Fox Kids
A former Fox children's television programming block and international children's channel brand.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Fox Kids was a major children's television brand created around a programming block on the Fox Broadcasting Company in the United States. It began broadcasting on September 8, 1990, initially under the name Fox Children's Network, at a time when Fox was still developing a full competitive identity against the established broadcast networks. The block gave Fox a regular daytime presence beyond its original prime-time schedule and became one of the most important commercial platforms for children's animation and youth-oriented live-action programming during the 1990s. The service was created as a joint venture involving Fox and its affiliated stations and was initially led by Margaret Loesch. It began with weekday and Saturday-morning programming, then expanded its weekday schedule in 1991 and 1992. Unlike a conventional national cable channel, the American Fox Kids block was carried by local Fox affiliates whose scheduling practices varied. Some stations divided the programs between morning and afternoon periods, moved the block earlier to accommodate local news, delayed it to low-rated hours, or declined to carry it altogether. This flexibility helped affiliates pursue their own commercial priorities but also made the brand's national schedule less uniform. Fox Kids became particularly associated with animated series such as Bobby's World, Batman: The Animated Series, Animaniacs, The Tick, Eek! the Cat, Tiny Toon Adventures, and Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?, as well as the live-action Power Rangers franchise. Power Rangers became the block's defining ratings and promotional asset after its 1993 debut. Its success helped Fox Kids compete with other children's outlets and turned the franchise into a broader merchandising and licensing property. The block also benefited from production and distribution relationships with Warner Bros. Animation, Saban Entertainment, and other program suppliers. The brand expanded beyond the United States. A Fox Kids-branded channel launched in Australia through Foxtel in 1995, followed by services in the United Kingdom and Ireland and a Latin American channel in 1996. Additional channels and branded services appeared across Europe and the Middle East during the late 1990s and early 2000s. International expansion made Fox Kids more than a domestic broadcast block, although the channels were often operated through separate regional arrangements and carried locally adapted schedules. Corporate ownership evolved rapidly. Fox and Saban established Fox Kids Worldwide in 1996, combining Fox Children's Productions with Saban Entertainment. After the venture acquired International Family Entertainment and The Family Channel in 1997, it was renamed Fox Family Worldwide. The corporate group sought to build a cable distribution platform that could compete with Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon while extending the value of Fox Kids programming and related intellectual property. By the late 1990s, the United States block faced increasing pressure from Kids' WB, ABC's One Saturday Morning, Nickelodeon, cable programming, changing affiliate priorities, and educational-programming requirements under the Children's Television Act. Fox affiliates increasingly wanted to use the time for local news or syndicated programming. Fox Kids also lost some prominent Warner Bros. programs when they moved to Kids' WB. Although Digimon helped restore some competitiveness around 2001, the broader Fox Family business experienced audience and strategic difficulties. The Walt Disney Company acquired Fox Family Worldwide in 2001. The transaction transferred Fox Kids-related assets and international operations into Disney's portfolio. The remaining United States Fox Kids block continued temporarily while Fox arranged a new programming relationship with 4Kids Entertainment. Fox Kids ended on September 7, 2002, and was replaced the following week by the 4Kids-programmed FoxBox block. International Fox Kids channels were gradu…
History
Fox Kids emerged from Fox's need to create a dependable children's programming presence. The immediate competitive background included Disney's syndicated children's block, The Disney Afternoon, whose programs had been carried by Fox stations. After Disney's acquisition of Los Angeles station KHJ-TV, later KCAL-TV, a dispute over the local rights to DuckTales contributed to Fox's decision to develop its own children's schedule rather than rely on Disney-supplied programming. The Fox Children's Network began on September 8, 1990. It initially offered a short weekday block and a longer Saturday-morning lineup. In 1991 it was renamed Fox Kids Network, and the schedule expanded again in 1992. Fox Kids' affiliate-based structure meant that programs were not always shown at identical times nationally. Stations adjusted the block around local news, syndicated programming, and other commercial commitments. Miami Fox affiliate WSVN was an early example of a station that did not carry the block because of its news-intensive operating model. Fox Kids rapidly built its identity through animation and franchise television. A 1991 agreement with Warner Bros. Animation brought much of that company's children's output into the Fox Kids ecosystem, including programs such as Batman: The Animated Series, Animaniacs, and Tiny Toon Adventures. Saban Entertainment supplied important programming and became especially influential after Mighty Morphin Power Rangers joined the schedule in 1993. Power Rangers became a central ratings driver and a recurring focus of Fox Kids promotion. Fox Video also created Fox Kids Video in 1994, extending selected programs into the home-video market. The competitive structure changed after the 1994 affiliation agreements between Fox and New World Communications. Several stations that became Fox affiliates chose not to carry Fox Kids, preferring local news or syndicated programming. In some markets, the block moved to independent stations or to affiliates of emerging networks such as UPN and The WB. These arrangements demonstrated both the strength of the brand and the limits of a block dependent on local station decisions. Fox Kids also faced programming disputes. Warner Bros. programs moved increasingly toward The WB after that network launched in 1995 and established Kids' WB. The move of Animaniacs and later the relocation of Batman programming reduced Fox Kids' access to some of its most recognizable animation, although Batman remained on the block for part of the transition. Fox and Saban responded by strengthening their corporate relationship. In 1996 they created Fox Kids Worldwide, and in 1997 the company acquired International Family Entertainment and became Fox Family Worldwide. The business aimed to combine programming, cable distribution, international channels, and franchise ownership. The block's business environment deteriorated in the late 1990s. Children's television audiences were increasingly fragmented among broadcast networks and cable services, while Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network became powerful competitors. Kids' WB also gained ground with animation and programs such as Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh!. Fox affiliates sought greater control over daytime and Saturday-morning hours, particularly as weekend news expanded and traditional children's television became less commercially attractive. Educational-programming requirements further complicated scheduling, leading Fox Kids to add The Magic School Bus reruns and to negotiate aggressively over compliance responsibilities. The Fox Family business suffered a substantial audience decline, although Digimon provided a period of renewed competitive strength around 2001. Disney acquired Fox Family Worldwide in July 2001. Fox retained the United States Saturday-morning time slot temporarily and solicited a new programming partner; 4Kids Entertainment won the rights. Fox Kids ended on September 7, 2002, and FoxBox began the following week. Disney gradually converted international Fox Kids channels to Jetix from 2004 onward. The brand is now defunct as an operating television identity, but its programming library and franchise legacy remain important in the history of children's broadcasting.
