Fox Entertainment Group
Corporate brand
UnclaimedA former American filmed-entertainment group that assembled major Fox film, television, international production, and consumer businesses before its assets were dispersed after Disney acquired 21st Century Fox.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Fox Entertainment Group (FEG) was an American entertainment company and holding group whose principal activities centered on filmed entertainment, television production, television distribution, international media, and related consumer businesses. Although the group was associated with the Fox brand, its corporate identity developed from a broader restructuring of assets connected to 20th Century Fox and News Corporation rather than from a single standalone studio founded by one individual. The group emerged during the 1980s after News Corporation and Marvin Davis acquired Metromedia's independent television stations through the 20th Century Fox studio. Those stations became the foundation of the Fox television network, which launched in October 1986 and supplied the name and strategic center for the wider Fox Entertainment Group. Rupert Murdoch subsequently bought Davis's interest, giving News Corporation control of the studio and the surrounding entertainment portfolio. The network's creation allowed Fox to compete with the established American broadcast networks while the studio supplied films, television programs, and intellectual property. During the 1990s and 2000s, FEG expanded beyond theatrical film production. Its businesses included 20th Century Fox, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Fox 2000 Pictures, 20th Century Fox Television, Fox Television Animation, Fox Star Studios, home-entertainment operations, consumer products, music, sports and entertainment channels, and interests in other media ventures. The group also participated in children's programming through Fox Kids Worldwide and Fox Family Worldwide, acquired the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1998, and later sold the baseball franchise in 2004. In 1998, Fox Entertainment Group completed an initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker FOX. News Corporation bought the remaining publicly held shares in 2005, ending the group's independent public-company status. A major corporate reorganization occurred in 2013, when News Corporation separated its publishing assets into a new News Corp and placed its entertainment assets, including Fox Entertainment Group and 20th Century Fox, within the newly formed 21st Century Fox. The group continued to develop film, television, digital, gaming, and international businesses. In 2017, FEG and 20th Century Fox established FoxNext to pursue games, virtual-reality experiences, and related theme-park opportunities. The group's corporate existence effectively ended when The Walt Disney Company completed its acquisition of most 21st Century Fox assets on March 20, 2019. Disney absorbed or renamed many former FEG operations across Walt Disney Studios, Walt Disney Television, Disney's international businesses, Disney Music Group, Disney Experiences, and direct-to-consumer divisions. 20th Century Fox became 20th Century Studios, Fox Searchlight Pictures became Searchlight Pictures, and several television and animation units were rebranded or consolidated. Some assets were closed or sold, including FoxNext and Fox 2000 Pictures. The Fox name was retained separately by the newly formed Fox Corporation for businesses excluded from the Disney transaction, but that successor company was not the same legal entity as the former Fox Entertainment Group.
History
Fox Entertainment Group developed from the expansion of 20th Century Fox and News Corporation into television and related entertainment businesses. In the 1980s, News Corporation and Marvin Davis acquired Metromedia's independent television stations through the Fox film operation. These stations became the basis of the Fox television network, which began broadcasting in October 1986. The network gave the enterprise a national distribution platform and helped establish the Fox name as a competitor to the three major American broadcast networks. Rupert Murdoch later acquired Davis's interest, leaving News Corporation in control of the studio and the wider group. The film business remained central, but the portfolio broadened through television production, animation, specialty film, international distribution, home entertainment, licensing, and channel operations. In 1995, Fox entered a children's television joint venture with Saban that became Fox Kids Worldwide and later Fox Family Worldwide. Disney acquired Fox Family Worldwide in 2001, demonstrating both the value and the mobility of the group's intellectual-property assets. FEG also pursued businesses outside conventional film and television. It acquired the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1998 and sold the team to Frank McCourt in 2004. In the same period, the company became a public corporation, completing an initial public offering in August 1998 and trading on the New York Stock Exchange under FOX. News Corporation subsequently offered to purchase the remaining public shares. The transaction, announced in 2005, removed FEG from the exchange and returned it to wholly controlled subsidiary status. News Corporation reorganized its corporate structure in 2013. Its publishing operations were separated into a new News Corp, while the entertainment businesses were placed in 21st Century Fox. Fox Entertainment Group continued to serve as an important group within that structure, alongside 20th Century Fox and other production, television, and international units. Its businesses included the flagship 20th Century Fox studio, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Fox 2000 Pictures, 20th Century Fox Television, Fox Television Animation, Fox Star Studios, consumer-products operations, music activities, home entertainment, and minority interests in ventures such as Hulu and New Regency Productions. The group also explored newer forms of entertainment. In January 2017, FEG and 20th Century Fox launched FoxNext, intended to develop video games, virtual-reality experiences, and theme-park businesses. This reflected a broader strategy of exploiting film and television properties across interactive and location-based formats. FEG's final transition followed Disney's acquisition of most assets of 21st Century Fox. The transaction closed on March 20, 2019. Disney distributed the acquired businesses among its existing divisions rather than preserving Fox Entertainment Group as a standalone organization. 20th Century Fox became 20th Century Studios; Fox Searchlight Pictures became Searchlight Pictures; television and animation operations were renamed or consolidated; and international, music, consumer-products, and theatrical businesses moved into corresponding Disney units. Blue Sky Studios was later closed, Fox 2000 Pictures was dissolved, and FoxNext was sold after being shut down. The Fox-branded assets excluded from the Disney transaction were placed in Fox Corporation, which later used the Fox Entertainment name for a different corporate entertainment operation.
