FX (TV channel)
| File:FX Network logo.svg Logo used since 2013 | |
| Company type | Pay television network |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment |
| Predecessor | Fox Extended (initial name) |
| Founded | June 1, 1994 in United States |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
Area served | United States (approx. 71 million pay television households as of November 2023) |
| Owner | FX Networks (a division of Disney Entertainment, part of The Walt Disney Company) |
| Website | www |
FX (initially known as Fox Extended) is a United States-based pay television network owned by FX Networks, which operates under the umbrella of Disney Entertainment, a division of The Walt Disney Company. Headquartered at the Fox Studios complex in Los Angeles, FX was introduced by News Corporation on June 1, 1994. It became part of Disney’s portfolio following the 2019 acquisition of 21st Century Fox. The channel delivers original content crafted to meet premium cable benchmarks, featuring mature subject matter along with distinguished writing, directing, and performances. Its affiliated channels, FXM and FXX, debuted in 1994 and 2013 respectively. FX also broadcasts reruns of theatrical movies and sitcoms previously aired on broadcast networks. The network previously offered an ad-free subscription service called FX+, which was discontinued on August 21, 2019; ad-free programming was subsequently integrated into Hulu.
As of November 2023, FX is accessible in roughly 71 million pay television households across the United States, a decline from its peak distribution of 99 million in 2011. Internationally, the "FX" brand is licensed for related pay-TV channels.
1994–1997: "TV Made Fresh Daily"
Debuting on June 1, 1994, FX—originally branded as "fX"—broadcasted from an apartment located in Manhattan’s Flatiron District. This launch marked an early large-scale foray into interactive television, combining live original programming produced within the "fX Apartment" with reruns of classic series from the 1960s through the 1980s, including titles like The Fall Guy, Batman, and Wonder Woman. The network promoted itself with slogans such as "TV Made Fresh Daily" and "The World's First Living Television Network". The lowercase "f" was intended to convey an informal and approachable tone, while the stylized "X" alluded to the iconic searchlight logo of 20th Century Fox.
Live broadcasts covered a wide range of subjects with shows like Personal fX (focused on collectibles), The Pet Department (pets), Under Scrutiny with Jane Wallace (news analysis), and Sound fX (music). Its flagship program, Breakfast Time, hosted by Laurie Hibberd and Tom Bergeron and inspired by the British series The Big Breakfast, offered a casual magazine-style format. Regular contributors such as Suzanne Whang and Phil Keoghan reported live segments from various locations nationwide. Other prominent figures included Karyn Bryant and Orlando Jones.
Viewer engagement was central to fX’s concept, pioneering the use of e-mail and internet platforms to receive immediate audience feedback. Programs frequently incorporated responses to viewer messages during broadcasts. The show Backchat, hosted by Jeff Probst, was dedicated solely to audience correspondence. Select viewers were invited to participate live from the apartment studio. Additionally, hosts maintained audience interaction during commercial breaks by providing news updates and promoting upcoming content.
In 1995, Liberty Media purchased a 50% interest in fX as part of a collaboration with News Corporation to establish Fox Sports Net. This partnership positioned fX as a future national outlet for Fox Sports programming.
Although based in New York City, fX was initially not carried by major local provider Time Warner Cable until September 2001.
Gradually, live programming diminished until only Personal fX continued airing. In mid-1996, Breakfast Time transitioned to the Fox broadcast network under the title Fox After Breakfast but was canceled within a year due to poor ratings. By mid-1997, FX had shifted its focus exclusively to classic television reruns ahead of a relaunch. The final episode of Personal fX aired on May 1, 1998. During summer 1998, FX vacated the apartment location and merged its operations with other Fox subscription services.
1997–2001: "Fox Gone Cable" Era
At the beginning of 1997, fX was rebranded as "FX: Fox Gone Cable," with a focus on attracting male viewers aged 18 to 49. During this period, FX's programming largely consisted of reruns from Fox series such as The X-Files and Married... with Children, alongside shows produced by 20th Century Fox, including M*A*S*H and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The network also incorporated Major League Baseball broadcasts and broadened its sports offerings to feature NASCAR events by 2001.
In the summer of 1998, FX ventured into original programming with series like Bobcat's Big Ass Show, Instant Comedy with the Groundlings, and Penn & Teller's Sin City Spectacular. However, these shows were discontinued within a year. The channel soon abandoned the "Fox Gone Cable" slogan. By 1999, FX introduced new original content such as Son of the Beach, a parody of Baywatch executive produced by Howard Stern, along with the male-targeted talk show The X Show. The network acquired syndication rights for popular pay-TV series including Ally McBeal, NYPD Blue, and The Practice at unprecedented costs, though their primetime ratings fell short of expectations. As a result, FX increasingly relied on films during prime viewing hours, capitalizing on the transfer of first-run movie rights from broadcast networks to cable.
