FOXA, §1A diff (2018 → 2019)

ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS Prospective investors should consider carefully the risk factors set forth below before making an investment in the Company’s securities. Risks Related to the Company’s Business The Company must respond to changes in consumer behavior as a result of new technologies in order to remain competitive. Technology, particularly digital technology used in the entertainment industry, continues to evolve rapidly, leading to alternative methods for the delivery and storage of digital content. These technological advancements have driven changes in consumer behavior and have empowered consumers to seek more control over when, where and how they consume content. Content owners are increasingly delivering their content directly to consumers over the Internet and innovations in distribution platforms have enabled consumers to view such Internet-delivered content on televisions and portable devices. The growth of direct to consumer video offerings, including video-on-demand, downloadable content and simultaneous live streaming of broadcast content including on social media, offerings by traditional MVPDs of smaller packages of programming to customers at price points lower than traditional offerings and the trend of consumers “cord-cutting” or cancelling their traditional MVPD subscriptions could adversely affect demand for our cable channels. Enhanced Internet capabilities and other new media may reduce television viewership, which could negatively affect the Company’s revenues. In addition, increased video consumption through streaming apps, online video distributors and social media with no advertising or less advertising than on video programming networks, time shifted viewing of television programming and the use of DVRs to skip advertisements could also negatively affect the Company’s advertising revenues. There is a risk that the Company’s responses to these changes and strategies to remain competitive, or failure to effectively anticipate or adapt to new market changes, could adversely affect our business. The Company’s failure to protect and exploit the value of its content, while responding to and developing new technology and business models to take advantage of advancements in technology and the latest consumer preferences, could have a significant adverse effect on the Company’s businesses, asset values and results of operations. The Company’s businesses operate in a highly competitive industry. The Company competes with other companies for high-quality content to reach large audiences and to generate advertising revenue. The Company also competes for distribution on various traditional and digital MVPDs and other third-party digital platforms. The Company’s ability to attract viewers and advertisers and obtain favorable distribution depends in part on its ability to provide popular television programming and adapt to new technologies and distribution platforms, which are increasing the number of content choices available to audiences. The consolidation of advertising agencies, distributors and television service providers also has increased their negotiating leverage and made competition for audiences, advertising revenue, and distribution more intense. Competition for audiences and/or advertising comes from broadcast television networks; cable television systems and networks; Internet-delivered free, advertising supported, subscription and rental services; other sources of information and entertainment; radio; print and other media. Other television stations or cable networks may change their formats or programming, a new station or new network may adopt a format to compete directly with the Company’s stations or networks, or stations or networks might engage in aggressive promotional campaigns. Increased competition in the acquisition of programming may also affect the scope of rights we are able to acquire and the cost of such rights, and the value of the rights we acquire or retain cannot be predicted with certainty in the future. Entering into or renewing contracts for programming rights or acquiring additional rights may result in increased costs to the Company. With respect to long-term contracts for sports programming rights, our results of operations and cash flows over the term of a contract depend on a number of factors, including the strength of the advertising market, our audience size, the ability to secure distribution from and impose surcharges or obtain carriage on traditional and digital MVPDs for the content, and the timing and amount of our rights payments. There can be no assurance that revenue from acquired rights contracts will exceed our costs for the rights, as well as the other costs of producing and distributing the programming. The Company cannot be assured that it will be able to compete successfully in the future against existing or potential competitors, or that competition or consolidation in the marketplace will not have a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition or results of operations. A decline in advertising expenditures could cause the Company’s revenues and operating results to decline significantly in any given period or in specific markets. The Company derives substantial revenues from the sale of advertising on its cable and broadcast networks and television stations. Expenditures by advertisers tend to be cyclical, reflecting overall economic conditions, as well as budgeting and buying patterns. Our advertising revenues may vary substantially from year to year, driven by major sporting events, such as the NFL’s Super Bowl and the FIFA World Cup and by the state, congressional and presidential elections cycles. Political advertising expenditures are impacted by the ability and willingness of candidates and political action campaigns to raise and spend funds on television and digital advertising, and