Disney’s Deal for 21st Century Fox Is Said to Be Close<br />That would be Hulu, which focuses on older viewers with programming<br />that includes ABC shows and original programming like “The Handmaid’s Tale.” Disney, which already has a stake in the service, would own about 60 percent of Hulu if it completes the deal with 21st Century Fox.<br />That would leave Mr. Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox with three properties: Fox News, the relatively young FS1 cable sports channel,<br />and a broadcasting unit formed by the Fox network and local TV stations.<br />Controlling the Fox library — which includes the “X-Men” movies, TV shows like “The Simpsons,” FX series like “The Americans”<br />and classic films like “The Sound of Music” — would give Disney additional leverage.<br />What happens to CBS and Viacom?”<br />Under the current contours of the discussions, which could always hit a last-minute snag, Disney would buy the 20th Century Fox movie<br />and television studios; 22 regional cable networks dedicated to sports; Fox’s stake in the Hulu streaming service; cable networks like FX and National Geographic; and stakes in two behemoth overseas television-service providers, Sky of Britain and Star of India.<br />To complete a 21st Century Fox integration and guarantee<br />that Disney’s streaming services are introduced without problems — two legacy-defining high-wire acts — Mr. Iger may well renew his contract for a fourth time.<br />One question that has not been resolved, and may not be by the time a deal is announced, is whether James Murdoch, Mr. Murdoch’s younger son<br />and the current chief executive of 21st Century Fox, would join Disney.
