Twenty-First Century Fox 2004 Annual Report Download - page 23

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21
The extraordinary growth
of News Corporation’s Cable
Network Programming seg-
ment continued in fiscal 2004
as more viewers and advertis-
ers recognized the unique
quality of the Company’s
various cable and satellite
channels.
Such is the fame of News
Corporation’s cable brands –
including FOX News, FX, Fox
Sports Net and National
Geographic Channel – that it
is easy to forget that none of
these networks existed just a
decade ago. Today, they are
leaders among news, sports
and entertainment offerings
on cable and satellite sys-
tems across the United
States.
FOX News Channel
had a staggering 10 of
the 11 top shows in the
hyper-competitive 24-
hour cable news arena;
Cable networks connect in ’04
FX had basic cable’s number-
one ranked new original
series with the acclaimed
Nip/Tuck; and Fox Sports
Net was nominated for five
Sports Emmy Awards.
FOX News and FX now
have full distribution across
the U.S., reaching 84 million
cable and satellite homes.
Fox Sports Net reaches more
than 80 million subscribers,
and National Geographic
remains one of the fastest
growing networks on pay
television.
The cable group has also
expanded its channel line-up
into areas of natural pro-
gramming strength with the
automotive-sports focused
SPEED Channel, extreme
sports channel FUEL, Fox
Sports en Espanol and Fox
Sports World. Each of these
channels enjoyed subscriber
growth in 2004.
FOX News: We Report, More People Decide to Watch
News, Sports and
Entertainment
There was nothing fair and
balanced about the competi-
tion between 24-hour cable
news networks in the U.S. in
fiscal 2004. FOX News Channel
– the one-time underdog – fin-
ished the year number one for
the 30th straight month. FOX
News beat its competitors
in both primetime and on a
24-hour basis in total viewers,
and consistently generated
ratings higher than the com-
bined audiences of its two
major competitors.
FOX News dominated the
ratings to such an extent
that it had 10 of the top 11
cable news shows. The top
three positions went to The
O’Reilly Factor, Hannity &
Colmes and The Fox Report
with Shepard Smith. And in
May 2004, Special Report with
Brit Hume surpassed CNN’s
Larry King Live to claim the
number four spot with more
than one million viewers.
Not only did the news
network’s audience grow in
the U.S., but also overseas.
FOX News secured new
international distribution
deals in fiscal 2004 with sev-
eral cable systems overseas,
including in New Zealand,
Taiwan, Brazil and Italy.
The deals mean FOX News’
programming is now seen in
52 countries.
Cable News Market Share
Total Day and Prime % of Persons 2+ Watching Cable News Channels
CNN
31%
FNC
54%
TOTAL DAY
MSNBC
15%
CNN
32%
FNC
55%
MSNBC
13%
PRIME
Nip/Tuck
The only new series on television
to earn a Golden Globe nomination
for Best Drama Series last year
NEWS CORPORATION ANNUAL REPORT 2004
Cable Network Programming