the competitive nature of the elections impacting viewers within markets featuring our programming. A decline in the economic prospects of advertisers or the economy in general could alter current or prospective advertisers’ spending priorities. Advertising expenditures may also be affected by increasing competition for the leisure time of audiences. Demand for the Company’s programming as measured by ratings points is a key factor in determining advertising rates and the affiliate rates received by the Company. In addition, newer technologies, including new video formats, streaming and downloading capabilities via the Internet, video-on-demand, portable digital video devices and other devices and technologies are increasing the number of media and entertainment choices available to audiences. Some of these devices and technologies allow users to view programming from a remote location or on a time-delayed basis and provide users the ability to fast-forward, rewind, pause and skip programming and advertisements. These technological developments could affect the attractiveness of the Company’s offerings to advertisers. In addition, the pricing and volume of advertising may be affected by shifts in spending toward digital and mobile offerings, which can deliver targeted advertising more promptly, from more traditional media, or toward newer ways of purchasing advertising, such as through automated purchasing, dynamic advertising insertion, third parties selling local advertising spots and advertising exchanges, some or all of which may not be as beneficial to the Company as traditional advertising methods. A decrease in advertising expenditures, reduced demand for the Company’s programming or the inability to obtain market ratings that adequately measure demand for the Company’s content on all platforms could lead to a reduction in pricing and advertising spending, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s businesses, financial condition or results of operations. The loss of affiliation and carriage agreements could cause the Company’s revenues and operating results to decline significantly in any given period or in specific markets. The Company maintains affiliation and carriage arrangements that enable it to reach a large percentage of households through traditional MVPDs and third party-owned television stations. A significant decline in the number of traditional MVPD arrangements or the loss of carriage on their basic programming tiers could reduce the distribution of the Company’s owned and operated television stations and broadcast and cable networks, which could adversely affect the Company’s revenues from affiliate fees and its ability to sell national and local advertising time. The loss of traditional favorable MVPD packaging, positioning, pricing or other marketing opportunities could also negatively impact the Company’s revenues from affiliate fees. Consolidation among traditional MVPDs, their increased vertical integration into the cable or broadcast network business and alternative technologies to offer their subscribers access to local broadcast network programming have provided traditional MVPDs with more leverage, which could adversely affect the Company’s ability to maintain or obtain distribution for its owned and operated television stations and network programming on favorable or commercially reasonable terms, or at all. In addition, if the Company and a traditional MVPD reach an impasse in contract renewal negotiations, the Company’s networks and owned and operated television stations could become unavailable to the traditional MVPD’s subscribers (i.e., “go dark”), which, depending on the length of time and the size of the traditional MVPD, could have a negative impact on the Company’s revenues from affiliate fees and advertising. The Company also depends on the maintenance of affiliation agreements with third party-owned television stations to distribute the FOX Network and MyNetworkTV. Consolidation among television station group owners could increase their negotiating leverage and there can be no assurance that these affiliation agreements will be renewed in the future on terms acceptable to the Company. A significant decline in the number of affiliation arrangements with third-party owned television stations could reduce the distribution of the FOX Network and MyNetworkTV and adversely affect the Company’s ability to sell national advertising time. In addition, the Company has arrangements through which it makes its content available for viewing through online video platforms. If these arrangements are not renewed on favorable or commercially reasonable terms or at all, it could adversely affect the Company’s revenues and operating results. Our business is dependent on the popularity of special sports events and the continued popularity of the sports leagues and teams whose media rights we have programming rights to. Our sports business depends on the popularity and success of the sports franchises, leagues and teams for which we have acquired broadcast and cable network programming rights. If a sports league declines in popularity or fails to generate fan enthusiasm, this may negatively impact viewership and advertising and affiliate revenues received in connection with our sports programming. Our operating results may be impacted in part by special events, such as the NFL’s Super Bowl, which is broadcast on the FOX Network on a rotating basis with other networks, the MLB’s World Series and the FIFA World Cup, which occurs every four years (for each of women and men), and other regular and post-season sporting events delivered to consumers on our broadcast television and cable networks. Our advertising and affiliate revenues are subject to fluctuations based on the dates of sporting events and their availability for viewing through our broadcast television and cable networks and the popularity of the competing