Rupert Murdoch wants to recombine Fox Corp. and News Corp.

[Elijah Abrams]

Rupert Murdoch and his family apparently now want to recombine both Fox Corp. and News Corp. 9 years after he split them (and 5 years after he sold half of 21st Century Fox to Disney).

Murdochs Mull New Combination of Fox, News Corp.

The Murdoch family is considering a new combination of Fox Corp. and News Corp., which split apart in 2013

variety.com

Rupert Murdoch Contemplating Fox Corp.-News Corp Merger

The merger, if it happens, would recombine the media brands a decade after they split apart.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

I know it’s just my wishful thinking, but if this recombination happens, will the Murdochs want 20th Century Studios, Searchlight Pictures, and 20th Television (but not FX and Star) back? I bet Rupert isn’t fond of Bob Chapek.

 

[Moe]

It only affect News Corp and Fox.

All divisions of 20th Century is owned by Disney after acquisition completed in 2019, so that's not going back to News Corp at all. There is no signal about Rupert Murdoch want 20th Century back after he decided to sold at first place.

Where you find about Rupert Murdoch isn't fond of Bob Chapek? That's just your rumor. Rupert Murdoch doesn't have any words for Bob Chapek.

 

[Elijah Abrams]

All divisions of 20th Century is owned by Disney after acquisition completed in 2019, so that's not going back to News Corp at all. There is no signal about Rupert Murdoch want 20th Century back after he decided to sold at first place.

Where you find about Rupert Murdoch isn't fond of Bob Chapek? That's just your rumor. Rupert Murdoch doesn't have any words for Bob Chapek.

Like I said, wishful thinking. What I said is something I made up.

 

[Francisque]

impossible thinking more like.

Disney will never give up the important assets they have bought

 

[Moe]

Like I said, wishful thinking. What I said is something I made up.

Ok, do you have personal vendetta against Disney’s ownership of 20th Century?

I have no opinion about recombine of News Corp and Fox. I didn’t realize that News Corp bought Fox in 1986.

impossible thinking more like.

Disney will never give up the important assets they have bought

Yeah, Disney isn’t going to sell 20th Century at all and they invested a lot, especially Disney characters in The Simpsons.

 

[Elijah Abrams]

Ok, do you have personal vendetta against Disney’s ownership of 20th Century?

It isn’t ideal to make unfounded statement about Disney and 20th Century and I don’t want to see your reputation trashed over this.

Unfortunately I do! 20th Century Fox was a part of my childhood and it hurt me when Disney came to buy it. I thought that with the recent news of a Fox/News Corp remerger, it would spark Murdoch's interest in getting 20th Century back further down the line, but it’s only a dream. Why do you even have to criticize my opinions anyway?

 

[LinusFan303]

News Corp and FOX Corp were larger when they broke up, and the outdated newspaper/tv cross ownership rules are gone, but that is still kind of odd for them to remerge.

To interject on the 20th Century Fox assets that are now owned by Disney, Murdoch was genius for selling them and even got a bidding war. He's not dealing with the stress that other companies had to worry about and not having a movie studio meant they didn't lose that money in 2020. I wasn't for Disney buying 20th FOX, kind of was on Comcast's side more , but even that I was kind of against. Murdoch doesn't want or need it back.

 

[PF9]

I don't want a full remerger of the two since I am adamant about where the non-news assets of Fox land. The news division would be a good fit for the News Corp fold though, being separated from the rest of Fox would allow me to drop my objections to sports leagues doing business with Fox and force Fox News to change their name.

 

[Moe]

Unfortunately I do! 20th Century Fox was a part of my childhood and it hurt me when Disney came to buy it. I thought that with the recent news of a Fox/News Corp remerger, it would spark Murdoch's interest in getting 20th Century back further down the line, but it’s only a dream.

That’s OK and I didn’t know about it until now.

Why do you even have to criticize my opinions anyway?