2002–2007: Rise in Original Content
From 2002 onward, FX established itself firmly within original pay television by delivering provocative dramas. It launched the groundbreaking police series The Shield, followed by critically praised shows such as Nip/Tuck and Denis Leary's firefighter drama Rescue Me, which explored life in post-9/11 New York City. Both productions earned critical acclaim and commercial success; notably, FX renewed Rescue Me for an 18-episode sixth season prior to airing its fifth.
FX set itself apart by embracing more mature content, with the majority of its original programming rated TV-MA due to explicit language, sexual themes, or violence. Although organizations like the Parents Television Council called for advertiser boycotts, the network received recognition for compelling narratives and well-developed characters.
Building on the impact of the documentary Super Size Me, filmmaker Morgan Spurlock debuted the series 30 Days in 2005. This show placed participants in challenging situations for a month to investigate various social topics.
During summer 2005, FX premiered two comedies: Starved, focusing on friends dealing with eating disorders in New York City, and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, which follows politically incorrect exploits of bar owners. While Starved was canceled after one season amid controversy and low viewership, Sunny quickly gained critical praise and a strong audience. The addition of Danny DeVito in its second season further elevated its status; as of 2024, it holds the record as the longest-running live-action sitcom in U.S. television history.
In 2006, FX introduced reality program Black. White. and drama miniseries Thief, neither of which were renewed. The following year featured dramas such as Dirt, starring Courteney Cox, The Riches with Eddie Izzard and Minnie Driver, and Damages starring Glenn Close, Ted Danson, and Rose Byrne, all securing second seasons due to strong ratings. By 2008, FX's distribution reached approximately 90.6 million households across the United States.
2008–2018: Later Developments
In 2008, FX introduced a branding initiative titled "There Is No Box," emphasizing its original content aimed at rivaling premium networks such as HBO. The logo underwent a redesign on December 18, 2007, simplifying the emblem to feature only the FX wordmark and eliminating the previous searchlight elements. This campaign included a post-game commercial aired during Fox's Super Bowl XLII broadcast, featuring James Morrison's track "You Give Me Something."
That year saw heightened competition, mirrored by declining viewership for series like Dirt and The Riches, both of which were canceled in 2008 along with acquired programs such as Dharma and Greg and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
On September 3, 2008, FX debuted Sons of Anarchy, created by Kurt Sutter, which achieved both critical acclaim and commercial success, averaging 4.9 million viewers weekly by 2010—making it FX’s highest-rated show at that time. Other launches included the comedy series Testees, which was discontinued after one season. Additionally, in August 2008, FX revamped its website to offer full episodes of its original programming via streaming.
In July 2009, FX commissioned three comedy pilots: the animated espionage series Archer (which premiered in January 2010), The League, centered on a fantasy football group, and Louie, which combined stand-up routines with narrative storytelling. The following year, FX premiered Wilfred, starring Elijah Wood, adapted from an Australian original.
March 2010 marked the premiere of Justified, featuring Timothy Olyphant as U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens. That year also saw the addition of critically praised but short-lived shows like Terriers and later Lights Out, both canceled after one season due to modest ratings. John Landgraf, president of FX Networks, later described canceling Terriers as "one of the most painful moments" in his professional life.
Towards the end of 2010, FX faced carriage disputes with Dish Network and Cablevision but ultimately resolved these issues through long-term agreements that restored channel availability.
On October 14, 2011, FX secured rights to develop a television series based on autobiographical works by Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman Anthony Kiedis and his father; however, by 2013 this project was shelved. On January 30, 2013, FX premiered the Cold War-themed drama The Americans.
In 2013, FX underwent a rebranding alongside its comedy-centric sister channel FXX, adopting the slogan "Fearless" to signify its dedication to bold and unconventional programming—a direction articulated by John Landgraf.
2019–Present: Under Disney Ownership
On March 20, 2019, the Walt Disney Company completed its acquisition of 21st Century Fox, incorporating FX Networks into the newly renamed Walt Disney Television division. FX CEO John Landgraf expressed measured optimism regarding how this merger would influence the network's identity.
FX Networks secured off-network rights on April 8, 2019, for Family Guy (beginning with season 16) and Bob's Burgers (starting with season 9). Family Guy premiered on FXX on April 16, 2019, sharing broadcast rights with sister network Freeform. Following the expiration of WarnerMedia’s rights to earlier seasons in September 2021, rerun exclusivity consolidated under FX Networks and Freeform, with full control over Bob's Burgers anticipated by 2023.
After Comcast exited Hulu on May 14, 2019, Hulu became a division within Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer & International, with Comcast retaining silent partnership status. In November that year, FX announced plans to produce original content for Hulu under the "FX on Hulu" banner, shifting several shows originally intended for traditional FX cable premieres to debut on Hulu instead. Episodes aired on FX cable were made available on Hulu the subsequent day.