teams. For example, any decrease in the number of post-season games played in a sports league for which we have acquired broadcast programming rights, or the participation of a smaller-market sports franchise in post-season competition could result in less advertising revenues for the Company. There can be no assurance that any sports league will continue to generate fan enthusiasm or provide the expected number of regular and post-season games for advertisers and customers alike, and the failure to do so could result in a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Additionally, increased competition for the sale of sports event advertising time with other television networks, stations and other advertising platforms, such as digital media, radio and print, may adversely affect the Company’s revenues and operating results. A shortfall in the expected popularity of the sports events for which the Company has acquired rights, or in the volume of sports programming the Company expects to distribute, could adversely affect the Company’s advertising revenues in the near term and, over a longer period of time, adversely affect affiliate revenues. The inability to renew programming rights, particularly sports programming rights, on sufficiently favorable terms could cause the Company’s affiliate and advertising revenue to decline significantly in any given period or in specific markets. We enter into long-term contracts for both the acquisition and the distribution of media programming and products, including contracts for the acquisition of programming rights for sporting events and other programs, and contracts for the distribution of our programming to content distributors. Programming rights, retransmission consent agreements, carriage contracts and affiliation agreements have varying durations and renewal terms that are subject to negotiation with other parties, the outcome of which is unpredictable. In addition, competition for popular programming rights, and sports programming rights in particular, that are licensed from third parties is intense, and, have varying duration and renewal terms. Moreover, the value of these agreements may also be affected by various league decisions and/or league agreements that we may not be able to control, including a decision to alter the number, frequency and timing of regular and post-season games played during a season. As these contracts expire, renewals on favorable terms may be sought; however, third parties may outbid the current rights holders for the rights contracts. The loss of rights or renewal on less favorable terms could impact the extent of the Company’s programs, in particular the sports coverage offered by the Company, its cable networks, broadcast stations and affiliates to the FOX Network, and could adversely affect the Company’s advertising and affiliate revenues. Upon renewal, the Company’s results could be adversely affected if escalations in programming rights costs are unmatched by increases in advertising and affiliate revenues. In addition, if the Company does not obtain exclusive rights to the programming it distributes, it could negatively impact the Company’s advertising and affiliate revenues. Acceptance of the Company’s content by the public is difficult to predict, which could lead to fluctuations in revenues. Television distribution is a speculative business since the revenues derived from the distribution of content depends primarily upon its acceptance by the public, which is difficult to predict. Low public acceptance of the Company’s content will adversely affect the Company’s results of operations. The commercial success of our programming also depends upon the quality and acceptance of other competing programming, the availability of a growing number of alternative forms of entertainment and leisure time activities, general economic conditions and their effects on consumer spending and other tangible and intangible factors, all of which can change and cannot be predicted with certainty. Moreover, we must often invest substantial amounts in programming and the acquisition of sports rights before we learn the extent to which the content will earn consumer acceptance. Competition for popular content, particularly for sports and entertainment programming, is intense, and the Company may need to increase the price paid for popular content rights. The Company’s failure to obtain or retain rights to popular content, or a decline in the ratings or popularity of the Company’s news, sports or entertainment television programming, which could be a result of the loss of talent or rights to certain programming, could adversely affect advertising revenues in the near term and, over a longer period of time, adversely affect affiliate revenues. The Company is exposed to risks associated with weak economic conditions and increased volatility and disruption in the financial markets. The Company’s businesses, financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected by weak economic conditions. Factors that affect economic conditions include the rate of unemployment, the level of consumer confidence, changes in consumer spending habits, political uncertainties and potential changes in trade relationships between the U.S. and other countries. The Company also faces risks associated with the impact of weak economic conditions on advertisers, affiliates, suppliers, wholesale distributors, retailers, insurers and others with which it does business. Increased volatility and disruptions in the financial markets could make it more difficult and more expensive for the Company to refinance outstanding indebtedness and obtain new financing. The financial markets can experience high levels of volatility and access to capital can be constrained for extended periods of time, and we cannot guarantee that the Company will be able to refinance outstanding indebtedness or obtain financing