FX Networks
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Media |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | John Landgraf (CEO) |
| Products | FX, FXX, FX Movie Channel, FX Productions, FXNOW, FX+ |
| Parent | Disney Entertainment Television (Walt Disney Company) |
FX Networks, LLC, commonly referred to as FX Networks, is a U.S.-based media enterprise established in 1994, primarily focused on the channels FX, FXX, and FX Movie Channel, alongside its production division, FX Productions. It functions as a subsidiary under Disney Entertainment Television, which falls within the Disney Entertainment division of the Walt Disney Company. Initially owned by News Corporation and subsequently by 21st Century Fox, FX Networks became part of Disney following the acquisition finalized on March 20, 2019. In 2021, FX Networks was incorporated into Disney General Entertainment Content.
History
The Fox Broadcasting Company launched its fX division in November 1993 with Anne Sweeney as president. Important appointments included Chuck Saftler and Mark Sonnenberg taking charge of programming. The fX cable channel officially began broadcasting on June 1, 1994. Soon after, FX was reorganized under the leadership of Fox Television chairman and CEO Chase Carey. By mid-1994, a complementary movie channel was unveiled, initially named fXM: Movies from Fox, which premiered on October 31, 1994; it was rebranded as Fox Movie Channel in 2000. After Sweeney departed for Disney in 1996, Sonnenberg took over until 1998 when Peter Liguori assumed leadership.
In January 2004, the channel FX289 launched in the UK and Ireland; it was rebranded to FX in April 2005 before transitioning to Fox in January 2013.
John Landgraf joined FX as president of entertainment in 2004 and advanced to president and general manager in 2005. Under his guidance, original programming expanded considerably, leading to the creation of an internal production company. Consequently, FX Productions was founded in August 2007 to oversee ownership interests in content. Landgraf was promoted to CEO of both FX Networks and FX Productions in June 2013 while also managing the FXNow digital service.
On March 28, 2013, FX announced the debut of FXX, aimed at a younger demographic (ages 18–34) with a focus on comedy, differentiating it from FX’s broader audience (ages 25–54). This launch coincided with adopting the "Fearless" slogan across FX Networks. Additionally, that month saw Fox Movie Channel revert to its former name, FXM.
In June 2017, actress Olivia de Havilland filed a lawsuit against FX Networks over an unauthorized depiction; however, the case was dismissed in March 2018 based on First Amendment protections.
Following the success of the FX-BBC co-production Taboo, FX agreed in October 2018 to grant BBC UK rights for current and upcoming original scripted series produced by FX.
On December 14, 2017, Disney revealed plans to acquire assets from 21st Century Fox, including FX Networks; this transaction was completed on March 20, 2019. Landgraf conveyed cautious optimism regarding integration with Disney.
Comcast introduced a subscription service called FX+ in 2017 but discontinued it by August 20, 2019, redirecting premiere content to Hulu. Starting March 2, 2020, select FX shows began streaming on Hulu under the banner "FX on Hulu."
In April 2025, Disney announced its intention to end its lease at Fox Studio Lot in Century City by year-end. As a result, FX Networks along with other studios will relocate to Walt Disney Studios located in Burbank.
FX
FX, which debuted on June 1, 1994, sought to rival premium cable networks by offering mature content alongside top-tier writing, directing, and acting. The channel combined original productions with reruns of classic films and sitcoms. Broadcasting from a Manhattan "apartment" located in the Flatiron District, FX was among the pioneers in interactive television. Its original programs were broadcast live daily from the "fX Apartment," supplemented by vintage TV series from the 1960s through the 1980s such as Batman, Wonder Woman, and The Green Hornet. The network promoted itself with slogans like "TV Made Fresh Daily" and "The World's First Living Television Network". The lowercase "f" was intended to evoke a casual, approachable vibe, while the stylized "X" paid homage to its heritage linked to 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight logos.
FX placed a strong emphasis on audience engagement, leading the way in internet-based interaction via e-mail and web platforms. Numerous shows incorporated real-time responses to viewer communications, with Backchat, hosted by Jeff Probst, dedicated entirely to audience correspondence.
FX Movie Channel
FX Movie Channel (FXM) began operations on October 31, 1994, originally under the name "Fox Movie Studio." As a spin-off from FX, it concentrated on feature films sourced from the 20th Century Fox archives covering the 1930s through the 1970s, along with selections from other studios. On March 1, 2000, it underwent a rebranding to become Fox Movie Channel.
Starting January 1, 2012, Fox Movie Channel divided its programming into two separate 12-hour segments: a commercial-free block showcasing classic Fox films (3:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET), and an FX Movie Channel block featuring more contemporary releases from Fox and additional studios.
On March 27, 2013, Fox Entertainment Group announced a comprehensive rebranding effort under the FXM identity. By September of that year, FX Movie Channel was established as the primary brand; meanwhile, the classic film segment retained the Fox Movie Channel title until June 9, 2014, when it was renamed FXM Retro, continuing its commercial-free presentation.
