the future of Fox

[Al Timiter]

...and once again, the ONLY thing that Murdoch and Newcorps could be potentially in danger of losing is any or all of the O&O OTA Television station licenses (although that would be a big loss, for sure) Fox News Channel, Fox Sports, Fox Entertainment, etc will not be "dismantled."

 

[FreddyE1977]

Seems to me someone is going to have to produce a smoking gun that proves Murdoch had advance knowledge of and/or approved the hacking operation at News of the World. And I highly, highly doubt any such thing is going to beforthcoming.

And if he was stupid enough to do such a thing he fully deserves whatever happens to him as a result.

Certain people are going to launch noisy investigations to serve various political agendas, but eventually this will all die down with little having changed at News Corp.

Per Fox News Channel, the FBI is looking into the 9/11-hacking possibility, per the request of Rep. Peter King (R-NY).

Link: FNC

As they should. I just don't think they are going to find anything tying it personally to Murdoch.

The Guardian and Reuters have issued retractions of previously published stories on this today.
They have already begun walking it back.

 

[KeithE4]

Seems to me someone is going to have to produce a smoking gun that proves Murdoch had advance knowledge of and/or approved the hacking operation at News of the World. And I highly, highly doubt any such thing is going to beforthcoming.

And if he was stupid enough to do such a thing he fully deserves whatever happens to him as a result.

Certain people are going to launch noisy investigations to serve various political agendas, but eventually this will all die down with little having changed at News Corp.

Per Fox News Channel, the FBI is looking into the 9/11-hacking possibility, per the request of Rep. Peter King (R-NY).

Link: FNC

As they should. I just don't think they are going to find anything tying it personally to Murdoch.

The Guardian and Reuters have issued retractions of previously published stories on this today.
They have already begun walking it back.

You're probably right. I don't think Murdoch or any of his American properties are in jeopardy. But I do find it interesting that FNC is reporting it, at least on their website, and the investigation request (actually, more of a demand) was by a Republican.

 

[KERCAlum]

There are always possibilities......the U.S. hasn't had a good broadcast entity downfall since the collapse of RKO General. (Ironically, one of RKO's former stations is owned by Fox/NewsCorp, WWOR)

I expect, at least, that those who Fox News has pretty much upset over the years will at least try to use this as an excuse to basically challenge Fox/NewsCorp's fitness to hold a broadcast license.

Fox News Channel doesn't need a broadcast license - it's on cable. And News Corporation's ownership of its OTA properties won't be challenged by anyone other than the people who hate Fox News with a passion.

I agree with tripinva - there is no way either Fox or News Corp. will go away just because of the scandal on the other side of the pond. And even the Justice Department admits there's really not much basis for an investigation in this country. They're just doing it to appease the Fox-haters, or give the appearance of "doing something."

 

[Markxxx]

The speculation in this thread is getting ridiculous. It is way, way too early to be speculating about potential buyers for the various News Corp properties. Seriously.

Agreed it would be more realistic to speculate about the Tribune owned stations being sold off piece by piece

 

[recto101]

http://news.yahoo.com/wsj-publisher-quits-phone-hacking-scandal-205855939.html

Update Wall Street Journal has now been named in the Phone hacking scandal.

 

[JeeperOne]

This will never happen, for many reasons. First, Fox is a successful TV network. Second, even if Newscorp can't pull themselves out of the slump (which they will, since this is just a setback) someone will buy the assets in bulk to have access to one of the big four and all the VHF's you mentioned.

That someone being 20th Century Fox (Who would also buy Fox Movie Channel & maybe FX as well)

Third, Fox doesn't even own the stations in many markets that you mentioned, so the only thing that would possibly even remotely be affected is affiliation deals.

As for the TV stations, those would likely be sold off in groups IMO since it's highly doubtful the movie studio would be interested in owning them

As for the sports properties, I see these being split between Disney/ESPN (Who would use what they buy as a core group of ESPN Plus outlets - Something they lack even though they have affiliates such as Altitude, MASN, SNY & NESN) & Comcast/NBC (Who would use them to bolster the existing CSN cluster)

Fox News is as good as DEAD for obvious reasons (As is MyNetwork TV although for different reasons)

JMO.....

Cheers

 

[JeeperOne]

I expect, at least, that those who Fox News has pretty much upset over the years will at least try to use this as an excuse to basically challenge Fox/NewsCorp's fitness to hold a broadcast license.

Who, like the rest of its Fox O&O MyNetwork TV siblings, would an indie again upon the expected collapse of MyNetwork TV (Which is almost assuredly going to wind up being the proverbial "Sacrificial Lamb" as it were in order to save Fox since MNTV is the smaller network and is expendable)

Cheers

 

[JeeperOne]

News Corp. has a lot of money to blow, I doubt that anything on that scale will ever happen. If News Corp. was desperate for cash, they might sell some of their unnecessary assets.

Or KILL them off (Looking at MyNetwork TV)

Cheers

 

[JeeperOne]

I think Fox will be ok.Since this News Corp case did not happen here in the states.

As far as we know anyway.....

Cheers

 

[JeeperOne]

I expect there will be "witch hunts"...but it is mostly political. Fox News and Fox Entertainment are two different entities. I think both are safe despite Rupert's difficulties, and as someone said, he could easily divest them and they would most likely remain strong.

Yeah BUT there's always that "Guilty By Association" which would (In the eyes of the court of public opinion) put both Fox News & Fox Business in deep doo-doo

Plus, let's not forget that Fox News produces Fox News Sunday for THE FOX NETWORK too. This show will almost certainly meet the ax in order to keep the two operations seperate from each other

Cheers

 

[JeeperOne]

Nothing will happen in the U.S. Heck, News Corp. was even able to buy the Wall Street Journal with little hassle. They aren't gonna lose their TV licenses.