on terms that are acceptable to the Company or at all. In addition, the Company’s access to and cost of borrowing can be affected by the Company’s short-term and long-term debt ratings assigned by ratings agencies. If we are not successful in obtaining financing or incur significantly higher borrowing costs than contemplated, it may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations. Disruptions in the financial markets can also adversely affect the Company’s lenders, insurers, customers and counterparties, including vendors, retailers and other partners. For instance, the inability of the Company’s counterparties to obtain capital on acceptable terms could impair their ability to perform under their agreements with the Company and lead to negative effects on the Company, including business disruptions, decreased revenues and increases in bad debt expenses. Damage to our brands, particularly the FOX brand, or our reputation could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Our brands, particularly the FOX brand, are among our most valuable assets. We believe that our brand image, brand awareness and reputation strengthen our relationship with consumers and contribute significantly to the success of our business. Maintaining, further enhancing and extending our brands may require us to make significant investments in marketing, programming or new products, services or events. These investments may not be successful. We may introduce new programming that is not popular with our consumers and advertisers, which may negatively affect our brands. To the extent our content, in particular our live news and sports programming and primetime entertainment programming, is not compelling to consumers, our ability to maintain a positive reputation may be adversely impacted. Unfavorable publicity regarding our content, the actions of advertisers featured on our broadcast television and cable networks, and governmental scrutiny or fines, could adversely affect the Company’s reputation and brands. Furthermore, to the extent our marketing, customer service and public relations efforts are not effective or result in negative consumer reaction, our ability to maintain a positive reputation may likewise be adversely impacted. If we are not successful in maintaining or enhancing the image or awareness of our brands, or if our reputation is harmed for any reason, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Our investments in new businesses, products, services and technologies through acquisitions and other strategic investments present many risks, and we may not realize the financial and strategic goals we had contemplated, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. We have acquired and invested in, and expect to continue acquiring and investing in, new businesses, products, services and technologies that complement, enhance or expand our current businesses or otherwise offer us growth opportunities. Such acquisitions and strategic investments may involve significant risks and uncertainties, including insufficient revenues from an investment to offset any new liabilities assumed and expenses associated with the investment; a failure of the investment or acquired business to perform as expected, meet financial projections or achieve strategic goals; a failure to further develop an acquired business, product, service or technology; unidentified issues not discovered in our due diligence that could cause us to not realize anticipated benefits or to incur unanticipated liabilities; difficulties in integrating the operations, personnel, technologies and systems of acquired businesses; the potential loss of key employees or customers of acquired businesses; and the diversion of management attention from current operations. Because acquisitions and investments are inherently risky and their anticipated benefits or value may not materialize, our acquisitions and investments may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. The degradation, failure or misuse of the Company’s network and information systems and other technology could cause a disruption of services or improper disclosure of personal data or other confidential information, resulting in increased costs, liabilities or loss of revenue. Network and information systems-related events, such as computer hacking and phishing, theft, computer viruses, ransomware, worms or other destructive or disruptive software, process breakdowns, denial of service attacks, malicious social engineering or other malicious activities, or any combination of the foregoing, as well as power outages, natural or other disasters (including extreme weather), terrorist activities or human error, may affect our network and information systems (including those of our vendors that the Company uses) and could result in disruption of our services, misappropriation, misuse, alteration, theft, loss, leakage, falsification, and accidental or premature release or improper disclosure of confidential or other information, including intellectual property and personal data contained on such network and systems. While we continue to develop, implement and maintain security measures seeking to prevent unauthorized access to or misuse of our network and information systems, such efforts are costly, require ongoing monitoring and updating and may not be successful in preventing these events from occurring given that the techniques used to access, disable or degrade service or sabotage systems change frequently and become more sophisticated. Although no cybersecurity incident has been material to the Company’s businesses to date, we expect to continue to be subject to cybersecurity threats and there can be no assurance that we will not experience a material incident. Any cybersecurity incidents could result in a disruption of our operations, customer or advertiser dissatisfaction, damage to our reputation or