Editing Fox Broadcasting Company (section)

==History==
===Origins===
[[20th Century Fox]] (now 20th Century Studios) had been involved in [[20th Television|television production]] as early as the 1950s, producing several [[Broadcast syndication|syndicated programs]].<ref name="Boxoffice"/> Following the closure of the [[DuMont Television Network]] in August 1956, after it became mired in severe financial problems, the [[NTA Film Network]] was launched as a new "fourth network".<ref name="Boxoffice2">{{cite news|title=Fourth TV Network, for Films, is Created|url=https://issuu.com/boxoffice/docs/boxoffice_070756/8|newspaper=[[Boxoffice]]|page=8|date=July 7, 1956}}{{dead link|date=April 2011}}</ref> 20th Century Fox would also produce original content for the NTA network.<ref name="Boxoffice">{{cite news|title=Fox Buys Into TV Network; Makes 390 Features Available|url=https://issuu.com/boxoffice/docs/boxoffice_110356-1/8|newspaper=Boxoffice|page=8|date=November 3, 1956}}{{dead link|date=April 2011}}</ref> The film network effort would fail after a few years, but 20th Century Fox continued to dabble in television through its production arm, TCF Television Productions, producing series (such as ''[[Perry Mason (1957 TV series)|Perry Mason]]'', ''[[Batman (TV series)|Batman]]'' and ''[[M*A*S*H (TV series)|M*A*S*H]]'') for the [[Big Three television network]]s [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], [[NBC]], and [[CBS]].

===1980s: Establishment of the network===

====Foundations====
While running [[Paramount Pictures]], [[Barry Diller]] attempted to create a fourth television network. The [[Paramount Television Service]] of 1977 was canceled before its first broadcast.<ref name="lat">{{Cite news |last=Lowry |first=Brian |date=1999-12-26 |title=The Whims of War |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-dec-26-ca-47501-story.html |access-date=May 25, 2012 |work=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> Paramount produced many programs for the Big Three but catering to their demands "just wore us down", he said in 1983: "I want to make our own things and put them on the air". Diller hoped to create a "mini-network" of [[independent television station]]s airing Paramount programs.<ref name=dillerventures>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/08/28/business/barry-diller-s-latest-starring-role.html|title=Barry Diller's Latest Starring Role|first=Sandra|last=Salmans|work=The New York Times|date=August 28, 1983|accessdate=February 14, 2022}}</ref> Unable to achieve his goal at Paramount, Diller joined film studio [[20th Century Fox]].{{r|lat}}

In March 1985 [[News Corporation]], a media company owned by Australian publishing magnate [[Rupert Murdoch]] that had mainly served as a newspaper publisher, paid $255&nbsp;million for a 50% interest in TCF Holdings, the [[parent company]] of the 20th Century Fox film studio. In May 1985, News agreed to pay $2.55&nbsp;billion to acquire independent stations in six major U.S. cities from the [[John Kluge]]-run broadcasting company [[Metromedia]]: WNEW-TV in New York City, [[WTTG]] in Washington, D.C., [[KTTV]] in Los Angeles, [[KRIV (TV)|KRIV-TV]] in Houston, [[WFLD]]-TV in Chicago, and KRLD-TV in Dallas. A seventh station, ABC affiliate [[WCVB-TV]] in Boston, was part of the original transaction but was spun off to the [[Hearst Television|Hearst Broadcasting]] subsidiary of the [[Hearst Communications]] in a separate, concurrent deal as part of a [[right of first refusal]] related to that station's 1982 sale to Metromedia.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Another spin for TV's revolving door |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1985/BC-1985-05-06.pdf |periodical= [[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting]] |via=American Radio History |pages=39–40 |date=May 6, 1985 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=Life among the high rollers |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1985/BC-1985-05-13.pdf |journal= Broadcasting |via=American Radio History |pages=36–39 |date=May 13, 1985 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=Hearst's rise in the ownership ranks |url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1985/BC-1985-05-13-Page-0038.pdf |journal=Broadcasting |via=American Radio History |page=38 |date=May 13, 1985 }}{{dead link|date=January 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> (Two years later, News Corporation acquired WXNE-TV in that market from the [[Christian Broadcasting Network]] and changed its call letters to [[WFXT]].)

Radio personality [[Clarke Ingram]] suggested that the Fox network is a revival or at least a linear descendant of DuMont, since Metromedia was founded when DuMont spun off its two remaining owned-and-operated stations, WNEW-TV (then known as WABD) and WTTG, as DuMont Broadcasting (it later changed its name to Metropolitan Broadcasting before becoming Metromedia).<ref>{{cite web|first=Clarke|last=Ingram|author-link=Clarke Ingram|title=The DuMont Television Network: Channel Nine|url=http://www.dumonthistory.com/9.html|website=dumonthistory.com|access-date=November 16, 2020|archive-date=September 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190913173101/http://www.dumonthistory.com/9.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Clarke|last=Ingram|author-link=Clarke Ingram|title=The DuMont Television Network: Channel Seven|url=http://www.dumonthistory.com/7.html|website=dumonthistory.com|access-date=October 6, 2021|archive-date=September 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190913173101/http://www.dumonthistory.com/7.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Additionally, the former base of DuMont's operations, the DuMont Tele-Centre in [[Manhattan]], eventually became the present-day Fox Television Center.

====Beginning of the network====
[[File:1987-1993 Fox B&W logo.svg|thumb|right|Logo used from 1987 to 1993]]
In 1985, 20th Century Fox announced its intentions to form a fourth television network that would compete with ABC, CBS, and NBC. The plans were to use the combination of the Fox studios and the former Metromedia stations to both produce and distribute programming. Organizational plans for the network were held off until the Metromedia acquisitions cleared regulatory hurdles. Then, in December 1985, Rupert Murdoch agreed to pay $325&nbsp;million to acquire the remaining equity in TCF Holdings from his original partner, [[Marvin Davis]]. The purchase of the Metromedia stations was approved by the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) in March 1986; the call letters of the New York City and Dallas outlets were subsequently changed respectively to [[WNYW]] and [[KDAF]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=For the record |url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1986/BC-1986-03-17-Page-0110.pdf |journal=Broadcasting |via=American Radio History |page=118 |date=March 17, 1986 }}{{dead link|date=January 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> These first six stations, then broadcasting to a combined reach of 22% of the nation's households, became known as the [[Fox Television Stations]] group. With the sole exception of KDAF (which was sold to [[Renaissance Broadcasting]] in 1995, at which time it became an affiliate of [[The WB]]), all of the original [[owned-and-operated station]]s ("O&Os") are still part of the Fox network today. Like the core O&O group, Fox's affiliate body initially consisted of independent stations (a few of which had maintained affiliations with ABC, NBC, CBS, or DuMont earlier in their existences). The local charter affiliate was, in most cases, that market's top-rated independent; however, Fox opted to affiliate with a second-tier independent station in markets where a more established independent declined the affiliation (such as [[Denver]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]] and [[St. Louis, Missouri|St. Louis]]). Largely because of both these factors, Fox in a situation very similar to what DuMont had experienced four decades before had little choice but to affiliate with [[Ultra high frequency|UHF]] stations in all except a few (mainly larger) markets where the network gained clearance.<ref name="NYTimes1986">{{cite news|title=New Fox Network Signs Up 79 TV Stations Across U.S.|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/08/04/arts/new-fox-network-signs-up-79-tv-stations-across-us.html|agency=[[Associated Press]]|newspaper=The New York Times|date=August 4, 1986|access-date=June 27, 2015}}</ref> Then-Fox Inc. head Barry Diller was acknowledged to have been the one who created the network, with the ''[[New York Times]]'' noting in October 1986 that Diller's "current obsession is creating a television network to compete each evening with NBC, CBS and ABC."<ref name=gambles/>

The Fox television network officially debuted with a [[soft launch]] at 11:00&nbsp;p.m. [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern]] and [[Pacific Time Zone|Pacific Time]] on Thursday, October 9, 1986. Its inaugural program was a [[late-night talk show]], ''[[The Late Show (1986 TV series)|The Late Show]]'', which was hosted by comedian [[Joan Rivers]].<ref name=gambles>{{cite news|title=Fox's Barry Diller Gambles on a Fourth TV Network|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/10/05/arts/fox-s-barry-diller-gambles-on-a-fourth-tv-network.html|first=Aljean|last=Harmetz|newspaper=The New York Times|date=October 5, 1986|access-date=June 27, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MckrtLdSIxs |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/MckrtLdSIxs| archive-date=2021-12-11 |url-status=live|title=The Late Show with Joan Rivers debut episode|website=Youtube|date=October 19, 2011 |access-date=April 9, 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref> After a strong start, ''The Late Show'' quickly eroded in the ratings; it was never able to overtake NBC stalwart ''[[The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson|The Tonight Show]]''. By early 1987, Rivers (and her then-husband [[Edgar Rosenberg]], the show's original executive producer) quit ''The Late Show'' after disagreements with the network over the show's creative direction, the program then began to be hosted by a succession of guest hosts. After that point, some stations that affiliated with FBC in the weeks before the April 1987 launch of its prime time lineup (such as [[WVTV-DT2|WCGV-TV]] in [[Milwaukee]] and [[WDRB]]-TV in [[Louisville, Kentucky|Louisville]]) signed affiliation agreements with the network on the condition that they would not have to carry ''The Late Show'' due to the program's weak ratings.

