Report: Fox in Talks to Sell Assets to Disney

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21st Century Fox is in talks to sell most of its assets to The Walt Disney Co., according to a report by CNBC.

CNBC said that what would remain at Fox, controlled by Rupert Murdoch and his sons, would be a company focused on news and sports.

The report said the talks took place over the last few weeks. There is no certainty a deal will be made.

The deal would give Disney more movie study and TV production assets at a time when the company is preparing to go direct-to-consumer to better compete with Netflix and other internet entertainment companies, according to CNBC.

Disney would not be able to buy the Fox Broadcasting Co. or its owned and operating stations, or its Fox News operations. Fox would also keep its sports programming business, in part because any combination with ESPN would be seen as anti-competitive, CNBC said.

Jon Lafayette
Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.