brands, regulatory investigations, claims, lawsuits or loss of customers or revenue, and the Company may also be subject to liability under relevant contractual obligations and laws and regulations protecting personal data and may be required to expend significant resources to defend, remedy and/or address any incidents. The Company may not have adequate insurance coverage to compensate it for any losses that may occur. Technological developments may increase the threat of content piracy and signal theft and limit the Company’s ability to protect its intellectual property rights. Content piracy and signal theft present a threat to the Company’s revenues from products and services, including, but not limited to, television shows, cable and other programming. The Company seeks to limit the threat of content piracy as well as cable and direct broadcast satellite programming signal theft; however, policing unauthorized use of the Company’s products and services and related intellectual property is often difficult and the steps taken by the Company may not in every case prevent infringement. Developments in technology, including digital copying, file compression technology, growing penetration of high-bandwidth Internet connections, increased availability and speed of mobile data networks, and new devices and applications that enable unauthorized access to content, increase the threat of content piracy by making it easier to access, duplicate, widely distribute and store high-quality pirated material. In addition, developments in software or devices that circumvent encryption technology and the falling prices of devices incorporating such technologies increase the threat of unauthorized use and distribution of direct broadcast satellite programming signals and the proliferation of user-generated content sites and live and stored video streaming sites, which deliver unauthorized copies of copyrighted content, including those emanating from other countries in various languages, may adversely impact the Company’s businesses. The proliferation of unauthorized distribution and use of the Company’s content could have an adverse effect on the Company’s businesses and profitability because it reduces the revenue that the Company could potentially receive from the legitimate sale and distribution of its products and services. The Company takes a variety of actions to combat piracy and signal theft, both individually and, in some instances, together with industry associations. However, protection of the Company’s intellectual property rights is dependent on the scope and duration of the Company’s rights as defined by applicable laws in the U.S. and abroad and how those laws are construed. If those laws are interpreted in ways that limit the extent or duration of the Company’s rights, or if existing laws are changed, the Company’s ability to generate revenue from intellectual property may decrease, or the cost of obtaining and enforcing our rights may increase. A change in the laws of one jurisdiction may also have an impact on the Company’s overall ability to protect its intellectual property rights across other jurisdictions. There can be no assurance that the Company’s efforts to enforce its rights and protect its products, services and intellectual property will be successful in preventing content piracy or signal theft. Further, while piracy and the proliferation of piracy-enabling technology tools continue to escalate, if any laws intended to combat piracy and protect intellectual property are repealed, weakened or not adequately enforced, or if the applicable legal systems fail to evolve and adapt to new technologies that facilitate piracy, we may be unable to effectively protect our rights and the value of our intellectual property may be negatively impacted, and our costs of enforcing our rights could increase. The loss of key personnel, including talent, could disrupt the management or operations of the Company’s business and adversely affect its revenues. The Company’s business depends upon the continued efforts, abilities and expertise of its Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Lachlan K. Murdoch, Chairman, K. Rupert Murdoch, and other key employees and news, sports and entertainment personalities. The Company believes that the unique combination of skills and experience possessed by its executive officers would be difficult to replace and that the loss of its executive officers could have a material adverse effect on the Company, including the impairment of the Company’s ability to execute its business strategy. Additionally, the Company employs or independently contracts with several news, sports and entertainment personalities with significant, loyal audiences. News, sports and entertainment personalities are sometimes significantly responsible for the ranking of programming on a television station or cable network and, therefore, a significant influence on the ability of the station or network to sell advertising. The Company’s broadcast television stations and cable networks deliver programming with highly regarded on-air talent who are important to attracting and retaining audiences for the distributed news, sports and entertainment content. There can be no assurance that these news, sports and entertainment personalities will remain with us or will retain their current appeal, or that the costs associated with retaining this and new talent will be favorable or acceptable to us. If the Company fails to retain or attract these news, sports and entertainment personalities and talent or they lose their current audiences or advertising partners, the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected. Labor disputes, whether involving our own employees or those at businesses that we depend on, may disrupt our operations and adversely affect the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations. In a variety of the Company’s