Fox (Asian TV channel)
| Company type | Pay television network |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television broadcasting |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Defunct | 2024-03-01 |
| Fate | Replaced by Dlife (Japan); most feeds shut down |
| Headquarters | Asia |
Area served | Pan-Asia (East Asia, Japan, Thailand, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam) |
| Owner | Fox Networks Group Asia Pacific (Disney International Operations) |
Fox was a pan-Asian pay television network under the ownership of Fox Networks Group Asia Pacific, itself a branch of Disney International Operations.
The channel broadcasted through six distinct feeds, all carrying the Fox brand: a pan-Asian feed targeting East Asia and separate versions for Japan, Thailand, The Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Programming was primarily presented with original English audio accompanied by subtitles or secondary audio tracks in local languages. Until 2020, Fox maintained a brand licensing partnership with Tcast for a localized South Korean version. On March 1, 2024, the Japanese feed was succeeded by the relaunch of Dlife.
History
In Japan, Fox debuted in February 1998 alongside sister channels like Fox Crime and Fox Life.
Fox initiated test transmissions in Asia in December 2009, featuring continuous reruns of American TV series. The first cable operator to offer Fox in the region was SkyCable in the Philippines on January 4, 2010, followed by Singapore’s StarHub TV on February 1, 2010. Other regional distributors adopted the channel subsequently.
By mid-February 2012, all Fox channels across Asia and the Philippines adopted the Fox HD logo, including those without HD broadcasts. This update aligned with similar rebranding efforts on channels such as Star World and FX. The specific reasons behind this branding change have not been publicly disclosed.
Fox Japan and Fox Korea ran independent feeds featuring unique programming lineups but shared advertising content and comparable shows.
The Taiwanese feed launched as FOX Showbiz () on September 1, 2012, taking over from Channel V Taiwan. It showcased a mix of Asian and American series with Chinese subtitles. The FOX HD Asia feed was accessible via MOD and selected cable providers. In January 2014, it was rebranded simply as Fox and aired both domestic and international content.
In 2020, during the global rollout of the Star brand, South Korea’s licensee Tcast terminated its agreement with Disney. Consequently, after December 31, 2020, Fox-branded channels in South Korea were renamed, with Fox Korea becoming Ch.NOW.
On August 31, 2021, Fox Networks Group discontinued its operations in Hong Kong. By September 30, 2021, all Fox Networks Group channels across Asia—except those in Taiwan and Japan—shut down simultaneously with closures of German and African Fox channels. Most programming content transitioned to streaming platforms such as Disney+ and Hotstar.
Starting January 1, 2022, Fox Taiwan was rebranded as Star World, marking the return of that channel following its earlier closure in February 2020.
Although many regional feeds ceased operations, Fox Japan continued until Disney announced on December 5, 2023, that it would be replaced by the second iteration of Dlife beginning March 1, 2024.