Fox confirmed on Monday that Dana Walden and Gary Newman will head the broadcast network in addition to their TV studio. Walden and Newman will oversee a new business unit, Fox Television Group, which combines Fox Broadcasting Company and 20th Century Fox Television.
Fox Broadcasting Company and 20th Century Fox Television will continue to operate as separate entities. Fox Television Group will operate as a division of Fox Networks Group, which also oversees 21st Century Fox’s domestic entertainment, sports and non-fiction channels, as well as Fox International Channels’ collection of more than 300 channels worldwide.
The duo will replace former Fox chief Kevin Reilly at the broadcast net on July 28. Walden and Newman will report to Peter Rice, chairman of Fox Networks Group.
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In their new roles as Chairmen and CEOs of Fox Television Group, Newman and Walden will oversee programming, digital, marketing and more. They’ll still continue oversight of 20th Century Fox TV — which is made up of the parent studio, cable production arms Fox 21 and Fox Television Studios, the licensing division Fox Consumer Products and the syndication division Twentieth Television — which they’ve led for 15 years.
The studio has delivered “Modern Family,” “Homeland,” “American Horror Story,” “Glee,” “New Girl” and “Sleepy Hollow,” among others.
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“As we look to the future of the broadcast television business, it is clear that the best path forward is to operate our creative and broadcast divisions under the leadership of a single team, and that Gary and Dana are the perfect executives to take on this new role,” said Chase Carey, president and chief executive officer of 21st Century Fox. “While TCFTV and FBC will each continue as an open supplier and an open network, respectively, the closer alignment of these two properties, coupled with a unified vision from Dana and Gary, gives us a clear advantage in creating even more hit content that will benefit both businesses.”
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“Over the past 15 years, Dana and Gary have raised the bar for the rest of the industry with respect to creative vision, close-knit relationships with top talent and an unmatched track record of hit programming,” said Rice. “At a time when the demand for content has never been higher, there is no doubt that we strengthen and galvanize our television business — both from a creative and programming standpoint — with Gary and Dana taking on these vital new leadership roles.”
“We are grateful to Peter, Chase and James for this extraordinary vote of confidence,” added Walden and Newman. “The time is right to unite these divisions. Television has never been more creatively vibrant and the business has never been more dynamic. Our goal is to make FBC the number one destination for creators with big visions and bold ideas, because our guiding principle has always been ‘talent first.’ We are humbled by the challenges and exhilarated by the opportunities ahead. It’s an exciting time.”