Shortly before the official launch of FBC on April 5, 1987, under original Fox Entertainment President Garth Ancier, the network underwent a re-branding to the much shorter "Fox". According to an interview Ancier gave at that time, it was ad man [[Jay Chiat]] who suggested to network executives that, rather than create a brand from scratch, the network ought to use the "Fox" heritage of the previous 80 years and the "searchlight" iconography to link Fox Broadcasting to 20th Century Fox.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Schneider |first1=Michael |title=Retro Friday: The original Fox logo |url=https://variety.com/2010/tv/news/retro-friday-the-original-fox-logo-15867/ |work=Variety |date=30 April 2010 |quote=The "FBC" logo didn't last long. According to original Fox Entertainment prexy Garth Ancier, it was legendary ad man Jay Chiat who suggested to execs that rather than create a brand from scratch, the network ought to use the "Fox" heritage of the previous 80 years and the "searchlight" iconography to link Fox Broadcasting to 20th Century Fox.  Besides, if the idea was to launch a network that was an alternative to the Big Three, why not go with an actual brand name?}}</ref> Until late in the game during the 1980s, several station groups like Media Central and [[Pappas Telecasting]] had avoided Fox when the network launched, but joined the network later on.<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 19, 1987 |title=Trotting With Fox |pages=15 |work=[[Ledger-Enquirer]]}}</ref><ref name="b&c-kmphfox">{{cite news |last1=Romano |first1=Allison |date=October 20, 2006 |title=Harry Pappas |language=en-us |work=[[Broadcasting & Cable]] |url=https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/harry-pappas-81222 |access-date=October 7, 2018}}</ref>

The network had its "[[grand opening]]" when it expanded its programming into prime time on April 5, 1987, inaugurating its Sunday night lineup with the premieres of the sitcom ''[[Married... with Children]]'' and the [[sketch comedy]] series ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]''. The premieres of both series were rebroadcast twice following their initial airings (at 7:00&nbsp;p.m. and 7:30&nbsp;pm. Eastern/Pacific, respectively) that night, which [[Jamie Kellner]], who served as the network's president and chief operating officer until his resignation in January 1993, stated would allow viewers to "sample FBC programming without missing ''[[60 Minutes]]'', ''[[Murder, She Wrote]]'', or the 8 o'clock movies".<ref>{{cite news|title=Fox to Premiere Prime-Time Shows|url=http://archive.newsok.com/olive/apa/oklahoman/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=DOK%2F1987%2F04%2F05&id=Ar14900&sk=68470E79|newspaper=[[The Oklahoman|The Sunday Oklahoman]]|page=4 (''Television News'')|date=April 5, 1987|access-date=June 14, 2019}}{{Dead link|date=March 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=The Media Business; Fox's Television Head Abruptly Resigns Post|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/01/05/business/the-media-business-fox-s-television-head-abruptly-resigns-post.html|first=Geraldine|last=Fabrikant|newspaper=The New York Times|date=January 5, 1993|access-date=June 14, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=FOX Launch|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8V77hUkPpgc |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/8V77hUkPpgc| archive-date=2021-12-11 |url-status=live|website=Youtube| date=October 3, 2010 |access-date=April 9, 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Fox added one new show per week over the next several weeks, with the drama ''[[21 Jump Street]]'' and comedies ''[[Mr. President (TV series)|Mr. President]]'' and ''[[Duet (TV series)|Duet]]'' completing its Sunday schedule.<ref>{{cite web|title=A Fool's Utopia 3.11.10: A Look at FOX Sundays|url=http://www.411mania.com/movies/columns/132334/A-Fool%5C%5Cs-Utopia-3.11.10:-A-Look-at-FOX-Sundays.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120721033806/http://www.411mania.com/movies/columns/132334/A-Fool%5C%5Cs-Utopia-3.11.10:-A-Look-at-FOX-Sundays.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 21, 2012|first=Ron|last=Martin|website=411mania.com|date=March 11, 2010}}</ref> On July 11, 1987, the network rolled out its Saturday night schedule with the premiere of the [[supernatural]] drama series ''[[Werewolf (TV series)|Werewolf]]'', which began with a two-hour pilot movie event. Three other series were added to the Saturday lineup over the next three weeks: comedies ''[[The New Adventures of Beans Baxter]]'', ''[[Karen's Song]]'', and ''[[Down and Out in Beverly Hills (TV series)|Down and Out in Beverly Hills]]'' (the latter being an adaptation of the film of the same name). Both ''Karen's Song'' and ''Down and Out in Beverly Hills'' were canceled by the start of the [[1987–88 United States network television schedule|1987–88 television season]], the network's first fall launch, and were replaced by the sitcoms ''[[Second Chance (1987 TV series)|Second Chance]]'' and ''[[Women in Prison (TV series)|Women in Prison]]''.

In regard to its late night lineup, Fox had already decided to cancel ''The Late Show'', and had a replacement series in development, ''[[The Wilton North Report]]'', when the former series began a ratings resurgence under its final guest host, comedian [[Arsenio Hall]]. ''Wilton North'' lasted just a few weeks, however, and the network was unable to reach a deal with Hall to return as host when it hurriedly revived ''The Late Show'' in early 1988. ''The Late Show'' went back to featuring guest hosts, eventually selecting [[Ross Shafer]] as its permanent host, only for it to be canceled for good by October 1988, while Hall signed a deal with [[Paramount Television]] to develop his own syndicated late night talk show, ''[[The Arsenio Hall Show]]''. Fox aired the [[39th Primetime Emmy Awards]] and would air the next five editions.

Although the network had modest successes in ''Married... with Children'' and ''The Tracy Ullman Show'', several affiliates were disappointed with Fox's largely underperforming programming lineup during the network's first three years, [[KMSP-TV]] in [[Minneapolis]] and [[KPTV]] in [[Portland, Oregon]], both owned at the time by [[Chris-Craft Industries|Chris-Craft Television]], disaffiliated from Fox in 1988 (with KITN (now [[WFTC]]) and [[KPDX]] respectively replacing those stations as Fox affiliates), citing that the network's weaker program offerings were hampering viewership of their stronger syndicated slate.

At the start of the [[1989–90 United States network television schedule|1989–90 television season]], Fox added a third night of programming, on Mondays. The season heralded the start of a turnaround for Fox. It saw the debut of a [[mid-season replacement|midseason replacement]] series, ''[[The Simpsons]]'', an animated series that originated as a series of [[short film|shorts]] on ''The Tracey Ullman Show''. Ranked at a three-way tie for 29th place in the Nielsen ratings, it became a breakout hit and was the first Fox series to break the Top 30. ''The Simpsons'', at 35 years as of 2024, is the longest-running American sitcom, the longest-running American animated program, and the longest-running American scripted primetime television series.

In 1989, Fox also first introduced the documentary series ''[[Cops (TV program)|Cops]]'' and crime-focused magazine program ''[[America's Most Wanted]]'' (the latter of which debuted as a half-hour series as part of the network's mainly comedy-based Sunday lineup for its first season, before expanding to an hour and moving to Fridays for the 1990–91 season). These two series, which would become staples on the network for just over two decades, would eventually be paired to form the nucleus of Fox's Saturday night schedule beginning in the [[1994–95 United States network television schedule|1994–95 season]]. Meanwhile, ''Married... with Children'', which differentiated itself from other family sitcoms of the period as it centered on a dysfunctional lower-middle-class family, saw viewer interest substantially increase beginning in its third season after [[Michigan]] homemaker [[Terry Rakolta]] began a boycott to force Fox to cancel the series after objecting to risqué humor and sexual content featured in a [[Married... with Children season 3#ep41|1989 episode]]. ''Married...''{{'}}s newfound success led it to become the network's longest-running live-action sitcom, airing for 11 seasons.

