Fox Rivalry
Fox will change the way it licenses shows to online subscription services, Chief Executive Officer James Murdoch said at an investor conference last week. Murdoch also indicated he sees a bigger role for Netflix rival Hulu, which Fox co-owns with Disney and Comcast Corp.’s NBC Universal.
“That may mean that we sell less to one and more to another over time,” Murdoch said. “Our thinking is evolving.”
Like its biggest rival, Time Warner’s HBO, it started by licensing TV reruns and movies for home viewing after they left theaters. Its first high-profile Netflix Original, “House of Cards,” made its debut in 2013. That show is owned by Media Rights Capital, the company that made “Ted” and “22 Jump Street.”
Netflix has produced documentaries and comedy specials in-house, and did the same with a couple of less-expensive shows this year, “Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp,” and “Club de Cuervos.” It’s also buying feature films for theatrical and online release.