FXX
Designed for males aged 18 to 34, FXX is a basic cable network launched on September 2, 2013, replacing the sports-oriented Fox Soccer. FXX’s programming centers largely on comedy content—including original productions, acquired series, feature films, and select dramas—setting it apart from FX’s drama-focused lineup. Prominent FX comedies such as It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell transitioned to FXX at launch. Initially, many cable providers bundled FXX within premium sports packages due to legacy agreements inherited from Fox Soccer; however, this has since been resolved and FXX is now commonly grouped with FX in channel lineups.
FXNOW
FXNOW is a digital streaming service accessible via desktop browsers, mobile devices (iOS and Android), Windows 10 PCs, Xbox One/360 consoles, and Roku players. Subscribers of participating pay TV providers can access:
- Episodes of original series from FX and FXX available the morning after their initial broadcast.
- A broad selection of acquired programming including an extensive collection of The Simpsons episodes (originally hosted on FXNOW following FXX's acquisition of syndication rights before transferring to Disney+), alongside an expanding catalog exceeding 200 movies.
- Behind-the-scenes content as well as live streams of FX channels.
- For a period following Disney's acquisition of FX Networks until March 2019, Fox programming was also offered through FXNOW and FOXNOW apps.
Launched in January 2014, the standalone FXNOW mobile app was discontinued in September 2024 along with other Disney-owned applications to encourage users to transition to Disney+ and Hulu. Although free for subscribers of qualifying providers, streamed content includes commercial interruptions.
FX+
In September 2018, Fox introduced FX+, a subscription streaming platform that provided ad-free access to all original FX and FXX series starting from The Shield. Initially, in fall 2017, FX+ was exclusively available to Xfinity subscribers within the United States. Additionally, it could be accessed through set-top boxes for customers of Xfinity, Armstrong, and Cox via their video on demand services. The service was discontinued as of August 21, 2019, following the Walt Disney Company's near-total acquisition of Hulu and the subsequent transfer of FX content to Hulu. Maintaining both FX+ and Hulu’s commercial-free tier was considered unnecessary.
FX on Hulu
FX on Hulu serves as a dedicated content section within the Hulu streaming service, showcasing programming from FX Networks, a division of Disney General Entertainment Content, itself part of the Walt Disney Company. Launched on March 2, 2020, this hub provides Hulu subscribers with access to FX original shows at no additional charge. It includes series created specifically for Hulu alongside current and past offerings from FX and FXX cable channels. Disney owns both Hulu and FX.
In November 2019, several titles such as Devs, Mrs. America, A Teacher, and The Old Man transitioned from Hulu’s general library to the FX on Hulu hub. The initial launch featured 40 titles from both current seasons and archives, with four original series debuting first on FX before becoming available for streaming on Hulu the following day. The second rollout phase began on April 15 with the premiere of Mrs. America along with additional original productions and a documentary series.
By December 2021, Disney retired the "FX on Hulu" branding, simplifying the Hulu hub’s name to "FX" while promoting FX content internationally under the FX brand on Disney+. Outside the United States, FX programming had previously been presented under "Star Originals" within the Star hub until its integration into the Hulu content hub in October 2025.
Programming
The series The Weekly / The New York Times Presents, identified as an "FX on Hulu" production, was co-commissioned by both FX and Hulu prior to the launch of the FX on Hulu hub and features logos from both services. This distinguishes it from other FX on Hulu series that display only the FX logo.
Alien: EarthScience fiction horror August 12, 20251 season, 8 episodes54–63 min Renewed
FX Entertainment
FX Entertainment serves as the division within FX Networks responsible for overseeing original programming under the FX label, encompassing FX Productions. Founded in May 2019 during a leadership reorganization following Disney's acquisition of FX Networks, it centralizes the approach to original content development. On June 10, 2019, Disney revealed a joint casting division shared by FX Entertainment and Disney Television Studios aimed at optimizing talent recruitment.
FX Productions
FX Productions (FXP) functions as FX Networks' internal production studio, creating series for FX, FXX, and FX on Hulu. Its portfolio also includes projects developed for other outlets such as TBS (Miracle Workers), Epix (Perpetual Grace, LTD), Amazon Prime Video (One Mississippi), and Fox (season 1 of Wayward Pines and The Cool Kids).
International Distribution
Due to agreements established before the launch of the Disney+ Star hub, numerous FX and FX on Hulu titles are distributed through third-party broadcasters.[1]
Across Europe, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa, FX programming is accessible via the Hulu section on Disney+, promoted as "Hulu Originals." These shows were formerly available on Star+ in Latin America and Disney+ Hotstar in select Southeast Asian regions prior to their consolidation under Disney+. In India, distribution is handled through JioHotstar.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
In Canada, most original FX content debuts exclusively on local versions of FX and FXX, facilitated by a collaboration with Rogers Sports and Media.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Series from FX on Hulu are featured within Disney+’s Star hub, which has since been renamed the Hulu hub. Some FX programming was not available on Disney+ in Australia due to a content output agreement with Binge and Foxtel, which concluded in April 2022.
See also
External links
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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- Pages with reference errors
- Articles with short description
- FX Networks
- Television networks in the United States
- 1994 establishments in New York City
- Companies based in California
- Peabody Award winners
- Disney television networks
- Disney acquisitions
- Former Liberty Media subsidiaries
- Cable network groups in the United States