===1990s: Rise into mainstream success and beginnings of rivalry with the Big Three===
Fox survived where DuMont and other attempts to start a fourth network had failed because it programmed just under the number of hours defined by the FCC to legally be considered a network. This allowed Fox to make revenue in ways forbidden to the established networks (for instance, it did not have to adhere to the [[Financial Interest and Syndication Rules]] that were in effect at the time), since during its first years it was considered to be merely a large group of stations. By comparison, DuMont had been saddled by numerous regulatory barriers that hampered its potential to grow, most notably a ban on acquiring additional stations, during an era when the FCC had much tighter ownership limits for television stations (limiting broadcasters to a maximum of five stations nationwide) than it did when Fox launched. In addition, Murdoch was more than willing to open his wallet to get and keep programming and talent. DuMont, in contrast, operated on a shoestring budget and was unable to keep the programs and stars it had.<ref>{{cite book|title=Television's Greatest Year: 1954|first=R. D.|last=Heldenfels|publisher=Continuum|location=New York City|year=1994|pages=79–80|isbn=0-8264-0675-0}}</ref>

Most of the other startup networks that launched in later years (such as [[UPN]] and [[The WB]]) followed Fox's model as well. Furthermore, DuMont operated during a time when the FCC did not require television manufacturers to include UHF capability.<ref name="RTDNACSA">McDowell, W. [http://list.msu.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0109b&L=aejmc&T=0&P=9926 Remembering the DuMont Network: A Case Study Approach]. College of Mass Communication and Media Arts, Southern Illinois University. Retrieved on December 28, 2006.</ref> To see DuMont's UHF stations, most people had to buy an expensive [[set-top box|converter]]. Even then, the signal quality was marginal at best compared to the signals of [[Very high frequency|VHF]] stations {{crossreference|(see also: {{section link|UHF television broadcasting|UHF vs VHF}}) }}. By the time Fox launched, cable allowed UHF stations to generally be on an equal footing with VHF stations.<ref name="NYTimes1986"/>

Although Fox was growing rapidly as a network and had established itself as a presence, it was still not considered a major competitor to the established "Big Three" broadcast networks, ABC, CBS, and NBC. From its launch, Fox had the advantage of offering programs intended to appeal toward a younger demographic – adults between 18 and 34 years of age – and that were edgier in content, whereas some programs that were carried by the "Big Three" networks attracted an older-skewing audience. Until the early 1990s, when Fox expanded its programming to additional nights and outside prime time, most Fox stations were still essentially formatted as independent stations – filling their schedules with mainly first-run and acquired programming, and, during prime time, running either syndicated programs or, more commonly, movies on nights when the network did not provide programming. Few Fox stations carried local newscasts during the network's early years, unlike the owned-and-operated stations and affiliates of its established rivals. Those that did were mostly based in larger markets (including some of the network's O&Os) and retained newscasts that had aired for decades.  Even then, these news operations were limited to one newscast per day, following the network's prime time lineup.

On September 6, 1990, Fox reached an agreement with [[Tele-Communications, Inc.|TCI]] (the nation's largest cable company at the time) in which TCI systems in markets that were not served by an over-the-air Fox affiliate at the time would become charter affiliates of a cable-only national feed of the network known as [[Foxnet]].<ref name="Fox TCI deal">{{cite news|title=Fox Network Gets Cable Affiliates in Deal With TCI|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-09-07-fi-566-story.html|first=John|last=Lippman|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=September 7, 1990|access-date=October 12, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=FOX Broadcasting Co. Strikes a Deal with Cable TV Giant TCI|first=Scott D.|last=Pierce|newspaper=[[Deseret News]]|date=September 12, 1990}}</ref> The cable-only network launched on June 6, 1991, bringing Fox programming to smaller markets that did not carry a default Fox affiliate at the time; it would manage to reach a total of 1.3&nbsp;million subscribers by 1992.<ref name="Foxnet Get Wet">{{cite web|title=Fox Net Ready To Get Wet With New Satellite Service|url=https://variety.com/1991/tv/features/fox-net-ready-to-get-wet-with-new-satellite-service-99126491/|first=Dennis|last=Wharton|periodical=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=May 6, 1991|access-date=April 24, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Fox Seeks Lucrative Romance With Cable|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-02-28-fi-3041-story.html|first=John|last=Lippman|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=February 28, 1992|access-date=October 12, 2015}}</ref>

As Fox gradually headed towards carrying a full week's worth of programming in prime time through the addition of programming on Thursday and Friday nights at the start of the [[1990–91 United States network television schedule|1990–91 season]], the network's added offerings included the scheduling of ''The Simpsons'' opposite veteran NBC sitcom ''[[The Cosby Show]]'' as part of Fox's initial Thursday night lineup that fall (along with future hit ''[[Beverly Hills, 90210]]'', which would become the network's longest-running drama, airing for ten seasons) after only a half-season of success on Sunday nights. The show performed well in its new Thursday slot, spending four seasons there and helping to launch ''[[Martin (TV series)|Martin]]'', another Fox comedy that became a hit when it debuted in August 1992. ''The Simpsons''  returned to Sunday nights in the fall of 1994, and has remained there ever since.

The sketch comedy series ''[[In Living Color]]'', which debuted in April 1990, created many memorable characters and launched the careers of future movie stars [[Jim Carrey]], [[Jamie Foxx]], [[Damon Wayans]], [[Marlon Wayans]], [[Keenen Ivory Wayans]], guest stars [[Chris Rock]] and [[Tim Meadows]], and both members of the show's dance troupe, the "Fly Girls", [[Rosie Perez]] and [[Jennifer Lopez]]. The series also gained international prominence after Fox aired a special live episode in January 1992 as an [[Super Bowl counterprogramming|alternative to the halftime show]] during [[Super Bowl XXVI]], which was broadcast on CBS, marking the start of Fox's rivalry with the "Big Three" networks while popularizing the [[Counterprogramming (television)|counterprogramming]] strategy against the [[Super Bowl]] telecast.

The early and mid-1990s saw the debuts of several soap opera-style prime time dramas aimed at younger audiences that became quick hits, which, in addition to ''Beverly Hills, 90210'', included its adult-focused spin-off ''[[Melrose Place]]'' (which initially had a mediocre ratings performance, before viewership rose significantly midway through its first season following [[Heather Locklear]]'s addition to the cast), its own short lived spin-off ''[[Models Inc.]]'', and family drama ''[[Party of Five]]''. The early and mid-1990s also saw the network launch several series aimed at a [[African Americans|black]] audience, which, in addition to ''Martin'', included the sitcom ''[[Living Single]]'' and [[police procedural]] ''[[New York Undercover]]''.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Stanley |first1=T.L. |title=Must-flee TV |journal=Mediaweek |date=8 April 1996 |volume=6 |issue=15 |page=9 |id={{ProQuest|213644280}} }}</ref>

====Luring the NFL and affiliation switches====
{{Main|1994–1996 United States broadcast television realignment}}

Despite having a few successful shows like the science fiction drama ''[[The X-Files]]'', Fox still lacked credibility among viewers.<ref name="kcs20190206">{{Cite news |last1=Hendricks |first1=Mike |last2=Vockrodt |first2=Steve |date=February 10, 2019 |title=Kansas City Chiefs' tax returns provide rare look inside the business of pro football |pages=[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-kansas-city-star-kansas-city-chiefs/124797303/ 1B], 6B |work=The Kansas City Star |location=Kansas City, Missouri |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-kansas-city-star-kansas-city-chiefs/124797333/ |access-date=May 16, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Even those working in television thought of Fox as "the one that has that cartoon show" (''The Simpsons''). More than 85% of affiliates in 1993 were UHF stations. Fox became a viable competitor to the older networks when it won broadcast television rights to the [[National Football League]] (NFL) away from [[NFL on CBS|CBS]]. In December 1993, Fox signed a contract with the NFL to televise games from the [[National Football Conference]] (NFC)—which had been airing its games on CBS since [[1956 NFL season|1956]]—starting with the [[1994 NFL season|1994 season]]. The initial four-year contract, which Fox bid $1.58&nbsp;billion to obtain—while CBS offered $295&nbsp;million per year to retain the rights<ref name="curtis20181213">{{Cite web |url=https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2018/12/13/18137938/nfl-fox-deal-rupert-murdoch-1993-john-madden-terry-bradshaw-howie-long-jimmy-johnson-cbs-nbc |title=The Great NFL Heist: How Fox Paid for and Changed Football Forever |last=Curtis |first=Bryan |date=2018-12-13 |website=The Ringer |access-date=2018-12-13}}</ref>—also included the exclusive U.S. television rights to [[Super Bowl XXXI]] in [[1996 NFL season|1997]].<ref name="FOXNFC">{{cite web|title=CBS, NBC Battle for AFC Rights // Fox Steals NFC Package|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4205316.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105135152/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4205316.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 5, 2012|newspaper=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|date=December 18, 1993}}</ref> The network also lured [[Pat Summerall]], [[John Madden]], [[Dick Stockton]], [[Matt Millen]], [[James Brown (sportscaster)|James Brown]], [[Terry Bradshaw]], and behind-the-scenes production personnel, from [[CBS Sports]] to staff its NFL coverage.{{r|curtis20181213}}

Shortly afterward, News Corporation began striking affiliation deals with, and later purchasing, more television station groups. On May 23, 1994, Fox agreed to purchase a 20% stake in [[New World Pictures#New World Communications|New World Communications]], a television and film [[production company]] controlled by investor [[Ronald Perelman]] that had just recently entered into broadcasting through its 1993 purchase of seven stations owned by [[Storer Broadcasting|SCI Television]]. As a result of Fox acquiring a 20% minority interest in the company, New World signed an agreement to switch the affiliations of twelve stations (eight CBS affiliates, three ABC affiliates [ [[WBRC|two]] [[WGHP|of which]] were subsequently placed in a [[blind trust]] and then sold directly to Fox due to conflicts with FCC ownership rules ], and [[WDAF-TV|one NBC affiliate]]) that it had either already owned outright or was in the process of acquiring from [[Taft Broadcasting|Citicasters]] and [[Hearst Television|Argyle Communications]] at the time to Fox starting in September 1994 and continuing as existing affiliation contracts with their existing major network partners expired.<ref name=nytbusinessdigest>{{cite news|title=Fox Will Sign Up 12 New Stations; Takes 8 from CBS|url= https://www.nytimes.com/1994/05/24/us/fox-will-sign-up-12-new-stations-takes-8-from-cbs.html?pagewanted=4 |first=Bill|last=Carter|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=May 24, 1994|access-date=October 22, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=Fox and the New World order |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1994/BC-1994-05-30.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725013818/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1994/BC-1994-05-30.pdf |archive-date=2020-07-25 |url-status=live |first=Geoffrey|last= Foisie |journal=[[Broadcasting & Cable]] |pages=6, 8 |date=May 30, 1994 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=The FCC last week approved New World's plans to transfer WGHP-TV Greensboro, N.C., and WBRC-TV Birmingham, Ala., into a trust for eventual sale to Fox|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-16799904.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016073449/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-16799904.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 16, 2015|first=Kim|last=McAvoy|periodical=Broadcasting & Cable|date=April 10, 1995|access-date=October 10, 2015}}</ref>

