Fox Broadcasting Company

The Fox Broadcasting Company launched on October 9, 1986, as a fourth major U.S. broadcast network, directly challenging the decades-long dominance of ABC, CBS, and NBC. Rupert Murdoch, who had bought 20th Century Fox the year before, and former Paramount chief Barry Diller built the network from scratch. On April 5, 1987, it signed on with a single show: The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers. A full prime-time schedule arrived in April 1988, and Fox quickly found its footing by aiming at younger, urban viewers with programming that felt riskier and more irreverent than anything the old guard would touch.

Fox became the only successful fourth network in American television history. Its early hits included The Simpsons, which debuted in 1989 and became the longest-running American animated series, and edgy comedies like Married... with Children. The network later built a powerhouse animation block with Family Guy, King of the Hill, and Bob's Burgers. On the drama side, shows like 24, House, and 9-1-1 drew massive audiences. Reality and competition series such as American Idol and The Masked Singer became cultural events.

Sports have been equally central to Fox's identity. The network secured NFL broadcast rights in 1993, a move that cost $1.58 billion but transformed its standing. Since then, Fox has aired multiple Super Bowls, Major League Baseball games, NASCAR races, and college sports. Its Fox Sports division is a major revenue driver. The network's headquarters are at 1211 Avenue of the Americas in New York City, with production operations based at the Fox Studio Lot in Century City, Los Angeles.

In 2019, after The Walt Disney Company acquired most of 21st Century Fox's entertainment assets, Fox Corporation was spun off as a standalone company focused solely on broadcast television, news, and sports. The network continued to thrive, launching the free streaming service Tubi and renewing long-term NFL rights. Fox remains the third most-watched broadcast network in total viewers but often leads among adults 18-49, the demographic advertisers prize most.[edit]