You're forgetting one VERY IMPORTANT thing.....

THERE WAS NO SCANDAL BACK THEN !!!!!

So far, the only negative fallout from the whole NOTW scandal was the Sky deal in the U.K. falling apart. There'll be some knuckle-rapping, but aside from that, business as usual.

I highly doubt that. Those who've been pushing for tougher FCC regulations & a crackdown on the number of properties a company or individual can own have just been given A STICK OF C4 DYNAMITE to use in their efforts thanks to this scandal. Don't think it won't be used

JMO.....

Cheers

 

[JeeperOne]

Why not put the My Network tv properties on Sale away from Fox.

It would be cheaper (Not to mention EASIER just to KILL MyNetwork TV completely

Besides, you can't seperate MyNetwork TV from Fox News or Fox Business anymore than you can seperate the main Fox Network, FX or the entire sports division (Which also includes Fox Sports Radio) without selling them or killing them outright to begin with. It just simply can't be done

Cheers

 

[JeeperOne]

Fox News Channel doesn't need a broadcast license - it's on cable.

That won't stop cable companies from pulling it though. Ditto with Fox Business for that matter

Remember Comcast OWNS CNBC & MSNBC & Time-Warner OWNS CNN & HLN (For whatever the latter is worth)

Cheers

 

[PTBoardOp94]

Remember Comcast OWNS CNBC & MSNBC & Time-Warner OWNS CNN & HLN (For whatever the latter is worth)

Time Warner is a separate company from Time Warner Cable. TWC pays a naming rights fee to the company who owns CNN.

Plus, let's not forget that Fox News produces Fox News Sunday for THE FOX NETWORK too. This show will almost certainly meet the ax in order to keep the two operations seperate from each other

Why would the two operations need to be separate from one another?

This whole 'court of public opinion' concept sounds like baloney to me. Much of this scandal in the UK was driven by a handful of reporters at the Guardian newspaper who apparently had some very well-placed sources. Who is going to play the role of the Guardian in this country? Jon Stewart?

 

[LKellerIII]

Nothing will happen in the U.S. Heck, News Corp. was even able to buy the Wall Street Journal with little hassle. They aren't gonna lose their TV licenses.

You're forgetting one VERY IMPORTANT thing.....

THERE WAS NO SCANDAL BACK THEN !!!!!

So far, the only negative fallout from the whole NOTW scandal was the Sky deal in the U.K. falling apart. There'll be some knuckle-rapping, but aside from that, business as usual.

I highly doubt that. Those who've been pushing for tougher FCC regulations & a crackdown on the number of properties a company or individual can own have just been given A STICK OF C4 DYNAMITE to use in their efforts thanks to this scandal. Don't think it won't be used

But again - as has been pointed out a few times already in this thread - the FCC regulates broadcast TV licenses NOT cable. The FCC can't do anything to force News Corp to divest itself of Fox News, Fox Sports, FX, or their other cable properties.

I guess some law could potentially pass in Congress that re-instituted broadcast ownership limits and required corporations that own broadcast stations to own a limited number of cable properties or newspapers. In the unlikely event of that happening, I'd speculate that corporations (including News Corp) would sell off their broadcast licenses for the stations they currently own, but continue to run their cable networks and provide network programming to broadcast affiliates - just as they are today. In other words, Fox would no longer have O&O stations - just supply programming to affiliates.

Yes - I'm sure News Corp would not want to lose ownership of KTTV, WNEW, etc, so that would put a little crimp in their bottom line for a few months, but its hardly tantamount to any big divestiture. The future is in cable and internet anyway, not broadcast TV stations.

 

[azumanga]

That won't stop cable companies from pulling it though.

Then again, in many markets, their carriage is tied to contracts regarding carriage of the local Fox and/or MyNet station, and if the networks are pulled, the local stations may be pulled, too. Also, if a channel is pulled before the current contract is up, they may face a lawsuit. Of course, even if a contract is expiring, they may face a lawsuit, anyway, to force themselves to stay on the system -- look at WPGA-TV Macon vs. Cox Cable, for instance.

While cable systems may pull channels out of protest, doing so may open a "Pandora's Box" of protests from the media companies and their viewers.

...the FCC regulates broadcast TV licenses NOT cable. The FCC can't do anything to force News Corp to divest itself of Fox News, Fox Sports, FX, or their other cable properties.

I guess some law could potentially pass in Congress that re-instituted broadcast ownership limits and required corporations that own broadcast stations to own a limited number of cable properties or newspapers. In the unlikely event of that happening, I'd speculate that corporations (including News Corp) would sell off their broadcast licenses for the stations they currently own, but continue to run their cable networks and provide network programming to broadcast affiliates - just as they are today. In other words, Fox would no longer have O&O stations - just supply programming to affiliates.

Though even though there are no FCC rules on the books regarding cable networks and no laws regarding their ownership, I would think the FTC may have some say on this from a business standpoint -- in terms of competition and business practices.

 

[recto101]

I have a great concept sell the Fox O&O's to Barry Diller the former Programming executive of Fox and current CEO of IAC Inc. But then again its just a lame idea.

 

[recto101]

http://news.yahoo.com/ex-murdoch-aide-rebekah-brooks-arrested-london-133823461.html

Update Murdoch aide is arrested in London.

 

[microbob]

Her's an infographic that shows it all..

News Corp.'s Tangled Web

http://www.businessweek.com/europe/graphic-news-corps-tangled-web-07142011-gfx.html