That summer, [[SF Broadcasting]], a joint venture between Fox and [[Savoy Pictures]] that was founded in March 1994, purchased four stations from Burnham Broadcasting ([[KHON-TV|three]] [[WALA-TV|NBC]] [[WLUK-TV|affiliates]] and [[WVUE-DT|one ABC affiliate]]);<ref>{{cite news|title=Company News; Fox Adds 3 Network-Affiliated Stations|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/08/27/business/company-news-fox-adds-3-network-affiliated-stations.html|first=Andy|last=Meisler|newspaper=The New York Times|date=August 27, 1994}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Savoy partners to buy Fox affils|url=https://variety.com/1994/tv/news/savoy-partners-to-buy-fox-affils-119324/|first=Jim|last=Benson|periodical=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=March 17, 1994|access-date=June 27, 2015}}</ref> through a separate agreement, those stations would also switch to Fox between September 1995 and January 1996 as existing affiliation agreements lapsed. These two deals were not the first instances in which a longtime "Big Three" station affiliated with Fox: in Miami, the affiliation moved from [[WFOR-TV|WCIX (channel 6)]] to NBC affiliate [[WSVN]] in January 1989<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sonsky |first=Steve |date=October 13, 1988 |title=Channel 7, Fox near agreement |page=8D |newspaper=The Miami Herald |location=Miami, Florida |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74533686/channel-7-fox-near-agreement/ |url-status=live |access-date=April 2, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034502/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74533686/channel-7-fox-near-agreement/ |archive-date=February 17, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> as the result of [[1989 South Florida television affiliation switch|a complicated six-station affiliation swap in two South Florida markets]] spurred by NBC's purchase of CBS affiliate [[WTVJ|WTVJ (channel 4)]] and CBS's purchase of WCIX.<ref name="Miam19890101p1A">{{Cite news |last=Sonsky |first=Steve |date=January 1, 1989 |title=3 million TV viewers affected |page=1A, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74463579/3-million-tv-viewers-affected-p2/ 25A] |work=The Miami Herald |location=Miami, Florida |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74463186/3-million-tv-viewers-affected/ |url-status=live |access-date=April 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412212200/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74463186/3-million-tv-viewers-affected/ |archive-date=April 12, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> WSVN immediately attracted industry notice<ref name="SouthF19900101p 1">{{Cite news |last=Jicha |first=Tom |date=January 1, 1990 |title=TV switch was 1989's cliffhanger: Last year's shuffle defied predictions |pages=1A, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122589744/tv-switch-was-1989s-cliffhanger-last/ 12A] |newspaper=South Florida Sun Sentinel |location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122589689/tv-switch-was-1989s-cliffhanger-last/ |url-status=live |access-date=April 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410191546/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122589689/tv-switch-was-1989s-cliffhanger-last/ |archive-date=April 10, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> for featuring a news-intensive tabloid format uncharacteristic of any Fox affiliate or independent station heretofore,<ref name="MiamiN19881207p23">{{Cite news |last=Jicha |first=Tom |date=December 7, 1988 |title=WSVN keeps word to be news-heavy as an independent |page=5C |newspaper=The Miami News |location=Miami, Florida |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74480227/wsvn-keeps-word-to-be-news-heavy-as-an/ |url-status=live |access-date=April 2, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034506/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74480227/wsvn-keeps-word-to-be-news-heavy-as-an/ |archive-date=February 17, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref name="MiamiH19880902p23">{{Cite news |last=Sonsky |first=Steve |date=September 2, 1988 |title=Channel 7 plans news, news, news |pages=1B, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74517401/channel-7-plans-news-news-news-p2/ 4B] |newspaper=The Miami Herald |location=Miami, Florida |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74517197/channel-7-plans-news-news-news/ |url-status=live |access-date=April 2, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034452/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74517197/channel-7-plans-news-news-news/ |archive-date=February 17, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> with then-Fox network president [[Lucie Salhany]] calling WSVN "the future of television" in May 1994.<ref name="StarTr19940623p 55">{{Cite news |last=Marin |first=Rick |date=June 23, 1994 |title=If it bleeds, it leads: Miami station's news is notorious |pages=1E, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94630765/if-it-bleeds-it-leads-miami-stations/ 3E] |newspaper=Star Tribune |agency=Newsweek |location=Minneapolis, Minnesota |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94630741/if-it-bleeds-it-leads-miami-stations/ |url-status=live |access-date=April 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410191543/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94630741/if-it-bleeds-it-leads-miami-stations/ |archive-date=April 10, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> WSVN remains the largest Fox affiliate in terms of market size to have entirely eschewed any prominent on-air branding with the network name.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jacobson |first=Adam |date=July 27, 2020 |title=A TV News Pioneer Is Remembered, as Ed Ansin Dies |url=https://rbr.com/sunbeam-television-owner-ed-ansin-dies/ |url-access=limited |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415125307/https://rbr.com/sunbeam-television-owner-ed-ansin-dies/ |archive-date=April 15, 2023 |access-date=April 15, 2023 |website=Radio & Television Business Report |language=en-US}}</ref>

The NFC contract, in fact, was the impetus for the affiliation deal with New World<ref name=nytbusinessdigest/> and SF Broadcasting's purchase of the Burnham stations, as Fox sought to improve local coverage of its new NFL package by aligning the network with stations that had more established histories and advertiser value than its charter affiliates. The deals spurred a series of affiliation realignments between all four U.S. television networks involving individual stations and various broadcasting groups such as those between CBS and [[Westinghouse Broadcasting|Group W]] (whose [[Westinghouse Electric (1886)|corporate parent]] later bought the network in August 1995), and ABC and the [[E. W. Scripps Company]] (which owned [[KNXV-TV|three]] [[KSHB-TV|Fox]] [[WFTS-TV|affiliates]] that switched to either ABC or NBC as a result of the New World deal) affecting 30 television markets between September 1994 and September 1996. The two deals also had the side benefit of increasing local news programming on the new Fox affiliates, mirroring the programming format adopted by WSVN upon that station's switch to the network (as well as expanding the number of news-producing stations in Fox's portfolio beyond mainly charter stations in certain large and mid-sized markets).

With significant market share for the first time ever and the rights to the NFL, Fox firmly established itself as the nation's fourth major network. Fox Television Stations would acquire New World outright on July 17, 1996, in a $2.48&nbsp;billion stock purchase, making the latter's twelve Fox affiliates owned-and-operated stations of the network;<ref>{{cite news|title=New World Vision : Murdoch's News Corp. to Buy Broadcast Group|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-07-18-fi-25271-story.html|first=Brian|last=Lowry|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=July 18, 1996|access-date=June 22, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=The Media Business; Murdoch's News Corp. Buying New World|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/07/18/business/the-media-business-murdoch-s-news-corp-buying-new-world.html|agency=[[Reuters]]|newspaper=The New York Times|date=July 18, 1996|access-date=October 9, 2015}}</ref> the deal was completed on January 22, 1997. Later, in August 2000, Fox bought several stations owned by Chris-Craft Industries and its subsidiaries [[BHC Communications]] and United Television for $5.5&nbsp;billion (most of these stations were UPN affiliates, although its Minneapolis station KMSP-TV would rejoin Fox in September 2002 as an owned-and-operated station).<ref>{{cite news|title=News Corp. to Buy Chris-Craft Parent for $5.5 Billion, Outbidding Viacom|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-aug-12-fi-3272-story.html|first=Sallie|last=Hofmeister|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=August 12, 2000|access-date=March 23, 2011}}</ref> These purchases, for a time, made Fox Television Stations the largest owner of television stations in the U.S. (a title that has since been assumed by the [[Sinclair Broadcast Group]], one of the network's largest affiliate groups).

