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Murdoch’s Fox Bets on Creators to Replace Franchises in Post-Disney Strategy

After selling its studio to Disney, Fox is betting creators and Tubi can build a new entertainment model.

Famously or infamously, 20th Century FOX sold its entertainment assets to The Walt Disney Company in 2019 to focus on news and sports. With a stripped-down operation, industry observers would be forgiven for believing it was the last time Fox would be a relevant media force. But to paraphrase the same studio’s iconic Independence Day, they opted not to go quietly into the night. 

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While legacy media fights over franchises, New Fox has been betting on the creator economy. January’s deal between Fox Entertainment and YouTuber Dhar Mann Studios (163 million followers, 20 billion views across platforms for his scripted long-form content) to create a video slate of microdramas is a microcosm of the company’s strategy. Acquisitions of free ad-supported streaming TV service (FAST) Tubi in 2020 and one-stop-shop digital media company Red Seat Ventures last year make it clear where Fox is aiming. The question is whether or not the target is worth hitting. 

Betting on creators to drive the future of entertainment

As Observer previously reported, early versions of Superman (2034), Batman (2035), Joker (2036) and Wonder Woman (2037) are entering the public domain in the next 15 years. They’re not the only examples. It’s a reminder that studio reliance on major franchise IP must contend with mounting external competition, including from creators gaining access to famous faces. Fox, having sold its IP library, is trying to build something different, especially with NFL rights siphoning off more than 25 percent of Fox’s annual content spend. 

Tubi accounts for 2.1 percent of U.S. TV........

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