the U.S.
Fox owns 18 TV stations. It also has agreements with 226 other stations across all 50 states, Washington D.C., and three U.S. territories. This means Fox reaches over 95% of all homes in the United States.
New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Delaware are the only U.S. states without a locally licensed Fox station. Viewers in these states usually watch Fox from nearby big cities.
Fox used to have a cable channel called Foxnet. This channel provided Fox programming to smaller towns that didn't have a local Fox station. Foxnet operated from 1991 until 2006.
How Fox Differs from Other Networks
Network Schedule Differences
Fox's TV schedule is different from ABC, CBS, and NBC in a few ways. Fox airs its prime time shows for two hours on Monday through Saturday evenings. On Sundays, it airs shows for three hours. The other three networks air more hours of prime time shows.
Fox traditionally lets its local stations program the 10:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) hour. Many Fox stations use this time to air local newscasts. This was originally done so Fox wouldn't have to follow certain FCC rules for networks.
Fox also does not air any network daytime shows like soap operas or game shows. Its local stations fill these hours with syndicated shows or local programs. Fox also doesn't have network-supplied children's programming on Saturday mornings or late-night shows on Monday through Friday nights.
Fox is the only major broadcast network that regularly airs adult animated comedies. This started with The Simpsons in 1989.
Local News on Fox Stations
The amount of local news on Fox stations varies. Most Fox stations have a late-evening newscast after the network's prime time shows. Many also have a weekday morning newscast. This is different from ABC, NBC, and CBS stations, which usually have many hours of local news throughout the day.
Fewer Fox stations have their own news departments compared to the other major networks. Many Fox stations get their news produced by another TV station in their area. This often happens when a Fox station is owned or managed by the same company as an ABC, NBC, or CBS affiliate.
How to Watch Fox Shows
Fox offers several ways to watch its shows. You can watch on demand through your cable or satellite provider. Fox also streams most of its shows on Hulu. You can also watch full episodes on Fox.com.
New episodes are usually available the day after they air on TV. Some services might have a short delay before you can watch the newest episodes for free.
In March 2020, Fox started streaming the full schedule of its owned TV stations through the Fox Now app. In April 2020, Fox bought the streaming service Tubi. Tubi offers free movies and TV shows, and it also adds episodes of Fox shows a week after they air on TV.
The Fox Now app was stopped in July 2023. You can still watch Fox shows on other apps like Hulu, Fox Local, or Tubi.
Fox in High Definition (HD)
Fox started broadcasting its shows in high definition (HD) on September 12, 2004. This began with its NFL football games.
For many years, Fox stations would show their own local logo on screen during network shows. This was different from other networks that showed only their network logo. However, since March 2016, Fox now uses its standard network logo on all programming.
Fox also uses hashtags on screen during some shows. This helps viewers find or join discussions about the show on social media like Twitter.
All programming provided by Fox is now broadcast in widescreen and in high definition.
Fox Branding and Logos
How Fox Stations are Named
In the early 1990s, Fox started having its stations use a naming style like "Fox" plus the channel number. For example, WNYW in New York City is branded as "Fox 5." This became a trend that other networks also started to use.
Some Fox stations use a city or regional name instead of the channel number, like "Fox Chicago." A few stations use their call letters or a more general name instead of "Fox."
Fox Logos Over Time
When Fox launched in 1986, it used a logo with three squares and the initials "FBC." In April 1987, a more familiar logo was introduced. It was based on the 20th Century Fox film studio logo, with the capitalized "FOX" name and searchlights.
In September 1993, the logo was updated to a more "hip" look. The "FOX" wordmark changed to its current style. This is when the network started showing a small logo on screen during its programs. The "O" in the logo became a key part of Fox's advertising.
A slightly different logo was used from 1995 to 1996. Then, a version with searchlights behind the "F" and "X" was used from 1996 to 1999.
The current version of the logo was introduced in 1999. It removed the searchlights completely, focusing only on the "FOX" wordmark. However, the searchlight theme is still used in the Fox News Channel logo.
For the 2019–20 season, Fox updated its branding elements. The logo was made slightly thicker, and new animations were created for advertising and on-air use.
See also
- List of United States over-the-air television networks
- Lists of Fox television affiliates