====Evolving programming====
Fox completed its prime time expansion to all seven nights on January 19, [[1992–93 United States network television schedule|1993]], with the launch of two additional nights of programming on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (The method of gradually adding nights to the programming schedule that began with the network's April 1987 prime time launch was replicated by The WB and UPN when those networks debuted in January 1995), making it the fifth broadcast network (behind the Dumont network) to air programming on a nightly basis. September 1993 saw the heavy promotion and debut of a short-lived [[western (genre)|western]] series that incorporated science-fiction elements, ''[[The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.]]'' However, it was the supernatural investigative drama that debuted immediately following it on Friday nights, ''[[The X-Files]]'', that would find long-lasting success, and would become Fox's first series to crack Nielsen's year-end Top 20 most-watched network programs. After several other failed attempts at late night programming following the cancellation of ''The Late Show'' (most notably, the quick failure of ''[[The Chevy Chase Show]]'' in 1993), Fox finally found success in that time period with the debut of ''[[MADtv]]'' on October 14, 1995; the sketch comedy series became a solid competitor to NBC's ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' for over a decade and was Fox's most successful late night program as well as one of its most successful Saturday night shows, running for 14 seasons until 2009.

An attempt to make a larger effort to program Saturday nights by moving ''Married... with Children'' from its longtime Sunday slot and adding a new but short-lived sitcom (''[[Love and Marriage (1996 TV series)|Love and Marriage]]'') to the night at the beginning of the [[1996–97 United States network television schedule|1996–97 season]] backfired with the public, as it resulted in a brief cancellation of ''America's Most Wanted'' that was criticized by law enforcement and public officials, and was roundly rejected by viewers, which brought swift cancellation to the newer series.<ref>{{cite news|title=Day 'Most Wanted' was canceled|url=http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/tv/day_most_wanted_was_canceled_yq6gF5snMkKkT48hBp41jO|first=Maxine|last=Shen|newspaper=[[New York Post]]|date=March 5, 2010|access-date=October 9, 2011}}</ref> ''Married...'' quickly returned to Sundays (before moving again to Mondays two months later); both it and ''Martin'' would end their runs at the end of that season. The Saturday schedule was revised in November 1996, to feature one new and one encore episode of ''Cops'', and the revived ''America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back''. ''Cops'' and ''AMW'' remained the anchors of Fox's Saturday lineup, making it the most stable night in American broadcast television for over 14 years; both shows eventually were among the few first-run programs remaining on Saturday evenings across the four major networks after decreasing prime time viewership – as more people opted to engage in leisure activities away from home rather than watch television on that night of the week led ABC, NBC and CBS to largely abandon first-run series on Saturdays (outside [[newsmagazine]]s, sports and [[burning off|burned off]] prime time shows that failed on other nights) in favor of reruns and movies by the mid-2000s. ''America's Most Wanted'' ended its 22-year run on Fox in June 2011, and was subsequently picked up by [[Lifetime (TV network)|Lifetime]] (before being cancelled for good in 2013);<ref>{{cite web|title=The Dramatic Re-Enactment: Transcript |url=http://www.onthemedia.org/2011/jun/03/dramatic-re-enactment/transcript/ |first=Bob |last=Garfield |website=On The Media |publisher=[[WNYC]]/New York Public Radio |date=June 3, 2011 |access-date=October 24, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406080341/http://www.onthemedia.org/2011/jun/03/dramatic-re-enactment/transcript/ |archive-date=April 6, 2012 }}</ref> ''Cops'', in turn, would move its first-run episodes to [[Paramount Network|Spike]] in 2013 after 23 seasons (ending its original run on Fox as the network's longest-running prime time program) and had been cancelled in 2020, leaving sports and repeats of reality and drama series as the only programs airing on Fox on Saturday evenings.<ref>{{cite web|title='Cops' moving from Fox to Spike TV|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/cops-moving-from-fox-to-spike-tv/2013/05/06/22a503e8-b693-11e2-92f3-f291801936b8_story.html|first=Lisa|last=de Moraes|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=May 6, 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510204140/http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-05-06/lifestyle/39061971_1_median-age-cops-spike|archive-date=May 10, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

During the [[1997–98 United States network television schedule|1997–98 season]], Fox had three shows in the Nielsen Top 20 (in terms of total viewers); ''The X-Files'' (which ranked 11th), ''[[King of the Hill]]'' (which ranked 15th) and ''The Simpsons'' (which ranked 18th), all of which aired on Sunday nights. Building around its flagship animated comedy ''The Simpsons'', Fox would experience relative success with animated sitcoms in prime time, beginning with the debut of the [[Mike Judge]]-produced ''King of the Hill'' in 1997. ''[[Family Guy]]'' (the first of three [[adult animation|adult-oriented animated series]] from [[Seth MacFarlane]] to air on the network) and ''[[Futurama]]'' (from ''Simpsons'' creator [[Matt Groening]]) would make their debuts in 1999; however, they were canceled in 2002 and 2003 respectively. Due to strong DVD sales and highly rated cable reruns on [[Cartoon Network]]'s [[Adult Swim]], Fox later decided to order new episodes of ''Family Guy'', which began airing in 2005. ''Futurama'' would be revived with four direct-to-DVD films between 2007 and 2009 and would return as a first-run series on [[Comedy Central]], where it ran from 2010 to 2013. Less successful efforts included ''[[The Critic]]'', starring ''Saturday Night Live'' alumnus [[Jon Lovitz]] (which Fox picked up in 1994 after it was cancelled by ABC, only for the series to be cancelled again after its second season), and ''[[The PJs]]'' (which moved to The WB in 2000, after Fox cancelled that series after its second season). Other notable shows that debuted in the late 1990s included the quirky [[David E. Kelley]]-produced live-action [[Comedy drama|dramedy]] ''[[Ally McBeal]]'', the short-lived game show ''[[Greed (game show)|Greed]]'', and the period comedy ''[[That '70s Show]]'', the latter of which became Fox's second-longest-running live-action sitcom, airing for eight seasons.

Throughout the 1990s and into the next decade, Fox launched a slate of cable channels beginning with the 1994 debuts of general entertainment network [[FX (TV channel)|FX]] and movie channel FXM: Movies from Fox (now [[FX Movie Channel]]), followed by the debut of [[Fox News Channel]] in August 1996. Its sports operations expanded with the acquisition of controlling interests in several [[regional sports network]]s (including the [[Prime Sports|Prime Network]] and [[SportsChannel]]) between 1996 and 2000 to form [[Fox Sports Networks|Fox Sports Net]] (which launched in November 1996), its 2000 purchase of Speedvision (later Speed Channel, which was replaced in the United States by [[Fox Sports 1]] in August 2013; however, it continues to exist in other North American and [[The Caribbean|Caribbean]] countries as [[Fox Sports Racing]]), and the launches of Fox Sports World (later [[Fox Soccer]], which was replaced by [[FXX]] in September 2013) and Fox Sports en Español (now [[Fox Deportes]]) in the early 2000s.

===2000s: Rise to ratings leadership, the ''American Idol'' effect, and fierce rivalry with CBS===
By 2000, many staple Fox shows of the 1990s had ended their runs. During the late 1990s and carrying over into the early 2000s, Fox put much of its efforts into producing reality shows many of which were considered to be sensationalistic and controversial in nature – such as ''[[Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire?]]'', ''[[Temptation Island (TV series)|Temptation Island]]'', ''[[Married by America]]'', and ''[[Joe Millionaire]]'' (which became the first Fox program to crack the Nielsen Top 10), as well as video clip shows such as ''[[World's Wildest Police Videos]]'' and ''[[When Animals Attack!]]''. After shedding most of these programs, Fox gradually filled its lineup with acclaimed dramas such as ''[[24 (TV series)|24]]'', ''[[The O.C.]]'', ''[[House (TV series)|House]]'', and ''[[Bones (TV series)|Bones]]'', and comedies such as ''[[The Bernie Mac Show]]'', ''[[Malcolm in the Middle]]'', and ''[[Arrested Development]]''.

As the decade wore on, Fox began surpassing ABC and NBC in the ratings, first in age demographics, then in overall viewership, and placed second behind a resurgent CBS in total viewership, beginning in [[2001–02 United States network television schedule|2002]]. Fox hit a major milestone in [[2004–05 United States network television schedule|2005]] when it emerged as the most-watched U.S. broadcast network in the lucrative 18–49 demographic for the first time, largely boosted by the strength of the reality singing competition series ''[[American Idol]]''. Regarded as the single most dominant program on 21st-century U.S. television, as well as the first Fox show to lead the Nielsen seasonal ratings, ''American Idol'' had peak audiences of up to 38&nbsp;million viewers during the [[American Idol season 2|2003 season finale]] and double-season average audiences of around 31&nbsp;million viewers in [[American Idol season 5|2006]] and [[American Idol season 6|2007]]. Subsequently, it leapfrogged over Fox's Big Three competition to become the highest-rated U.S. television program overall starting with the [[American Idol season 3|2003–04 season]], becoming the first reality singing competition series in the country to reach first place in the seasonal ratings.

''American Idol'' remains the most recent U.S. television program to date to lead the national prime time ratings and attract at least 30&nbsp;million viewers for multiple and consecutive television seasons. It is the most-watched program on U.S. television by seasonal average viewership in the 2000s decade, as well as the most recent program scheduled to have successfully established a [[graveyard slot]] on U.S. television since the end of NBC's ''[[Friends]]'' in 2004 and the subsequent decline of NBC's previously dominant "[[Must See TV]]" Thursday timeblock. By 2005, reality television succeeded sitcoms as the most popular form of entertainment in the United States as a result of Fox's rise with ''American Idol'' and NBC's network declines. ''House'', which aired as ''American Idol''{{'}}s lead-out program on Tuesday nights, earned international prominence in the 21st century and became Fox's first prime time drama series (and the network's third program overall) to reach the Nielsen Top 10 beginning [[2005–06 United States network television schedule|2006]].