On June 11, 2019, Hulu and FX secured a two-year output agreement for Lionsgate films released in 2020 and 2021, broadening their content offerings.
In December 2021, Disney simplified the "FX on Hulu" brand to just "FX," aiming to unify and strengthen brand recognition. The FX label gained increased visibility across Disney’s international streaming services such as Disney+ (Star) and Star+.
By 2024, FX achieved its first Primetime Emmy Award for Best Drama with Shōgun, which amassed a record-breaking total of eighteen Emmy wins—underscoring FX's expanding prominence in premium television production.
Programming
Among FX's standout original productions are Justified, Damages, Nip/Tuck, Rescue Me, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The League, Sons of Anarchy, The Shield, The Strain, Archer, American Horror Story, Anger Management, The Americans, Better Things, Louie, You're the Worst, Fargo, American Crime Story, Legion, Snowfall and Atlanta.
In addition to original content, FX features theatrical films from affiliated studios such as Walt Disney Pictures, Marvel Studios, and 20th Century Studios, complemented by movies from other major studios including Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Universal Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Lionsgate Films, Warner Bros. Pictures, and DreamWorks Animation. These films primarily occupy the channel’s primetime and weekend programming slots. FX also broadcasts reruns of popular network sitcoms like Two and a Half Men and How I Met Your Mother. Traditionally, FX’s acquired programming has included numerous shows originally aired on Fox throughout the late 1980s to early 2000s, such as That '70s Show and Married... with Children.
Sports programming
During its ownership by News Corporation and later 21st Century Fox, FX functioned as an auxiliary platform for Fox Sports content; following the Disney acquisition, it has aired sports programming produced by ESPN.
FX began collaborating with Fox Sports in 2001 to broadcast NASCAR events, covering races from the Busch Series and Winston Cup. This partnership aimed to enhance FX’s visibility and broaden its reach from 58.5 million to 76.6 million households. The channel ended its NASCAR broadcasts in 2007 when ESPN assumed rights to the Busch Series, while Fox retained all Nextel Cup race coverage.
Starting in 1997, FX secured partial cable rights to Major League Baseball, initially airing Monday night games before transitioning to Saturday night broadcasts. By 2000, these rights were shared with Fox Family Channel. In 2001, FX acquired the rights to air MLB Division Series games, notably including Cal Ripken Jr.'s final home appearance.
In 2011, through Fox Sports’ agreements, FX began airing UEFA Champions League soccer matches alongside college football contests from conferences such as Big 12, Conference USA, and Pac-12 on Saturdays under the Fox College Football umbrella.
Following the debut of Fox Sports 1 and Fox Sports 2 in 2013, FX discontinued regular sports coverage but occasionally served as an overflow outlet for events like UFC preliminary bouts and select soccer fixtures.
On September 7, 2019, FX broadcast UFC 242 preliminaries—marking the first ESPN-produced event aired on FX since Disney’s acquisition. Similar preliminaries were televised in November 2024 during UFC 309, with ESPN describing this cross-network approach as successful; subsequent events including UFC 310 were simulcast across ESPN2 and FX. UFC programming on FX is scheduled to continue into 2025.
In May 2022, Disney obtained exclusive rights for XFL broadcasts starting with the 2023 season, distributing games across FX, ESPN, and ABC under an "ESPN on FX" branding. However, due to disappointing ratings, XFL coverage was removed from FX by March 2023 and shifted solely to other ESPN channels. Following the XFL’s merger with the USFL to establish the United Football League, coverage did not resume on FX in 2024; broadcasting rights were divided between ESPN networks and ABC without involving FX.
Network slogans
- The World's First Living Television Network (main slogan; 1994–1996)
- TV Made Fresh Daily (secondary slogan; 1994–1996)
- TV with You in Mind (1996–1997)
- Fox Gone Cable (1997–1999)
- Please Watch Responsibly (1999–2001)
- Are You Xperienced? (2001–2008)
- There Is No Box (2008–2013)
- FX Has the Movies (alternative slogan, 2008–present)
- Fearless (2013–present)
High definition
In 2007, FX introduced a 720p HD channel accessible through most subscription television services. The standard-definition version now derives from the HD feed at the provider’s end, aligning with the practices of Fox and Disney networks. On Hulu, FX content is streamed at enhanced bitrate and resolution, with original series produced for FX on Hulu presented in resolutions up to 4k resolution.
International distribution
Since 2004, FX has broadened its global reach by establishing distribution agreements to syndicate its programming beyond U.S. borders.
After Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox in March 2019, several Fox-branded channels in regions including the Baltic states, CIS countries, Greece, and Poland were rebranded as FX to unify the brand identity and strengthen market penetration.
In Canada, FX shows are available through a distribution partnership with Rogers Sports & Media.