Disney is out here continuing to make massive moves.
As reported by various US media sources and the BBC, Disney’s move to cull ‘Fox’ from their 20th Century Fox rebrand is a concerted effort to distant themselves from Rupert Murdoch empire.
The massive acquisition of 20th Century Fox last year saw Disney take over the film and TV studios, but not the Fox broadcast network.
The process has already begun in phasing ‘Fox’ out of the TV and film side. 20th Century Fox will become 20th Century Studios. Similarly, Fox Searchlight Pictures will be known as Searchlight Studios.
The Fox News and broadcast network remains under CEO Lachlan Murdoch. The $71.3 billion dollar acquisition deal brought many historically successful film titles including the Star Wars saga into Disney ownership.
Disney themselves have not emerged with comment on the rebrand, though according to Variety Magazine, a source has said: “I think the Fox name means ‘Murdoch’, and that is toxic.”
Rupert Murdoch and News Corp bought 20th Century Fox in the mid-’80s. The Fox News network was formed soon after Murdoch bought numerous American TV stations.
As of 2020, Disney is one of the dominant players in US owned news, having become the owners of the ABC network. With the launch of Disney+ last year too, the Disney brand is building quite a monopoly in the global media space.