Beginning [[2003–04 United States network television schedule|2004]], CBS and Fox, which ranked as the two most-watched broadcast networks in the U.S. during the 2000s, have tended to equal one another in [[Demographics|demographic ratings]] among general viewership, with both networks winning certain demographics by narrow margins; however, while Fox has the youngest-skewing viewer base, CBS is consistently regarded to have the oldest audience demographics among the major broadcast networks. Fox hit a milestone in February 2005 by scoring its first [[Nielsen ratings#Sweeps|sweeps]] victory in total viewership and demographic ratings, boosted largely by its broadcast of [[Super Bowl XXXIX]] and the strengths of ''American Idol'', ''24'', ''House'', and ''The O.C''.

In September 2006, as a result of the increasing number of over-the-air Fox affiliates and the increased availability of digital subchannels carrying Fox in certain markets, Foxnet was discontinued. Then, a sweeping milestone came by the conclusion of the [[2007–08 United States network television schedule|2007–08 season]] on May 21, 2008, shortly after the widely acclaimed [[American Idol season 7|seventh-season finale]] of ''American Idol'', when Fox outranked longtime leader CBS as the most-watched television network overall in the United States, attributed to the strengths of [[Super Bowl XLII]] and its NFL game coverages, ''Idol'' and ''House'' during that season. To date, Fox is the only non-Big Three network to top the overall Nielsen ratings since its inception in the [[1950-1951 United States network television schedule|1950–51 season]].<ref name="wapo"/>

In the late 2000s, Fox launched a few series that proved to be powerful hits in different respects. In 2007, the network began production on the game shows ''[[Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader? (American game show)|Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?]]'' and ''[[Don't Forget the Lyrics! (American game show)|Don't Forget the Lyrics!]]''; both shows ran for a total of three seasons each, making them the longest-running game shows in Fox's history. In 2008, the supernatural mystery series ''[[Fringe (TV series)|Fringe]]'' debuted to moderate ratings but earned critical acclaim during its first season on Tuesdays. Throughout its run, the series developed a large loyal fanbase that turned the show into a cult favorite. In 2009, ''[[Glee (TV series)|Glee]]'' premiered to average ratings when its pilot aired as a lead-out program of the [[American Idol season 8|eighth-season finale]] of ''American Idol'', but earned positive reviews from critics. The cast of the series has been acknowledged by [[Barack Obama]] and [[Oprah Winfrey]], who have each asked the cast to perform live for various national events.

===2010–2017: Network's ratings collapse and revamp in network programming===
At the beginning of the 2010s, new comedies ''[[Raising Hope]]'' and ''[[New Girl]]'' gave Fox its first live-action comedy successes in years. The [[Glee season 2|second season]] of ''Glee'' delivered that series' highest ratings during the [[2010–11 United States network television schedule|2010–11]] season, with viewership peaking during its [[List of Super Bowl lead-out programs|Super Bowl lead-out]] [[The Sue Sylvester Shuffle|episode]] in February 2011 (marking the most expensive post-Super Bowl episode ever produced on U.S. television). The said show has continuously attracted worldwide media attention that it formed a large, loyal international fanbase. At the same time, Fox's live telecast of the [[Super Bowl XLV]] helped Fox emerge as the first U.S. television network to earn an average single-night prime time audience of at least 100&nbsp;million viewers.<ref>{{cite news|title=Super Bowl XLV Most Watched TV Show; Post-Game 'Glee' Trails 'Undercover Boss'|url=https://deadline.com/2011/02/the-super-bowl-tied-as-highest-rated-ever-104171/|first=Nellie|last=Andreeva|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|date=February 2011|access-date=September 14, 2014}}</ref>

''American Idol'' lost its first place standing among all network prime time programs during the [[American Idol season 11|2011–12 finale]] (falling to second that season behind ''[[NBC Sunday Night Football]]''), ending the [[List of most-watched television broadcasts|longest streak at#1]] for a prime time broadcast network series in U.S. television history, through its eight-year ratings domination in both the Adults 18–49 demographic and total viewership. ''Idol'' also remained in the Nielsen Top 10 for eleven years from [[2002–03 United States network television schedule|2003]] to [[2012–13 United States network television schedule|2013]], and became the highest-rated non-[[broadcasting of sports events|sports]] prime time television program as well as the highest-rated reality series in the United States from 2003 to 2012. these records marked the longest Nielsen ratings streaks of any Fox program in these categories.

The 2012 season finale of ''American Idol'' marked the end of the season-long 25th anniversary of the establishment of Fox network, helping it win in the 18–49 demographic for the eighth consecutive season, the longest such streak according to Nielsen measurement records (and still standing as of {{CURRENTYEAR}}). However, Fox suffered a collapse in viewership during the [[2012-13 United States network television schedule|2012–13 season]]; ''American Idol'' and ''Glee'' suffered steep ratings declines, while the network as a whole fell to third place (suffering an overall decrease by 22%) in total viewership and to second place in the 18–49 demographic (where it remained {{as of|2014|lc=y}}) by the end of the season.

The decline in ratings continued into the [[2013–14 United States network television schedule|2013–14 season]], with Fox placing fourth among the major networks in total viewership for the first time since [[2000–01 United States network television schedule|2001]]. Subsequently, on January 13, 2014, Fox announced that it would abandon its use of the standard concept of greenlighting shows through the initial order of pilot episodes during the designated "pilot season" (running from January through April), instead opting to pick up shows directly to series.<ref>{{cite news|title=Fox to abandon pilot system, reveals network's chairman Kevin Reilly|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/news/a543703/fox-to-abandon-pilot-system-reveals-networks-chairman-kevin-reilly.html|first=Meg|last=Drewett|website=[[Digital Spy]]|date=January 13, 2014}}</ref>

Fox scored renewed ratings successes with its February 2014 live telecast of [[Super Bowl XLVIII]], which became the [[List of most-watched television broadcasts|second most-watched television broadcast]] (by average) in U.S. history, and the lead-out programs that followed this event – ''New Girl'' and ''[[Brooklyn Nine-Nine]]''. Later, in May 2014, [[Kevin Reilly (executive)|Kevin Reilly]] announced that he would resign as chairman of Fox Entertainment.<ref>{{cite news|title=Outgoing Fox Chief Kevin Reilly on Why He is Leaving, the State of Fox, What's Next, Job at Turner|url=https://deadline.com/2014/05/outgoing-fox-chief-kevin-reilly-on-why-he-is-leaving-the-state-of-fox-whats-next-job-at-turner-737605/|first=Nellie|last=Andreeva|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|date=May 2014}}</ref> On July 15, 2014, then-corporate parent [[21st Century Fox]] announced that it would merge the operations of the network and [[20th Century Fox Television]] into the newly created Fox Television Group, with 20th Century Fox Television co-chairpersons [[Dana Walden]] and Gary Newman appointed to head the division.<ref>{{cite news|title=Dana Walden and Gary Newman to Lead New Fox Television Group|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/15/business/media/dana-walden-and-gary-newman-to-lead-new-fox-television-group.html?_r=0|first=Emily|last=Steel|newspaper=The New York Times|date=July 15, 2014}}</ref>

The [[2014–15 United States network television schedule|2014–15 season]] saw the series finale of ''Glee'' and debut of hits in the freshmen dramas ''[[Gotham (TV series)|Gotham]]'' (based on the [[Batman]] mythos) and the [[Lee Daniels]]-produced ''[[Empire (2015 TV series)|Empire]]''. Ratings for ''Empire'', in particular, increased week-to-week throughout its first season, becoming the network's first successful ''American Idol'' lead-out since ''House'', as well as the first American television program to consistently increase its episode-to-episode viewership during its first five weeks since the [[1991–92 United States network television schedule|1992]] feat set by ABC's ''[[Roseanne]]''. ''Empire'' ended its inaugural season as the first U.S. television show ever to increase its episodic viewership on a consistent basis throughout the course of a single season, as well as Fox's fourth program overall (and the first since the [[American Idol season 12|2013 finale]] of ''American Idol'') to enter the Nielsen Top 10 by the end of the 2014–15 season.<ref>{{cite web|title=Fox's 'Empire' Sets Growth Standard|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/83608/foxs-empire-sets-growth-standard|first=David|last=Bauder|agency=Associated Press|website=TVNewsCheck|publisher=NewsCheck Media|date=March 10, 2015|access-date=March 12, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Empire Finale Ratings Are Here and Just Bonkers|url=http://www.eonline.com/news/637444/empire-finale-ratings-are-here-and-just-bonkers|first=Chris|last=Harnick|website=[[E!]] Online|date=May 19, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Full 2014–15 TV Season Series Rankings: Football & 'Empire' Ruled |url=https://deadline.com/2015/05/2014-15-full-tv-season-ratings-shows-rankings-1201431167/ |first=Lisa |last=de Moraes |website=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |date=May 21, 2015 |access-date=May 23, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150522054915/http://deadline.com/2015/05/2014-15-full-tv-season-ratings-shows-rankings-1201431167/ |archive-date=May 22, 2015 }}</ref>

The [[2015–16 United States network television schedule|2015–16 season]] marked a notable turnaround for Fox, as it jumped ahead of ABC to third place in nationwide ratings (both in overall viewership and in the 18–49 demo) and posted several firsts for the network and on U.S. television. Its improvement was boosted by the transfer of the [[Miss Universe]] and [[Miss USA]] pageants from NBC, as well as shows such as ''[[Grease: Live]]'', ''Empire'' and the return of ''[[The X-Files]]'' after its most recent season ending in 2002. ''Grease: Live'' became the first live American television musical special of the 21st century to be broadcast in front of a live studio audience (as well as the first ever live musical special aired by a non-Big Three network on primetime).