businesses, the Company and its partners engage the services of trade employees and others who are subject to collective bargaining agreements. If the Company or its partners are unable to renew expiring collective bargaining agreements, it is possible that the affected unions could take action in the form of strikes or work stoppages. Such actions, as well as higher costs in connection with these collective bargaining agreements or a significant labor dispute, could have an adverse effect on the Company’s business by causing delays in production or by reducing profit margins. Moreover, the Company has certain collective bargaining agreements, which are industry-wide agreements, and the Company may lack practical control over the negotiations and terms of the agreements in dispute. In addition, our broadcast television and cable networks have programming rights agreements of varying scope and duration with various sports leagues to broadcast and produce sporting events, including certain college football and basketball, NFL and MLB games. Any labor disputes that occur in any sports league for which we have the rights to broadcast live games or events may preclude us from airing or otherwise distributing scheduled games or events, resulting in decreased revenues, which could adversely affect our business, revenue and results of operations. Changes in U.S. communications laws or other regulations may have an adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations. The Company is subject to a variety of regulations in the jurisdictions in which its businesses operate. In general, the television broadcasting and traditional MVPD industries in the U.S. are highly regulated by federal laws and regulations issued and administered by various federal agencies, including the FCC. The FCC generally regulates, among other things, the ownership of media, broadcast and multichannel video programming and technical operations of broadcast licensees. For example, the Company is required to apply for and operate in compliance with licenses from the FCC to operate a television station, purchase a new television station, or sell an existing television station, with licenses generally subject to an eight-year renewable term. Our program services and online properties are subject to a variety of laws and regulations, including those relating to issues such as content regulation, user privacy and data protection, and consumer protection, among others. Further, the United States Congress, the FCC and state legislatures currently have under consideration, and may in the future adopt, new laws, regulations and policies regarding a wide variety of matters, including technological changes and measures relating to network neutrality, privacy and data security, which could, directly or indirectly, affect the operations and ownership of the Company’s media properties. Any restrictions on political or other advertising may adversely affect the Company’s advertising revenues. In addition, some policymakers maintain that traditional MVPDs should be required to offer a la carte programming to subscribers on a network by network basis or “family friendly” programming tiers. Unbundling packages of program services may increase both competition for carriage on distribution platforms and marketing expenses, which could adversely affect the business, financial condition and results of operations of the Company’s cable networks. The threat of regulatory action or increased scrutiny that deters certain advertisers from advertising or reaching their intended audiences could adversely affect advertising revenue. Similarly, new federal or state laws or regulations or changes in interpretations of federal or state law or in regulations imposed by the U.S. government could require changes in the operations or ownership of our business and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations. The Company may be subject to investigations or fines from governmental authorities, including under FCC rules and policies, or delays in our renewal and other applications with the FCC. FCC rules prohibit the broadcast of obscene material at any time and indecent or profane material on television or radio broadcast stations between the hours of 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. The FCC has indicated that, in addition to issuing fines to licensees, it would consider initiating license revocation proceedings for “serious” indecency violations. We air a significant amount of live news reporting and live sports coverage on our broadcast television stations and networks and a portion of our content is under the control of our on-air talent. The Company cannot predict whether information delivered by our stations and on-air talent could violate FCC rules related to indecency, which had been found to be unconstitutionally vague by the U.S. Supreme Court, especially given the spontaneity of live news and sports programming. Violation of the FCC’s indecency rules could subject us to government investigation, penalties, license revocation, or renewal or qualification proceedings, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. The Communications Act and FCC regulations limit the ability of non-U.S. citizens and certain other persons to invest in us. The Company owns broadcast station licensees in connection with its ownership and operation of U.S. television stations. Under the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, which we refer to as the Communications Act, and the FCC rules, without the FCC’s prior approval, no broadcast station licensee may be owned by a corporation if more than 25% of its stock is owned or voted by non-U.S. persons, their representatives, or by any other corporation organized under the laws of a foreign country. The Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorizes the Board of Directors to prevent, cure or mitigate the