Feb 27 (Reuters) - Fox Corp ( FOXA ) on Thursday named former Apple TV+ executive Pete
Distad as the CEO of its upcoming subscription streaming platform, which will take on the likes
of Netflix and Disney+.
The Murdoch family-controlled company plans to launch the yet-to-be-named subscription-based
streaming service by the end of 2025 to attract an audience outside its mainstay cable
television business.
Distad worked for a decade at Apple, including at the tech giant's streaming business, and
was also part of Hulu's launch team.
His most recent stint, however, was as the CEO of Venu sports, the sports-streaming venture
by Walt Disney ( DIS ), Fox and Warner Bros Discovery ( WBD ) that was called off earlier this
year due to mounting legal hurdles.
The media industry is experiencing a seismic shift as millions of viewers shift from
traditional cable television, where networks like Fox have a strong presence, to online
streaming platforms.
The owner of Fox News has largely sat out the streaming race between legacy media and
companies such as Netflix (NFLX.O).
Instead, it has focused on ad revenue from its Tubi streaming service, which has about
97 million monthly active users and a third of its viewers in the 18-34 age group coveted by
advertisers.
Distad will report to Paul Cheesbrough, CEO of Tubi Media Group and assume oversight of all
aspects of the upcoming streaming platform.
The new platform will package its existing sports, news and brands, Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch
had said at its second-quarter earnings call earlier this month.