31 votes

Fox accepts Disney's $71.3 billion offer, days after Comcast bid $65 billion.

31 comments

  1. [6]
    thermite
    Link
    Disney is buying everything. For me It's kind of odd to watch it happen. Watching a company grow so big and (in my point of view) all encompassing. (In terms of things they control)

    Disney is buying everything. For me It's kind of odd to watch it happen. Watching a company grow so big and (in my point of view) all encompassing. (In terms of things they control)

    19 votes
    1. Hypersapien
      Link Parent
      Yeah, but honestly I'd rather Disney get it than Comcast.

      Yeah, but honestly I'd rather Disney get it than Comcast.

      8 votes
    2. [4]
      Gaywallet
      Link Parent
      For how much they're acquiring their stock hasn't been a great performer (I bought shortly after they acquired star wars). I feel like I should sell, but now that they are so big maybe they'll do...

      For how much they're acquiring their stock hasn't been a great performer (I bought shortly after they acquired star wars). I feel like I should sell, but now that they are so big maybe they'll do better?

      2 votes
      1. [3]
        thermite
        Link Parent
        I'm not too into stocks (I really should be though) but recently there's been a lot of backlash on starwars that ended up with a boycott by quite a lot of people. That would of made them go down....

        I'm not too into stocks (I really should be though) but recently there's been a lot of backlash on starwars that ended up with a boycott by quite a lot of people. That would of made them go down. Honestly it's up to you though. I would wait for the next big thing they're releasing and see then.

        3 votes
        1. [2]
          Gaywallet
          Link Parent
          The game or the movie franchise?

          The game or the movie franchise?

          1 vote
  2. [12]
    Jedi
    Link
    From what I remember, this gives them: A shit ton of shows The Simpsons Bob's Burgers Family Guy American Dad Futurama And much, much more. X-Men Star Wars: A New Hope distribution rights Majority...

    From what I remember, this gives them:

    • A shit ton of shows
      • The Simpsons
      • Bob's Burgers
      • Family Guy
      • American Dad
      • Futurama
      • And much, much more.
    • X-Men
    • Star Wars: A New Hope distribution rights
    • Majority share of Hulu

    And obviously a bunch more that I'm not thinking of. This is a huge deal.

    14 votes
    1. [2]
      lalala
      Link Parent
      Are you saying Tina is now a disney princess? Uuuuhh..

      Are you saying Tina is now a disney princess?

      Uuuuhh..

      8 votes
    2. [3]
      ahquemeneye
      Link Parent
      Scary to see Disney consolidating so much so quickly . Hope this at least means we'll get Futurama/Archer/Bob's Burgers back on Netflix though

      Scary to see Disney consolidating so much so quickly . Hope this at least means we'll get Futurama/Archer/Bob's Burgers back on Netflix though

      8 votes
      1. Jedi
        Link Parent
        It doesn't. Adult-targeted shows will go to Hulu, while family friendly shows/movies will be put in a new “Disney” streaming service.

        It doesn't. Adult-targeted shows will go to Hulu, while family friendly shows/movies will be put in a new “Disney” streaming service.

        7 votes
      2. GillyGumbo
        Link Parent
        Highly doubtful since this gives them majority share in Hulu.

        Hope this at least means we'll get Futurama/Archer/Bob's Burgers back on Netflix though

        Highly doubtful since this gives them majority share in Hulu.

        2 votes
    3. [3]
      nothis
      Link Parent
      This is one step from being a pop-culture monopoly. Isn't there some antitrust law this breaks?

      This is one step from being a pop-culture monopoly. Isn't there some antitrust law this breaks?

      4 votes
      1. Luna
        (edited )
        Link Parent
        Anti-trust laws are designed to protect consumers, not corporations. As long as Disney doesn't start charging absurd amounts for their products in a way that harms people, there's no reason for...

        Anti-trust laws are designed to protect consumers, not corporations. As long as Disney doesn't start charging absurd amounts for their products in a way that harms people, there's no reason for the government to step in. However, even if Disney started hiking the prices on their movies, you could just opt not to buy them, and you wouldn't be harmed.

        In any case, they couldn't really hike ticket prices on their movies in a way that hurts consumers, as theaters don't charge different prices for different movies in the same theater type and timeslot (though whether this is in their contracts with distributors or if it's the studios going "don't imply the quality of our films through the ticket price because we don't have to let you show our films, wink wink nudge nudge" will depend on who you ask). If Disney were to start charging theaters absurd amounts, they'd probably raise ticket prices on everything and it would be seen as inflation, but in any case, not going to the movies because of the ticket price is not being screwed over any more than people eating at McDonalds less when they renamed the dollar menu to the value menu and started increasing prices. (Edit: most physical movies released around the same time tend to be of similar price as well unless there is a sale, though there is more leniency, especially as the films age.)

        Note: I'm not a lawyer, but something similar came up on NPR in regards to Amazon putting many traditional retailers out of business and wanting to increase their presence in our lives (especially with services like home cleaning and lawn mowing, and their door lock for in-home delivery and services). Amazon didn't grow to its current size by screwing people over, they just provided a more convenient way to buy stuff and had great customer service, so unless they start locking in sellers to contracts to only sell through them, then proceed to jack up prices, I doubt Amazon has anything to worry about.

        Edit 2: If they were to start charging absurd amounts for their channels to some providers but not others, they might get fined by the FTC, but given the current administration, the odds of that are pretty low.

        3 votes
      2. clerical_terrors
        Link Parent
        I'd actually be curious to see somebody familiar with anti-trust laws comment on this. They do not control all channels or avenues of distribution, and as far as I'm aware there's no law against...