By 2016, ''[[Empire season 2|Empire]]'' and ''[[The X-Files season 10|The X-Files]]'' ranked in the Nielsen Top 10 for the season, the first season with 2 Fox programs entering the top rankings since the ''American Idol''-''House'' tandem of the 2007–2008 season (and the first ever season that Fox achieved such rankings without ''American Idol'' or any other reality television show from Fox in the Top 10). The same year also marked the [[American Idol season 15|finale]] of ''American Idol'' in its original run on Fox after airing for fifteen seasons, ending an era of one of the most successful shows in U.S. television history.

In February 2017, Fox broadcast [[Super Bowl LI]], which attracted an average 111.3&nbsp;million viewers—ranking among the top five most-watched Super Bowl games, and the second-highest audience in network history behind Super Bowl XLVIII.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Perez|first=A. J.|title=Super Bowl LI viewership ranks among top five|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2017/02/06/super-bowl-li-falcons-patriots-tv-rating-fox/97546162/|access-date=2020-11-19|website=USA Today|language=en-US}}</ref>

In March 2017, Rob Wade was named Fox's new president of alternative entertainment and specials Rob Wade; he had previously worked as a showrunner for ''[[Dancing with the Stars (American TV series)|Dancing with the Stars]]'', as head of entertainment for [[BBC Worldwide]], and as executive producer of ''[[America's Got Talent]]'' and ''The X Factor''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Maas |first=Jennifer |date=2022-10-06 |title=Rob Wade Upped to CEO of Fox Entertainment |url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/rob-wade-fox-entertainment-ceo-promotion-1235395225/ |access-date=2022-10-19 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== 2018–present: Sale of studios to Disney, focus on non-scripted and sports programming ===
On July 27, 2018, in a deal first announced December 2017, and completed March 20, 2019,<ref name="spinoffdate-variety">{{cite web |last1=Littleton |first1=Cynthia |title=Disney Sets March 20 Closing Date for 21st Century Fox Acquisition |url=https://variety.com/2019/biz/news/disney-march-20-close-21st-century-fox-acquisition-1203161135/ |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |access-date=March 15, 2019 |language=en |date=March 12, 2019}}</ref> 21st Century Fox shareholders agreed to [[Acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney|sell most of its key assets]] (including [[20th Century Fox]] and [[FX Networks]]) to [[The Walt Disney Company]] for $71.3&nbsp;billion, following the spin-off of certain businesses. The sale did not include the Fox Broadcasting Company and television stations or the Fox Sports, Fox News, and Fox Business cable channels, which were to be maintained under a company tentatively referred to as "[[Fox Corporation|New Fox]]".<ref name="Disney - Fox deal approved">{{cite web|last1=Hayes|first1=Dade|last2=Chmielewski|first2=Dawn|title=Disney And Fox Shareholders Give Historic Merger Votes Of Approval|url=https://deadline.com/2018/07/disney-fox-shareholders-give-historic-merger-vote-of-approval-1202434925/|work=Deadline Hollywood|date=July 27, 2018|access-date=July 27, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/shareholders-approve-disneys-acquisition-of-fox-entertainment-assets-1532701190|title=Shareholders Approve Walt Disney Deal for 21st Century Fox Assets|last1=Schwartzel|first1=Erich|last2=Hagey|first2=Keach|work=The Wall Street Journal|date=July 27, 2018|access-date=July 27, 2018}}</ref> Because Disney already owns the American Broadcasting Company (ABC), the acquisition of the Fox network by Disney would have been illegal under the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)'s rules prohibiting a merger between any of the four major broadcast networks.<ref>{{cite news|last=Johnson|first=Ted|title=A Disney-Fox Deal Would Land at an Uncertain Moment for DOJ Review of Big Media|url=https://variety.com/2017/politics/news/disney-fox-antitrust-1202631193/|work=Variety|date=December 5, 2017|access-date=December 15, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171215111505/http://variety.com/2017/politics/news/disney-fox-antitrust-1202631193/|archive-date=December 15, 2017}}</ref> As a result of the Disney/Fox deal, and with the [[2019 merger of CBS and Viacom|merger of CBS and Viacom]] on December 4, 2019, Fox has become the only major U.S. broadcast network without attachment to any [[film studio]].

It was acknowledged that Fox had placed a larger emphasis on its sports programming in its first upfronts since the deal was announced, including the acquisitions of the NFL's ''[[Thursday Night Football]]'' package and rights to the [[FIFA World Cup]]. It was also noted that Fox had been increasingly pivoting towards programs that could generate large audiences, as opposed to ones that become successful primarily through critical acclaim. On June 27, 2018, [[WWE]] announced that ''[[WWE SmackDown|SmackDown]]'' would move to Fox on Friday nights beginning October 4, 2019, following its run on [[USA Network]], under a five-year contract valued at $205&nbsp;million per-year.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/fox-wwe-close-five-year-deal-bring-smackdown-network-1123487|title=Fox and WWE Close Five-Year Deal to Bring 'SmackDown' to Network|last=Guthrie|first=Marisa|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=June 27, 2018|access-date=June 27, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/extra-mustard/2018/06/27/wwe-fox-smackdown-live-usa-monday-night-raw-five-year-deal|title=Cord cutting, millennials can't stop Vince McMahon and WWE|last=Traina|first=Jimmy|magazine=Sports Illustrated|date=June 27, 2018|access-date=June 27, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/business/wp/2018/05/15/what-the-fox-television-network-could-look-like-after-the-disney-acquisition/|title=Analysis {{!}} What the Fox television network could look like after the Disney acquisition|newspaper=Washington Post|language=en|access-date=2018-07-30}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.adweek.com/tv-video/until-foxs-post-disney-future-becomes-clearer-some-tv-writers-may-keep-their-distance/|title=Until Fox's Post-Disney Future Becomes Clearer, Some TV Writers May Keep Their Distance|work=Adweek|access-date=2018-07-30|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/fox-broadcasting-future-murdoch-shakeup-1202809801/|title=Fox Broadcasting Faces Radical Changes — and No One Knows the End Result|last=Holloway|first=Daniel|date=2018-05-15|work=Variety|access-date=2018-07-30|language=en-US}}</ref> The network also began to increase its non-scripted output, announcing the new celebrity music competition series ''[[The Masked Singer (American TV series)|The Masked Singer]]'' (based on the South Korean format ''[[King of Mask Singer]]''), and the new game shows ''[[Mental Samurai]]'' and ''[[Spin the Wheel (game show)|Spin the Wheel]]'' for the 2018–19 season.<ref name="deadline-newfoxindie"/>

In August 2018, Fox Television Group CEO Dana Walden stated that the network planned to commission and acquire more series from "independent" studios not co-owned with the Big Three networks, explaining that the [[vertical integration]] of the major broadcast networks (including Fox itself) with associated studios had limited opportunities for outside studios, and cited several top programs that were distributed by third-parties, such as ''[[The Big Bang Theory]]'' and ''[[This Is Us]]'' (produced by [[Warner Bros. Television]] and 20th Television for CBS and NBC respectively). There were also plans for Fox to acquire new pitches directly from their writers, and offer them to outside producers. As part of the transition, Fox aimed to gradually reduce the amount of scripted programming development coming from 20th Television, although stalwarts such as ''The Simpsons'' would remain with the network.<ref name="deadline-newfoxindie">{{Cite news|url=https://deadline.com/2018/08/new-fox-plans-independent-studios-program-ownership-tca-dana-walden-gary-newman-1202438665/|title=Fox Bosses Lay Out "New Fox" Plans To Court Independent Studios, Take Program Ownership – TCA|last=Andreeva|first=Nellie|date=2018-08-02|work=Deadline|access-date=2018-08-02|language=en-US}}</ref>