- 2019
FEG assets are transferred to Disney
[1]Disney completed its acquisition of most 21st Century Fox assets, dispersing FEG businesses among Disney divisions.
- 2017
FoxNext launches
[1]FoxNext was created to pursue games, virtual reality, and theme-park-related opportunities.
- 2013
Entertainment assets move into 21st Century Fox
[1]News Corporation separated its publishing assets into a new News Corp and placed its entertainment holdings in 21st Century Fox.
- 2005
News Corporation takes FEG private
[1]News Corporation acquired the remaining publicly held shares and delisted Fox Entertainment Group.
- 2001
Fox Family Worldwide is sold to Disney
[1]Disney completed its purchase of Fox Family Worldwide, including associated programming assets.
- 1998
Public offering and Dodgers acquisition
[1]Fox Entertainment Group went public on the NYSE and acquired the Los Angeles Dodgers.
- 1995
Fox Kids Worldwide joint venture is established
[1]Fox and Saban formed a children's television venture that was later renamed Fox Family Worldwide.
- 1986
Fox television network launches
[1]The Fox broadcast network began operations in October, providing the platform around which the broader Fox entertainment identity developed.
- 1985
Fox Entertainment Group is formed
[1]The group emerged from News Corporation's and 20th Century Fox's acquisition and organization of Metromedia television stations and related entertainment assets.
Products and positioning
A vertically integrated Hollywood entertainment group combining a major film studio, specialty and commercial production labels, television production and distribution, international operations, and related intellectual property businesses.
Film studio
20th Century Fox
The group's principal commercial film studio and the institutional core of its filmed-entertainment business. It produced and distributed mainstream theatrical films and maintained a substantial library of motion pictures. After the Disney transaction, the studio was renamed 20th Century Studios and continued under Walt Disney Studios.
Specialty film studio
Fox Searchlight Pictures
A specialty film label associated with independent, international, awards-oriented, and filmmaker-led productions. It operated alongside the larger 20th Century Fox studio and became Searchlight Pictures after Disney acquired the relevant Fox assets.
Film production label
Fox 2000 Pictures
A Fox film label used for commercially oriented feature projects distinct from the flagship studio and specialty-film operation. The label was among the businesses transferred to Disney and was later dissolved.
Television production
20th Century Fox Television
The group's television production and distribution operation, supplying scripted and other programming for broadcast, cable, and international markets. Disney renamed it 20th Television after the acquisition.
International film production
Fox Star Studios
An international film-studio operation serving markets associated with Fox's Asian and international expansion. It was transferred to Disney's India-related operations and subsequently renamed Star Studios.
Interactive and immersive entertainment · 2017
FoxNext
A venture established by Fox Entertainment Group and 20th Century Fox to develop video games, virtual-reality experiences, and theme-park opportunities based partly on Fox intellectual property. It was later closed and its relevant operations were sold to Scopely.
Brand decisions
2019
Disney acquires most Fox entertainment assetsM&ABackground
The Walt Disney Company acquired most of 21st Century Fox's entertainment portfolio, including the principal filmed-entertainment and television businesses associated with FEG.
Action taken
The transaction closed on March 20, 2019. Disney distributed the acquired operations among Walt Disney Studios, Walt Disney Television, Disney's international businesses, Disney Experiences, and other units.
Aftermath
Fox Entertainment Group ceased to operate as a standalone group. Several units were renamed, consolidated, closed, or sold, while the Fox businesses excluded from the transaction became part of Fox Corporation.
2013
Entertainment assets are reorganized under 21st Century FoxStrategyBackground
News Corporation decided to separate publishing activities from its film, television, and other entertainment businesses.
Action taken
The entertainment portfolio, including Fox Entertainment Group and 20th Century Fox, was placed in the newly formed 21st Century Fox, while publishing assets moved to a new News Corp.
Aftermath
FEG remained a major component of 21st Century Fox until Disney acquired most of the parent company's assets.
2005
News Corporation takes full ownership of Fox Entertainment GroupM&ABackground
News Corporation already controlled most of Fox Entertainment Group and sought to acquire the remaining publicly held shares.
Action taken
News Corporation announced an offer valued at approximately $5.9 billion for the outstanding minority interest, taking FEG private and ending its NYSE listing.
Aftermath
Fox Entertainment Group continued as a wholly controlled News Corporation subsidiary until the 2013 separation created 21st Century Fox.
Offer value for remaining shares. $5.9 billion (2005 announcement)
Sources1 sources
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