Fox to Launch ‘FOX One’ Streaming Service, Leaving ABC as Only Major Network With No DTC Option

After resisting the streaming pull for years, Fox Corporation will jump into the battle this fall with a new streaming service called “FOX One.” The service will give you everything from FOX News, FOX Business, FOX Weather, FOX Sports, FS1, FS2, Big Ten Network, FOX Deportes, FOX Local Stations, and the FOX network.

Users will have the option to bundle the service with FOX Nation.

It’s an odd grouping. People interested in sports may not care about right-wing blowhards on FOX News and vice versa. No other direct-to-consumer network streaming option leans so hard into the political sphere.

The press release says “FOX One will feature advanced personalization technology that adapts to viewing preferences while seamlessly integrating live and video on-demand content in a cohesive experience.”

The price has not been announced.

The FOX One website is live, but it doesn’t have any information beyond its list of channels.

Will ABC Go DTC?

With FOX One, ABC becomes the only one of the “Big Four” networks without a direct-to-consumer option.

Peacock allows users to see their local NBC affiliate.

Paramount+ provides live CBS access.

Disney owns ABC, and it could easily incorporate the channel into Disney+, Hulu, or both. But Disney is holding back. One possible reason is that Disney counts on ABC and ESPN as its most important pieces when negotiating with cable and streaming companies. Those companies may not want lesser channels like Freeform or Disney XD, but Disney offers its channel bundle as “all or nothing.” (In a court filing last year, it was revealed distributors must pay Disney $9.42 per subscriber per month to license ESPN.)

In reality, all live TV viewers who have a multi-channel bundle subsidize the extreme costs of the sports channels. As FOX One launches, the primary driver of price will be FS1, FS2, Big Ten Network, and the sports on Fox proper. It costs almost nothing to produce Fox’s talking-head cable networks.

As Disney is launching its ESPN streaming app later this year, maybe the company is softening its stance. Adding live ABC to Hulu would help justify its crazy price for its ad-free plan ($18.99/month).

Although customers may enjoy the option for a direct-to-streaming TV channel, the prices of those DTC services look quite steep compared to larger channel bundles. FOX One likely won’t get many subscribers unless it offers a strong benefit of on-demand movies or shows. Fox sold its movie and TV collection to Disney in 2019. It still produces a limited number of shows and films, but those go to Fox Nation.

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