Following the completion of the sale, network head Dana Walden became chairwoman of Disney Television Studios and ABC Entertainment. [[AMC (TV network)|AMC]] president Charlie Collier succeeded Gary Newman as chairman and CEO of Fox on November 1, 2018. Newman was expected to temporarily remain with Fox in a transitional role, to oversee the corporate transition.<ref>{{Cite news|url= https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/amcs-charlie-collier-run-fox-network-gary-newman-exit-1154001|title=AMC's Charlie Collier to Run Fox Network; Gary Newman to Exit|work=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=2018-11-22|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/19/business/media/fox-network-charlie-collier.html|title=Fox Network Is Replacing Chief With Charlie Collier of AMC|work=The New York Times|date=October 20, 2018 |access-date=2018-11-22|language=en|last1=Koblin |first1=John }}</ref><ref name=nov16bombshell>{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/channing-dungey-abc-karey-burke-1203031129/|title=Channing Dungey Exits ABC; Karey Burke Named Network President|last=Holloway|first=Daniel|date=2018-11-16|work=Variety|access-date=2018-11-22|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/channing-dungey-exits-abc-karey-burke-take-as-entertainment-president-1162211|title=Channing Dungey Exits ABC; Karey Burke to Take Over as Entertainment President|work=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=2018-11-22|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/disney-fox-peter-rice-dana-walden-analysis-1202972856/|title=Analysis: Peter Rice, Dana Walden Tasked With Forging New Path for Production at Enlarged Disney |last=Littleton|first=Cynthia|date=2018-10-08|work=Variety|access-date=2018-11-22|language=en-US}}</ref> The start of 2019 saw ''The Masked Singer'' premiere to Fox's highest ratings for a non-scripted premiere without an NFL lead-in since 2011, and record the largest-ever Nielsen ratings gain for a non-scripted series after three days of delayed viewership.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/masked-singer-ratings-1203101918/ |title='The Masked Singer' Scores Biggest Live+3 Lift Ever for Unscripted Series|last=Holloway|first=Daniel|date=2019-01-07|website=Variety|language=en}}</ref><ref name= "deadline-maskedsingerpremiere">{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/01/the-masked-singer-premiere-hippo-wins-wednesday-ratings-1202528469/|title='The Masked Singer' Hippo Reveal Marks Best Unscripted Series Launch In 7 Years|website=Deadline|access-date= 2019-01-14 |date=January 3, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/live-plus-7-ratings-week-of-dec-31-masked-singer-1203114367/|title=Live+7 Ratings for Week of Dec. 31: 'Masked Singer' Premiere Grows by 40 Percent|last=Otterson |first= Joe |date= 2019-01-22|website=Variety|language=en|access-date=2019-01-28}}</ref> On January 30, 2019, Fox ordered a second season, while the first-season finale saw an average audience of 11.5&nbsp;million viewers.<ref>{{Cite web |url= https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/masked-singer-season-finale-ratings-1203151933/|title=TV Ratings: 'Masked Singer' Dominates With Season Finale|last=Otterson|first=Joe|date= 2019-02-28 |website=Variety|language=en|access-date=2019-05-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2019/01/the-masked-singer-renewed-season-2-fox-1202545353/|title='The Masked Singer' Renewed For Season 2 By Fox|last=Petski|first=Denise|date= 2019-01-30 |website=Deadline|language=en|access-date=2019-05-14}}</ref>

With the completion of Disney's purchase the next day, the "New Fox" entity, officially named Fox Corporation, formally began trading on March 19, 2019.<ref name="spinoffdate-variety"/> At its 2019–20 upfronts, Fox announced 10 new scripted series for the upcoming season, with three (''[[Almost Family]]'', ''[[Bless the Harts]]'', and ''[[Prodigal Son (TV series)|Prodigal Son]]'') slated for the fall lineup, as well as the second and third seasons of ''The Masked Singer'' — scheduled for October 2019 and February 2020 respectively (with the latter premiering [[List of Super Bowl lead-out programs|after]] [[Super Bowl LIV]]).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/fox-2019-20-schedule-masked-singer-1203212653/|title=Fox 2019–20 Schedule Loads Up for Midseason as Network Juggles Scripted and Sports|last=Littleton|first=Cynthia|date=2019-05-13|website=Variety|language=en|access-date=2019-05-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/fox-masked-singer-super-bowl-1203212682/|title=Fox Will Place 'Masked Singer' After Super Bowl|last=Steinberg|first=Brian|date=2019-05-13|website=Variety|language=en|access-date=2019-05-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/2019-upfronts-season-fox-volume-greg-berlanti-1203212826/|title=2019 Upfronts Season: New Fox Makes a Statement, Volume Holds Nearly Steady|last=Otterson|first=Joe|date=2019-05-13|website=Variety|language=en|access-date=2019-05-14}}</ref> Fox also established a new in-house studio, Fox Alternative Entertainment, for investments in non-scripted formats. It is led by Rob Wade, while its first production was the [[The Masked Singer (American season 2)|second season]] of ''The Masked Singer'' (after season 1 was produced by [[Endemol Shine North America]]).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/fox-launching-unscripted-studio-masked-singer-1209087|title=Fox Launching Unscripted Studio With 'The Masked Singer' (Exclusive)|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=May 9, 2019|language=en|access-date=2019-08-17}}</ref>

''Thursday Night Football'' finished as the second highest-rated series of the 2018–19 television season in the [[key demographic]], behind only ''Sunday Night Football'', while ''The Masked Singer'' finished tied for third with ''The Big Bang Theory'' and ''This Is Us''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Porter|first=Rick|date=June 10, 2019|title=2018–19 TV Season: Live-Plus-7 Ratings for Every Broadcast Series|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/live-7-ratings-broadcast-tv-series-2018-19-1217293|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200527085042/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/live-7-ratings-broadcast-tv-series-2018-19-1217293|archive-date=May 27, 2020|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}</ref> In the 2019–20, ''Thursday Night Football'' and ''The Masked Singer'' once again finished as the second and third highest-rated programs in the key demographic, and Fox finished the season as the highest-rated network among viewers 18–49 (with CBS leading in overall viewers).<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Mitovich |first1=Matt Webb |date=2020-05-15 |title=Fox Wins 2019–20 TV Season in Demo, CBS Tops Viewers for 12th Straight Year |url=https://tvline.com/2020/05/15/ratings-tv-season-2019-2020-rankings-fox-911-masked-singer/ |access-date=2022-10-02 |website=TVLine |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="S2/3AvgRatings">{{cite web|last=Porter|first=Rick|date=June 4, 2020|title=TV Ratings: 7-Day Season Averages for Every 2019–20 Broadcast Series|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/tv-ratings-7-day-season-averages-2019-20-broadcast-series-1297228|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200606003358/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/tv-ratings-7-day-season-averages-2019-20-broadcast-series-1297228|archive-date=June 6, 2020|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}</ref> Fox repeated this victory in the 2020–21 season, but was narrowly beaten by NBC for 2021–22 by a tenth of a ratings share.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-05 |title=2021–22 TV Season Program Rankings: 'Sunday Night Football', 'This Is Us' Final Chapter & 'NCIS' Lead Top 40 |url=https://deadline.com/2022/06/2021-22-tv-season-rankings-nbc-football-this-is-us-ncis-win-top-40-1235037095/ |access-date=2022-10-02 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref> In October 2022, Collier stepped down to join [[Roku, Inc.|Roku]], with Rob Wade promoted to president and CEO of Fox Entertainment.<ref name=":0" /> That season, Fox would lose ''Thursday Night Football'' to [[Amazon Prime Video]].<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |title=Amazon Prime Video to be exclusive 'TNF' home starting in 2022 |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/amazon-prime-video-to-be-exclusive-tnf-home-starting-in-2022 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210503170419/https://www.nfl.com/news/amazon-prime-video-to-be-exclusive-tnf-home-starting-in-2022 |archive-date=2021-05-03 |access-date=2021-05-03 |website=NFL.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

In May 2023, Fox dropped its procedural drama ''[[9-1-1 (TV series)|9-1-1]]'' after six seasons. It had been the network's scripted tentpole since 2018. As a 20th Television production, ABC would subsequently pick up the series for a seventh season. Its spin-off ''[[9-1-1: Lone Star]]'' would remain on Fox for the time being, with a renewal for a fifth season.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=2023-05-01 |title='9–1–1' Moving From Fox To ABC For Season 7 |url=https://deadline.com/2023/05/9-1-1-canceled-fox-move-abc-season-7-1235351504/ |access-date=2023-05-15 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=2023-05-01 |title='9–1–1: Lone Star' Renewed For Season 5 By Fox |url=https://deadline.com/2023/05/9-1-1-lone-star-renewed-season-5-fox-1235351506/ |access-date=2023-05-15 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref> In September 2024, it was announced that ''9-1-1: Lone Star'' would conclude after its fifth season; it was the last 20th Television-produced drama to still air on the network.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=2024-09-05 |title='9-1-1: Lone Star' To End With Season 5 On Fox |url=https://deadline.com/2024/09/911-lone-star-canceled-final-season-5-1236077828/ |access-date=2024-11-03 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref> Fox would lose ''SmackDown'' to [[USA Network]] in September 2024; as a replacement, Fox would begin a strategy of regular sports programming on Friday nights, beginning with a package of primetime college football games. The new package would leverage Fox's contract extension with the [[Big Ten Conference]], which included options for the network to carry Friday-night games after the addition of west coast teams to the conference.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Crupi |first=Anthony |date=2024-06-14 |title=Friday Night Lights: Fox Primed for New College Football Window |url=https://www.sportico.com/business/media/2024/fox-friday-college-football-window-replaces-wwe-1234784120/ |access-date=2024-08-12 |website=Sportico.com |language=en-US}}</ref>