Fox Networks Group

Prentiss Fraser, who headed up the U.K.-based Fox Networks Group Content Distribution business, has left in the wake of the Disney-Fox deal.

Fox Block bonus content will include entertainment sneak-peeks and shorts as well as Fox Sports wraps and talent. Two-Ad JAZ Pods are designed to bring brands closer to content.

The standoff between the two companies threatened to leave Comcast customers in Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin without cable access to some of their teams’ games.

The London offices of 21st Century Fox’s Fox Networks Group were raided by European Commission investigators Tuesday as part of a wider probe into possible anticompetitive practices regarding the distribution of sports rights in the region.

The unit of 21st Century Fox, controlled by Rupert Murdoch and his family, will on March 1 convene a day-long, off-the-record meeting on the lot of the company’s 20th Century Fox studio. Invitees include major advertisers and ad buyers, Fox Networks executives and a handful of other top TV-ad salespeople, according to two people familiar with the matter. The idea is to get the industry talking about ways to solve some of its biggest problems, such as devising a new financial model for high-quality video programming while viewers increasingly migrate to on-demand streaming opportunities.

Fox Networks Group has promoted Jeff Hughes to president of its digital consumer group, overseeing digital strategy and operations for all of FNG’s entertainment and sports brands. Hughes takes over the position from Brian Sullivan, who assumed the role of president and COO of Fox Networks Group late last year.

Fox Networks Group is adopting the six-second, “unskippable” ad, following in YouTube’s footsteps as it tries to cater to its growing number of online viewers. FNG announced the move at the Cannes Lions conference, alongside executives from YouTube, which instituted the six-second ad format last year. FNG’s first such ads will debut on its streaming services and then eventually on linear television, the company said.

The new suite of data-driven products is designed to serve both the audio and video marketplaces in the digital ad marketplace.

NBCUniversal, Fox Networks Group and ABC are making progress in the early stages of the annual haggling over upfront advertising sales, according to people familiar with the discussions. The companies have all begun to sell ad inventory during the period in which U.S. TV networks seek to obtain commitments for the bulk of their commercial inventory for the upcoming season. Executives on both sides of the table caution that talks remain in their nascent stages and that buyers and TV networks continue to wrangle over pricing terms.

Focus at its upfront is on creating better viewer experiences, brand storytelling, impact and reach.

Fox Networks Group just handed the unit’s top ad sales job to Joe Marchese as it enters the frenzied upfront negotiating period. He’ll oversee linear and nonlinear sales, advertising research and advanced ad products for FNG’s portfolio of networks.

AT&T’s streaming service has added14 Fox affiliates owned by Tribune Media. Counting the Fox O&Os, local Fox stations can now be seen via DirecTV Now in 31 markets.

Fox Networks on Tuesday evening again extended a deadline in a programming dispute with Charter Communications, but as of yet hasn’t pulled its signal from the cable operator’s systems.

Fox is threatening to pull its cable networks, and regional sports channels, from all Charter-owned cable systems if the cable operator does not meet its carriage fee demands. The two companies have been negotiating a new carriage agreement, but Fox has established a web site, KeepMyNets.com, that says the channels could be removed today. Channels affected include FX, National Geographic, the Fox Sports channel, the Fox-owned regional sports channels and Fox Deportes.

Fox Networks Group has become the latest to challenge the nation’s No. 2 cable company over its carriage fees. The division that includes FX Networks, National Geographic, Fox Sports and 19 regional sports networks fired a shot across the bow Thursday night, warning it could cut off access to Charter’s 16 million Spectrum subscribers as early as Saturday.

Three of TV’s biggest players are teaming up in hopes of convincing Madison Avenue to accept a different yardstick when it comes to measuring the effectiveness of millions of dollars in advertising. Viacom, 21st Century Fox’s Fox Networks Group and Time Warner’s Turner say they will all back a single system to facilitate a type of advertising buy that has become more common in recent years as new technology allows marketers to pick and choose the audiences they pitch with a greater deal of precision.

Fox Networks Group has begun legal proceedings in Hong Kong and Bangkok against Bangkok Bank. It is seeking $71 million relating to distribution of its channels in Thailand.

Fox programming available to DirecTV Now customers will include: Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, FX, FXX, FXM, FS 1, FS 2, Big Ten Network, 18 Fox regional sports networks, National Geographic and Nat Geo Wild. The parties have also agreed on a framework for Fox Broadcasting Co. programming to be delivered to DirecTV Now customers nationwide.

In addition to the appointment of Meredith Brace, James Kiernan and David Borstein join Fox Networks Group Digital Sales from Twitter.

Fox Networks Group (FNG) today appointed David Levy, the COO and co-founder of true[X], executive vice president, non-linear revenue. In his new position, Levy will lead the team responsible for […]

Audrey Steele is promoted to executive vice president, sales research insights and strategy; and Suzanne Sullivan is upped to executive vice president, entertainment sales.

Del Mayberry will be succeeded by Ravi Ahuja, the current EVP of business operations and development.

Audience Insights Manager is a suite of advanced advertising products designed to let marketers go beyond age and gender to deliver precise consumer targets across the Fox portfolio.

The engagement ads are powered by technology from true[X], a subsidiary of 21st Century Fox. The viewers select a 30-second ad instead of 2 minutes and 30 seconds of traditional interruptive ads.

Fox Networks Group has named Joe Marchese president-advanced advertising products, a new position overseeing all non-linear TV advertising products and services inside Fox.

Bruce Lefkowitz has been promoted to EVP, advertising sales for Fox Networks Group (FNG. Lefkowitz, who previously was EVP, advertising sales for Fox Cable Entertainment, is now the second-highest ranking […]

Toby Byrne is promoted from president of sales at Fox Broadcasting to oversee national ad sales for both broadcast and cable.

Rentrak continues to gain extra momentum with TV content providers. The TV-media measurement company has now expanded its deal with Fox Network Group, which consists of Fox Broadcasting, FX Networks and National Geographic Channels. The new deal will include linear TV ratings measurement and single-source consumer data reporting.

Gail Berman and Fox Networks are teaming up on new production company, The Jackal Group, that will develop, produce and exploit scripted, unscripted and factual entertainment programming.

The former co-president and COO, Fox Sports Media Group now has “a broad strategic and operational role across FNG,” which comprises Fox Broadcasting Co., Fox Sports, FX Networks, Fox International Channels and National Geographic Channels. 

The Fox TV Network unveiled a TV everywhere plan to its affiliates Tuesday that will allow them to stream network content, in addition to their local content, through a dedicated Fox app and on the Web.

David Haslingden, the president-COO of Fox Networks Group, will step down at the end of the calendar year. Haslingden, who has served in the position since January 2011, is leaving to return to his native Australia and spend more time with his family, the company said.