effect of stock ownership above the applicable foreign ownership threshold by taking any action, including: refusing to permit any transfer of common stock to or ownership of common stock by a non-U.S. stockholder; voiding a transfer of common stock to a non-U.S. stockholder; suspending rights of stock ownership if held by a non-U.S. stockholder; or redeeming common stock held by a non-U.S. stockholder. We are currently in compliance with applicable U.S. law and continue to monitor our foreign ownership based on our assessment of the information reasonably available to us, but we are not able to predict whether we will need to take action pursuant to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. The FCC could review the Company’s compliance with applicable U.S. law in connection with its consideration of the Company’s renewal applications for licenses to operate the broadcast stations the Company owns. The failure or destruction of satellites or transmitter facilities that the Company depends upon to distribute its programming could materially adversely affect its businesses and results of operations, as could changes in FCC regulations governing the availability and use of satellite transmission spectrum. The Company uses satellite systems to transmit its broadcast and cable networks to affiliates. The distribution facilities include uplinks, communications satellites and downlinks. Transmissions may be disrupted as a result of local disasters, including extreme weather that impair on-ground uplinks or downlinks, or as a result of an impairment of a satellite. Currently, there are a limited number of communications satellites available for the transmission of programming. If a disruption occurs, failure to secure alternate distribution facilities in a timely manner could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s businesses and results of operations. Each of the Company’s television stations and cable networks uses studio and transmitter facilities that are subject to damage or destruction. Failure to restore such facilities in a timely manner could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s businesses and results of operations. Further, changes in FCC regulations could reduce the availability and use of satellite transmission spectrum. The decreased availability of satellite transmission spectrum could increase interference to and diminish the quality of our transmissions. If the FCC reallocates the portion of the satellite transmission spectrum the Company uses to transmit its programming without safeguarding video delivery, it would significantly hinder the Company’s ability to deliver its programming to broadcast affiliates and traditional MVPDs. The Company could be subject to significant tax liabilities. We are subject to taxation in U.S. federal, state and local jurisdictions. Changes in tax laws, regulations, practices or the interpretations thereof could affect the Company’s results of operations. Judgment is required in evaluating and estimating our provision and accruals for taxes. In addition, transactions occur during the ordinary course of business or otherwise for which the ultimate tax determination is uncertain. Tax returns are routinely audited, tax-related litigation or settlements may occur, and certain jurisdictions may assess income tax liabilities against us. The final outcomes of tax audits, investigations, and any related litigation could result in materially different tax recognition from our historical tax provisions and accruals. These outcomes could conflict with private letter rulings, opinions of counsel or other interpretations provided to the Company. If these matters are adversely resolved, we may be required to recognize additional charges to our tax provisions and pay significant additional amounts with respect to current or prior periods or our taxes in the future could increase, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations. The Company could suffer losses due to asset impairment charges for goodwill, intangible assets and programming. In accordance with GAAP, the Company performs an annual impairment assessment of its recorded goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets, including FCC licenses. The Company also continually evaluates whether current factors or indicators, such as the prevailing conditions in the capital markets, require the performance of an interim impairment assessment of those assets, as well as other investments and other long-lived assets. Any significant shortfall, now or in the future, in advertising revenue and/or the expected popularity of our programming could lead to a downward revision in the fair value of certain reporting units. A downward revision in the fair value of a reporting unit, indefinite-lived intangible assets, investments or long-lived assets could result in an impairment and a non-cash charge. Any such charge could be material to the Company’s reported net earnings. Certain of the Company’s directors and officers may have actual or potential conflicts of interest because of their equity ownership in News Corp, and certain of the Company’s officers and directors may have actual or potential conflicts of interest because they also serve as officers and/or on the board of directors of News Corp. Certain of the Company’s directors and executive officers own shares of common stock of News Corporation, which we refer to as News Corp, and the individual holdings may be significant for some of these individuals compared to their total assets. In addition, certain of the Company’s officers and directors also serve as officers and/or as directors of News Corp, including our Chairman, K. Rupert Murdoch, who serves as News Corp’s Executive Chairman, and our Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Lachlan K. Murdoch, who serves as News Corp’s Co-Chairman. This ownership of or service to both companies may