        I'd actually be curious to see somebody familiar with anti-trust laws comment on this. They do not control all channels or avenues of distribution, and as far as I'm aware there's no law against owning a lot of intellectual property.

        1 vote
    4. [2]
      clerical_terrors
      Link Parent
      Disney owns Star Wars but not distribution rights to A New Hope? Seems like an odd oversight.

      Disney owns Star Wars but not distribution rights to A New Hope? Seems like an odd oversight.

      2 votes
      1. musa_totter
        Link Parent
        IIRC Fox got those rights long before the Disney acquisition and so therefore they couldn't be sold to Disney in their Lucasfilm purchase.

        IIRC Fox got those rights long before the Disney acquisition and so therefore they couldn't be sold to Disney in their Lucasfilm purchase.

    5. Silbern
      Link Parent
      The same company that owns Mickey Mouse and Cinderella now owns Family Guy. That is actually pretty badass...

      The same company that owns Mickey Mouse and Cinderella now owns Family Guy. That is actually pretty badass...

      1 vote
  3. [2]
    Diet_Coke
    Link
    Not sure how I feel about yet another mega-merger, but anything that ruins someone at Comcast's day is good by me.

    Not sure how I feel about yet another mega-merger, but anything that ruins someone at Comcast's day is good by me.

    8 votes
    1. goodbyebluemondays
      Link Parent
      It is nice in the sense that now things like Marvel can now be expanded upon without a litany of lawsuits. Disney's monopoly on the entertainment industry however is getting absolutely absurd....

      It is nice in the sense that now things like Marvel can now be expanded upon without a litany of lawsuits. Disney's monopoly on the entertainment industry however is getting absolutely absurd.

      Let's all remember the fact that in the early 80's 50 different companies controlled close to 100% of the media you watched, read, and heard. Now it is simply six. This is the perfect way to manipulate the informational diet the consumer receives that will propagate the agenda of the upper echelon. It is really getting nerve racking especially in a society as divided as ours continues to be.

      edit: grammar

      13 votes
  4. [5]
    Z3R0
    Link
    So does this mean that Disney now owns the rights to the Xmen?

    So does this mean that Disney now owns the rights to the Xmen?

    6 votes
    1. d4ny3l
      Link Parent
      As I understand the buyout includes the 20th Century Fox Film studios which I think are the owners so yeah. But please correct me if I'm wrong.

      As I understand the buyout includes the 20th Century Fox Film studios which I think are the owners so yeah. But please correct me if I'm wrong.

      5 votes
    2. [2]
      Isen
      Link Parent
      Once the deal is accepted by shareholders and any government checks are done/met. But once all that is done they'll have the rights to x-men, fantastic 4, deadpool and all the supporting...

      Once the deal is accepted by shareholders and any government checks are done/met. But once all that is done they'll have the rights to x-men, fantastic 4, deadpool and all the supporting cast/villains for those characters.

      2 votes
      1. Luna
        Link Parent
        They'll also own the rights to Idiocracy, so maybe we'll finally see a Blu-Ray release!

        They'll also own the rights to Idiocracy, so maybe we'll finally see a Blu-Ray release!

        1 vote
  5. brighteyes720
    Link
    There's lots of other stuff (relatively non American) in this deal which is relatively unknown and people are not talking about this. This deal gives them access to Star Network and Sky Network....

    There's lots of other stuff (relatively non American) in this deal which is relatively unknown and people are not talking about this.

    This deal gives them access to Star Network and Sky Network.

    Start Network, for those not in India is the biggest Television network. 3 out of 5 most popular TV channels in India belongs to Star. They own 13 entertainment channels. They own Hotstar which is the most popular streaming service in India close to Prime Video. They own Star Sports network which is like the ESPN of India (although India does have ESPN.)

    Sky Network is a big dish provider, streaming service and Television channels in UK.

    They will own Foxtel which is a large cable TV provider in Australia.

    So this deal is much bigger than "X-Men will be in Avengers" which I swear Reddit is obsessed with.

    5 votes
  6. clerical_terrors
    Link
    Sadly Fox News/News Corp isn't part of the deal. Sean Hannity will not be a Disney Princess.

    Sadly Fox News/News Corp isn't part of the deal. Sean Hannity will not be a Disney Princess.

    3 votes
  7. [4]
    aethicglass
    Link
    Everybody is talking about the entertainment aspects of it, but I'm curious what effect it might have on the news. Does this mean that Disney will own Fox News? If so, does that mean Disney will...

    Everybody is talking about the entertainment aspects of it, but I'm curious what effect it might have on the news. Does this mean that Disney will own Fox News? If so, does that mean Disney will become a focal point of the criticisms of Fox News? I'll be interested to see how that develops.

    2 votes
    1. just_some_guy
      Link Parent
      It does not include any of Fox's news properties, including Fox News.

      It does not include any of Fox's news properties, including Fox News.

      4 votes
    2. [2]
      Luna
      Link Parent
      To answer your question, no. I kinda wish they had, though.

      the sale to either Disney or Comcast would include 21st Century Fox's film and television studios, cable entertainment networks, the Fox Sports Regional Networks, and international properties including Star in India and Fox's 39-percent ownership of Sky across Europe.

      The sale would also include Fox's 30-percent stake in Hulu. [...] Disney also has a 30-percent stake in Hulu, while Time Warner owns 10 percent of the company.

      The Fox sale would not include major assets such as the Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, and Fox Broadcasting Company. Those would be spun off into a new company, and Comcast or Disney would acquire 21st Century Fox after the spinoff.

      To answer your question, no. I kinda wish they had, though.

      2 votes
      1. aethicglass
        Link Parent
        Dang it, I missed that. Also, dang it. Would have been interesting.

        Dang it, I missed that. Also, dang it. Would have been interesting.