In here, members are free to disagree with your opinion and I don’t agree with you about trade with Sony because Disney has a better benefit with 20th Century. Even there were some members criticized my opinion as well.

There is no point for me to discuss further, anyway, also already discussed about this matter in other thread.

News Corp and FOX Corp were larger when they broke up, and the outdated newspaper/tv cross ownership rules are gone, but that is still kind of odd for them to remerge.

I heard about old FCC rule in old day, broadcast companies weren’t allowed to own syndicated companies.

 

[LinusFan303]

I heard about old FCC rule in old day, broadcast companies weren’t allowed to own syndicated companies.

Broadcast networks couldn't own a studio gave us some great TV shows from various many studios. Would bring back 10/10. The reason Fox is two hours a night instead of three like the others was to get around that rule, it worked.

 

[PF9]

Sony doesn't need the 21st Century Fox assets that Disney acquired. Having Fox be under common ownership with Columbia and Lionsgate (the latter two can be sisters as Lionsgate is not a Big 5, Paramount was able to own the live-action DreamWorks back in the day because of that) would be enough for me.

 

[Elijah Abrams]

In here, members are free to disagree with your opinion and I don’t agree with you about trade with Sony because Disney has a better benefit with 20th Century.

I know, but what if, say, someday, Sony will grow tired of their current film/TV unit and, with a compromise/deal with Disney, they want to make a big reorganization?

 

[Moe]

I know, but what if, say, someday, Sony will grow tired of their current film/TV unit and, with a compromise/deal with Disney, they want to make a big reorganization?

I don't think about any major studios went routine with complete asset trade, but some did partial asset trade like NBCUniversal traded Oswald and Disney traded Al Michaels in 2006, but it was unusual because Hollywood studios didn't any trade for very long time, even there are a lot of IP owned by more than one studio and multiple studios, especially Batman '66 TV series, so that why Disney didn't put on Disney+ or Hulu, but sent to third party streaming service like Tubi and Amazon instead because Disney didn't want to confuse with WB.

At least, if Sony wants to trade so it would be Spider-Man asset as exchange for Disney trade some TV channels asset like A&E, FYI, Lifetime so Sony would own 50% and Hearst own 50%, or guaranteed for Sony movies on Disney+ with dedicated hub for Columbia, so Sony will be paid, or trade with all of Blue Sky Studios owned films, etc. Those are partial asset trade.

20th Century has been integrated into Disney completely, and Disney isn't going to let 20th Century go, so that why, acquisition has consequence, especially horizontal. After acquisition is completed, it is impossible to get out - that is for horizontal acquisition, as for vertical acquisition like AT&T and WB, so both can be split and sell WB asset to Discovery, and merge WB and Discovery into one company named WBD.

If Sony is interested in 20th Century, so they would get in bid war with Disney and Comcast in 2018, but Sony didn't opt in bid war.

If Rupert Murdoch cared about 20th Century so they wouldn't sell to Disney at first place, but it was him chose to dump by sell to Disney.

The acquisition had a indirect consequence for Sinclair - it did hurt Sinclair a lot after bought RSN channels, and that left Sinclair drowned with a lot of debt and many TV providers dumped their RSN channels. I don't understand about why Fox won't keep RSN channels since Sinclair cannot afford to run on their own.

It would be a best interest for you to tell to your representative about legislate the stronger antitrust bill to make a hard for companies to acquire or merge, and make easier to break the corporation up, but this chance is very slim at best. Your best chance is wait for new Disney CEO and new network manager for 20th Century, so it will take a while, but it was pandemic affected the studios very much and they need massive profit ($1 billion for popular film) to run the studio normally, so that's not just for Disney, same goes with Universal, WB, Paramount, MGM and Columbia.

Bob Chapek doesn't have much authority to handle with operation at studios, but managers are responsible for those operation, and Bob Chapek have to make a financial report and communicate with shareholders and investors. In case if there is mismanagement, CEO and board of directors would have to get involved to resolve the issue.

