No, Disney does not own Fox Corporation. While The Walt Disney Company completed a major acquisition of several 21st Century Fox assets in 2019, a significant portion of the original company was not included in that deal and continues to operate independently as Fox Corporation.
The Disney-Fox Acquisition Explained
In March 2019, Disney finalized a historic $71.3 billion acquisition of 21st Century Fox's entertainment assets. This deal significantly expanded Disney's content library and global reach. However, it's crucial to understand that the acquisition was not for the entire 21st Century Fox entity.
The parts of 21st Century Fox that were not acquired by Disney were spun off into a new, independent, publicly traded company known as Fox Corporation. This new entity was specifically formed as the portion of 21st Century Fox that remained separate from The Walt Disney Company's acquisition.
What Disney Acquired vs. What Fox Corporation Retained
To clarify the ownership landscape, here's a breakdown of the key assets involved:
| Entity/Asset | Status After 2019 Acquisition |
|---|---|
| Assets Acquired by Disney | Became part of The Walt Disney Company |
| - 20th Century Fox film studio | Renamed 20th Century Studios (film production) and 20th Television (TV production) |
| - Fox Searchlight Pictures | Renamed Searchlight Pictures |
| - Fox 2000 Pictures | Folded into other Disney studios |
| - FX Networks | Integrated into Disney's television portfolio |
| - National Geographic Partners | Became part of Disney's media and entertainment offerings |
| - Star India | Integrated into Disney's international operations |
| - Fox's 30% stake in Hulu | Disney gained full operational control, later acquiring Comcast's remaining stake |
| Assets Retained by Fox Corporation | Remain independent and controlled by the Murdoch family |
| - Fox News Channel | Continues as a leading cable news channel |
| - Fox Business Network | Continues as a business news channel |
| - Fox Sports | Continues its broadcast and cable sports programming |
| - Fox Broadcasting Company (FOX TV) | Remains a major broadcast television network |
| - MyNetworkTV | Continues as a broadcast television network |
| - Fox Television Stations | Ownership of local broadcast television stations across the U.S. |
| - Tubi (acquired by Fox Corp in 2020) | Free ad-supported streaming service |
Who Controls Fox Corporation?
Fox Corporation is an independent, Delaware-incorporated company that continues to be controlled by the Murdoch family. Through a family trust, the Murdoch family holds a significant 39.6% ownership share, with Rupert Murdoch himself having influence over almost 40% of the company. This ensures that key media properties like Fox News and Fox Sports remain under their direct control and are separate from Disney's vast portfolio.
In essence, while many iconic "Fox" branded entertainment assets now belong to Disney, the core news, sports, and broadcast network components of the former 21st Century Fox continue to operate as a distinct and independently owned entity, Fox Corporation.
