(12-12-2017 08:18 AM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(12-07-2017 10:56 AM)MWC Tex Wrote:  Sounds like Fox is streamlining quite a bit and cashing out while the getting is good. Those RSN's are valuable now, but with the cord cutting that isn't stopping, those RSN's are going to be an anchor as more the costs goes up while the revenue from the cable subs keep declining down as more people cut cable completely or skinny down to streaming TV package.

Getting cash out of properties that are in decline before they become worthless is good. Fox will have the cash they need to adjust to an ever swifter change in viewing of the customers.

Maybe an offbeat thought here: ATSC 3.0 has just been finalized for 4k OTA broadcasting. I wonder if Fox, in addition to stream lining there business, will use the cash to upgrade their O&O stations and help affiliate stations with the cost to upgrade to 3.0. This 4k broadcasting may change the viewership of OTA broadcasts, because also if I understand correctly, the 3.0 standard will be able to have mobile devices receive the OTA signals and have live TV on phones/tablets and other devices.

One very important point: this is NOT proposed as a cash deal. Instead, it’s a stock exchange where Fox shareholders will each receive Disney stock on a proportional basis. The upshot of this is that the Murdoch family will become the largest shareholders of The Walt Disney Company by far. As a result, this isn’t really a “cash out” for Fox. It’s about the Murdochs getting plurality power over the biggest entertainment behemoth on Earth (Disney) while still retaining control of Fox OTA/News/Sports on the side. No cash is involved here. As I noted previously, Fox isn’t a faceless corporation - it’s very much a family business that happens to be public company, so this is about what’s best for the Murdoch family long-term as opposed to what’s best for Fox (as I don’t think there’s any way that a completely independent Fox would sell off its cable and entertainment assets like this).

I'll wait for the details as nobody has any idea of what the stock swap/cash payout is going to be. Murdoch may get some shares of Disney, but there is some chatter of taking the Fox assets that are leftover private and that will need some hefty cash to do.
From the sounds of it, it looks like we'll find out possibly tomorrow.