As for my opinion, I'm happy that 20th Century is no longer owned by News Corp and I'm not fond of Rupert Murdoch, so I rather to see Disney or Comcast own 20th Century, however I prefer Disney because I love their IP and they got creative about used Disney IP in The Simpsons.

I'm more worried about WB because of Discovery, but Disney isn't out of woods because of their incapable to add old contents on Disney+ in timely manner and dispute with Floridan government since I believe that Bob Chapek should act more, and I want to end the 45 days for theatrical film release to Disney+, so I prefer 90-120 days.

What is your childhood memory with 20th Century? For me, Fox Kids for sure (Power Rangers), The Simpsons, Cops, Independence Day, X-Files, Home Alone, Mrs. Doubtfire, Speed, Miracle on 34th Street (remake) and Buffy the Vampire Slayer (especially first season).

 

[Daikun]

Maybe they can do what Paramount did and just rebrand the whole company as Fox.

 

[Elijah Abrams]

20th Century has been integrated into Disney completely, and Disney isn't going to let 20th Century go, so that why, acquisition has consequence, especially horizontal. After acquisition is completed, it is impossible to get out - that is for horizontal acquisition, as for vertical acquisition like AT&T and WB, so both can be split and sell WB asset to Discovery, and merge WB and Discovery into one company named WBD.

But they are at least still legally obligated to spin off 20th Century whenever they feel like it, right? Also, from the recent 20th Century Studios I've been seeing, like Ron's Gone Wrong and The Bob's Burgers Movie, just because 20th Century are under the Disney Studios unit doesn't mean that their newer movies have the "Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures" tag at the very end of them. To me, it's not like Touchstone Pictures or Hollywood Pictures, since they were mostly labels of The Disney Studios, but more like Disney-era Miramax and Dimension.

 

[Moe]

They are still legally obliged to spin off 20th Century whenever, right?

No, after acquisition is completed, 20th Century is fully integrated into Disney and federal regulator already certified that Disney followed all procedures, including divestment that is necessary for acquisition to be completed and approved at the court.

That isn't unusual since many studios integrated the studio after acquisition, so WB is example when they integrated H-B studio into WB, and eventually Turner channels integrated into WB.

 

[Elijah Abrams]

No, after acquisition is completed, 20th Century is fully integrated into Disney and federal regulator already certified that Disney followed all procedures, including divestment that is necessary for acquisition to be completed and approved at the court.

That isn't unusual since many studios integrated the studio after acquisition, so WB is example when they integrated H-B studio into WB, and eventually Turner channels integrated into WB.

I just edited my recent comment on this thread to explain further detail.

 

[Moe]

I just edited my recent comment on this thread to explain further detail.

Even Disney own 20th Century, they aren't required to use Disney label and they can use 20th Century label and distributed by 20th Century Studios instead of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

but both are owned by Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution under The Walt Disney Company.

The integration isn't same as absorb - the integration means 20th Century Studios became ownership of Disney after acquisition completed and Disney paid $71 billions for 20th Century asset.

Once after horizontal acquisition is completed, it is impossible to get out because Disney paid for it and invested into 20th Century. Say about major trade would be impractical and nonexistent, you believe that would be possible but in realistic, corporation isn't going to do major trade.

 

[Elijah Abrams]

The integration isn't same as absorb - the integration means 20th Century Studios became ownership of Disney after acquisition completed and Disney paid $71 billions for 20th Century asset.

Can integrations be undone by spinning off?

 

[Moe]

Can integrations be undone by spinning off?

Yes and no, but it would be messy after Disney IP and rights are used in some 20th Century's contents.

Disney isn't going to let this happen after they paid $71 billions and investment into 20th Century, and Columbia doesn't have same value as 20th Century that Disney paid it.

That why I called trade 20th Century with Columbia as pipe dream.