Shareholders Approve Disney to Buy Fox Assets

Last week, Walt Disney Co. and 21^st Century Fox Inc. shareholders approved the $71.3 billion deal for Disney to acquire Fox's entertainment assets. This approval comes after Comcast dropped its $65 billion bid to focus its efforts on acquiring the European pay-TV company Sky. The two companies were in an aggressive bidding war, but both were in good standing to receive antitrust clearance. Disney has already received antitrust clearance, subject to certain divestiture conditions, and if Comcast had stayed in the running, it likely would not have faced any significant antitrust concerns either.

Comcast Drops Bid for Fox Assets

Today, Comcast announced that it is dropping its $65 billion bid for Twenty-First Century Fox assets. Instead, Comcast will focus on its $34 billion bid for the British company Sky. 

As discussed in a blog last week by FSF Senior Fellow Ted Bolema, Comcast and Disney have been aggressively bidding on Fox assets, including Twenty-First Century Fox movie and TV studios, FX channels, controlling interests in National Geographic Partners, as well as non-controlling interests in Hulu. This announcement leaves Disney as the favorite to acquire these Fox assets, a decision that will be made by Fox shareholders on July 27, 2018.

Randolph May and Theodore Bolema React to Comcast Announcement Regarding Fox Acquisition

This week, Free State Foundation President Randolph May and Senior Fellow Theodore Bolema issued statements in response to Comcast's announcement regarding the acquisition of 21st Century Fox.

See both of their statements here.