Fox at TCA: Executive Session Live-Blog

Charlie Collier, CEO, Fox Entertainment, is at TCA to talk with reporters about the network’s life post-split with 20th Century Fox. Follow along for what he says…

10:06 AM: “Our independence allows us to question nearly every assumption about what it means to be an entertainment company,” Collier says. They get to question “if bigger is actually better.”

10:07 AM: Collier says their goal is to approach programming “in the most strategic way.” He points to THE MASKED SINGER as how they’re handling it: a fall return and post-Super Bowl launch. While they’ll be airing about 30 hours of the series this year, something like THE VOICE or BACHELOR airs about 70.

10:12 AM: Fox has decided to air some anti-holiday programming during the winter time of year; new programs will be announced shortly.

10:13 AM: “We’re committed to making sure [creatives] understand what kind of home Fox Entertainment is,” Collier says.

10:15 AM: Jeff Davis has signed an overall deal with Fox Entertainment.

10:18 AM: Will Jussie Smollett return to EMPIRE? “We tried to gather all of the information…Lee is right, there are no plans for Jussie to return to EMPIRE.” They discusses things thoroughly with the producers and 20th Century Fox before coming to that decision.

10:19 AM: “The Emmys will not have a host this year,” Collier says.

10:22 AM: Collier says they don’t want to just take big swings—they also want to take them off-cycle. He says they’re proud of WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!

10:24 AM: “We’re going to truly give the fans all of the payoff they deserve,” Collier says of EMPIRE, citing how the show has changed television.

10:25 AM: “It is a remarkable feat to tell original stories all year long in primetime,” Collier says of wrestling.

10:28 AM: “We had a lot of names on the board, but the conclusion was reached it would be better to go hostless,” Collier says.

10:29 AM: “We have almost an embarrassment of riches,” Collier says of whether they considered spitting up Animation Domination. But with BLESS THE HARTS, they’re leaning into the block.

10:30 AM: “No plans to abandon [Fox Now or Hulu],” Collier says.

10:31 AM: “I call our fall really wonderful, that leads into our midseason,” Collier says. They have sitcoms (LAST MAN STANDING and a new series) coming in midseason.

10:33 AM: “It’s remarkable, when you look at Fox for as far back as IN LIVING COLOR to what you know will be a remarkable final season of EMPIRE” the network has been diverse. They’re looking to tell stories that are diverse in all ways, including thoughts. He says as an industry, they have to do better.

10:36 AM: There will be an opening number for the Emmys, even sans host.

10:37 AM: Collier reiterates he’s not worried about THE MASKED SINGER fatigue. “I have nothing but respect for the people that cast the show,” Collier says of season 2. He also says the judges have gotten more comfortable with each other, too.

“It really is worth us taking all the [steps for] secrecy,” he says given how many people rushed home to watch the show and not have it ruined for them.

10:41 AM: Fox’s A MOODY CHRISTMAS is a short-run family comedy about a Chicago family who has having some issues. It’ll likely be six half-hours, that’ll run in hour-long blocks.

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