- 2004
International identity shifts to Jetix
[1]Disney began the gradual conversion of international Fox Kids channels to Jetix.
- 2002
United States block ends
[1]Fox Kids ended on September 7 and was replaced by the FoxBox block programmed by 4Kids Entertainment.
- 2001
Disney acquires Fox Family Worldwide
[1]Disney acquired the corporate group containing Fox Kids assets and international channel operations.
- 1997
Fox Family Worldwide is established
[1]Following the acquisition of International Family Entertainment, the venture changed its name to Fox Family Worldwide.
- 1996
Fox Kids Worldwide is formed
[1]Fox Children's Productions and Saban Entertainment combined to pursue broader programming and international ambitions.
- 1995
International expansion begins
[1]The first Fox Kids-branded channel launched in Australia, followed by expansion into the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Latin America.
- 1994
Fox Kids Video launches
[1]Fox Video extended the brand into home entertainment with releases initially centered on Bobby's World.
- 1993
Power Rangers becomes a defining franchise
[1]Mighty Morphin Power Rangers became one of the block's highest-profile and most heavily promoted properties.
- 1991
Brand becomes Fox Kids Network
[1]The programming service was renamed and expanded its weekday and Saturday offerings.
- 1990
Fox Children's Network launches
[1]Fox launched its first regular children's programming block on September 8, combining weekday and Saturday-morning schedules.
Products and positioning
Commercial, action-oriented children's entertainment combining animated series, youth-oriented live action, franchise programming, and internationally distributed television channels.
Broadcast television block · 1990
United States Fox Kids programming block
The original Fox Kids service aired on Fox affiliates from 1990 to 2002. It combined weekday afternoon programming with a Saturday-morning schedule and was designed to provide Fox with a recognizable children's television identity. Local stations often changed the exact hours or declined carriage, so the service functioned as a nationally branded but locally scheduled block.
Pay television · 1995
Fox Kids international channels
Fox Kids-branded channels expanded from Australia in 1995 into the United Kingdom, Ireland, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East. These services provided localized children's schedules and helped transform Fox Kids from an American broadcast block into an international television brand. Most were later relaunched under Disney's Jetix identity.
Home video · 1994
Fox Kids Video
Fox Kids Video was a home-entertainment line introduced by Fox Video. Its early releases included Bobby's World, and the range later expanded to properties such as Eek! the Cat, The Tick, Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?, and titles from additional program libraries.
Marketing campaigns
- 1993Power Rangers-led promotion
United States · International markets
Fox Kids frequently emphasized Power Rangers in on-air promotion after the program became a major ratings success. The franchise gave the block a recognizable action-oriented identity and supported licensing and merchandising activity.
Outcome. Power Rangers became the brand's most important promotional and audience-driving property.
- 1992TV Takeover
United States
Fox Kids began holding a Thanksgiving-afternoon promotional programming event known as TV Takeover, using a concentrated schedule to increase visibility for the block and its shows.
Outcome. Recurring promotional event during the block's United States run.
Brand decisions
2002
Replace Fox Kids with FoxBoxGeneration changeBackground
After the Disney acquisition, Fox put the remaining Saturday-morning programming period out for bidding.
Action taken
4Kids Entertainment obtained the programming rights, and Fox Kids ended on September 7. FoxBox launched on September 14.
Aftermath
The Fox Kids identity disappeared from the United States broadcast schedule, while Disney-controlled international channels later adopted Jetix.
2001
Sell Fox Family Worldwide to DisneyM&ABackground
Fox Family Worldwide faced audience pressure and increasing competition from cable and rival broadcast children's services.
Action taken
The Walt Disney Company acquired Fox Family Worldwide, including the Fox Kids-related assets and international channel interests.
Aftermath
The United States block continued temporarily, while international services were eventually migrated toward Jetix.
1998
Reduce the weekday blockStrategyBackground
Fox affiliates wanted more control over daytime schedules, while new educational-programming requirements created additional scheduling obligations.
Action taken
Fox reduced the weekday Fox Kids schedule from three hours to two and added reruns of The Magic School Bus in response to educational-content requirements.
Aftermath
Local scheduling variation increased, and some affiliates continued to move the block to earlier or less commercially valuable time periods.
1996
Create Fox Kids WorldwideM&ABackground
Fox and Saban sought a larger corporate structure for children's programming, franchise exploitation, and international expansion.
Action taken
Fox Children's Productions and Saban Entertainment were combined into Fox Kids Worldwide.
Aftermath
The venture expanded its holdings and later became Fox Family Worldwide after acquiring International Family Entertainment.
Sources1 sources
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