Fox Broadcasting Company

The Fox Broadcasting Company, often stylized as FOX, is a major American commercial broadcast television network.

It serves as the flagship property of the Fox Corporation and is operated through Fox Entertainment. For decades, American television was dominated by the "Big Three" networks: ABC, CBS, and NBC. Fox was launched to act as a fourth competitor to these established giants. It has since become a highly successful network in television history. Between 2004 and 2012, it was the highest-rated free-to-air network for the 18–49 age demographic. It also held the title of the most-watched American network in total viewership during the 2007–08 season.

Building a national network requires a complex system of stations and affiliations. To create a way to distribute shows, the founders needed to own or partner with local stations. In 1985, News Corporation agreed to pay $2.55 billion to acquire several independent stations from Metromedia. These stations were located in major U.S. cities, including New York City, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Houston, Chicago, and Dallas. These original stations are known as "owned-and-operated" stations, or O&Os. Aside from one station in Dallas, all of these original O&Os remain part of the Fox network today.

The network also relies on a system of affiliates to reach more viewers. An affiliate is a local station that agrees to carry the network's programming. In the early days, Fox often had to partner with second-tier independent stations. This happened in markets like Denver, Phoenix, and St. Louis when more established stations declined to join. Because many of these were UHF stations, Fox faced challenges similar to the DuMont Television Network from forty years earlier. This connection exists because the current Fox Television Center in Manhattan was once the former base for DuMont operations.

The creation of Fox was driven by several key leaders and massive financial deals. Barry Diller was a primary architect of the network's concept. While running Paramount Pictures, Diller wanted to create his own content rather than just meeting the demands of other networks. In March 1985, Rupert Murdoch, an Australian publishing magnate, paid $255 million for a 50% interest in TCF Holdings. This was the parent company of the 20th Century Fox film studio. Later, in December 1985, Murdoch paid $325 million to acquire the remaining equity in TCF Holdings. This gave the new network the resources and the "Fox" heritage needed to compete.

The network officially debuted on October 9, 1986, with a "soft launch." Its very first program was a late-night talk show called *The Late Show*, hosted by Joan Rivers.

The early years were difficult for the company. Many programs struggled to find an audience, and some local affiliates, such as those in Minneapolis and Portland, actually left the network. To improve its image, the network underwent a rebranding in April 1987. It changed its name from Fox Broadcasting Company to the shorter "Fox." An advertising expert named Jay Chiat suggested using the 20th Century Fox searchlight iconography to link the new network to the famous film studio.

A major turning point occurred on April 5, 1987, during the network's "grand opening." This was when Fox expanded its programming into prime time. The Sunday night lineup included the sitcom *Married... with Children* and the sketch comedy *The Tracey Ullman Show*. While some shows failed, the network found massive success starting in the 1989–90 season. This turnaround was led by the debut of *The Simpsons*. Originally a series of shorts on *The Tracey Ullman Show*, this animated series became a breakout hit. It was the first Fox series to break into the Top 30 in the Nielsen ratings.

Today, Fox operates as a massive media entity with a unique organizational structure. Unlike the other major commercial networks, Fox does not have its own news division. Instead, it relies on its own 24-hour news channels to supply programming. These include Fox News, Fox Business Network, and Fox Weather. The company is headquartered at 1211 Avenue of the Americas in Midtown Manhattan. It also maintains significant offices at the Fox Network Center in Los Angeles and the Fox Media Center in Tempe, Arizona. Through its various channels, Fox reaches international markets and viewers across North America.