create, or may create the appearance of, conflicts of interest when these directors and officers are faced with decisions that could have different implications for News Corp and us. In addition to any other arrangements that the Company and News Corp may agree to implement, the Company and News Corp have agreed that officers and directors who serve at both companies will recuse themselves from decisions where conflicts arise due to their positions at both companies. Our amended and restated by-laws acknowledge that our directors and officers, as well as certain of our stockholders, including K. Rupert Murdoch, certain members of his family and certain family trusts (so long as such persons continue to own, in the aggregate, 10% or more of the voting stock of each of News Corp and us), each of which we refer to as a covered stockholder, are or may become stockholders, directors, officers, employees or agents of News Corp and certain of its affiliates. Our amended and restated by-laws provide that any such overlapping person will not be liable to us, or to any of our stockholders, for breach of any fiduciary duty that would otherwise exist because such individual directs a corporate opportunity to News Corp instead of us. The provisions in our amended and restated by-laws could result in an overlapping person submitting any corporate opportunities to News Corp instead of us. Certain provisions of the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation, amended and restated by-laws, Delaware law, the Company’s stockholder rights agreement and the ownership of the Company’s common stock by the Murdoch Family Trust may discourage takeovers and the concentration of ownership will affect the voting results of matters submitted for stockholder approval. The Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated by-laws contain certain anti-takeover provisions that may make more difficult or expensive a tender offer, change in control, or takeover attempt that is opposed by the Company’s Board of Directors or certain stockholders holding a significant percentage of the voting power of the Company’s outstanding voting stock. In particular, the amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated by-laws provide for, among other things: • a dual class common equity capital structure, in which holders of FOX class A common stock can vote only in very specific, limited circumstances; • a prohibition on stockholders taking any action by written consent without a meeting (unless there are three record holders or fewer); • special stockholders’ meeting to be called only by a majority of the Board of Directors, the Chairman or vice or deputy chairman, or upon the written request of holders of not less than 20% of the voting power of our outstanding voting stock; • the requirement that stockholders give the Company advance notice to nominate candidates for election to the Board of Directors or to make stockholder proposals at a stockholders’ meeting; • the requirement of an affirmative vote of at least 65% of the voting power of the Company’s outstanding voting stock to amend or repeal our amended and restated by-laws; • restrictions on the transfer of the Company’s shares; and • the Board of Directors to issue, without stockholder approval, preferred stock and series common stock with such terms as the Board of Directors may determine. These provisions could discourage potential acquisition proposals and could delay or prevent a change in control of FOX, even in the case where a majority of the stockholders may consider such proposals, if effective, desirable. In addition, in connection with the Transaction, the Company’s Board of Directors adopted a stockholder rights agreement pursuant to which each outstanding share of the Company’s common stock has attached to it a right entitling its holder to purchase from the Company additional shares of its class A common stock and class B common stock, as applicable, in the event that a person or group acquires beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the then outstanding class B common stock or 15% of the combined class A common stock and class B common stock, without approval of the Company’s Board of Directors, subject to certain exceptions, including for persons beneficially owning 15% or more of the Company’s class B common Stock as of the date of adoption of the rights agreement. The stockholder rights agreement could make it more difficult for a third-party to acquire the Company’s voting common stock without the approval of its Board of Directors. The rights expire on November 15, 2019. Further, as a result of his ability to appoint certain members of the board of directors of the corporate trustee of the Murdoch Family Trust, which beneficially owns less than one percent of the outstanding FOX class A common stock and 38.4% of FOX class B common stock, K. Rupert Murdoch may be deemed to be a beneficial owner of the shares beneficially owned by the Murdoch Family Trust. K. Rupert Murdoch, however, disclaims any beneficial ownership of these shares. Also, K. Rupert Murdoch beneficially owns or may be deemed to beneficially own an additional less than one percent of FOX class B common stock and approximately one percent of FOX class A common stock. Thus, K. Rupert Murdoch may be deemed to beneficially own in the aggregate approximately one percent of FOX class A common stock and 38.9% of FOX class B common stock. This concentration of voting power could discourage third parties from making proposals involving an acquisition of FOX. Additionally, the ownership concentration of FOX class B common stock by the Murdoch Family Trust increases the likelihood that proposals submitted for stockholder approval that are supported by the Murdoch Family Trust will be adopted and proposals that the Murdoch Family Trust does not support will not be adopted, whether or not such proposals to stockholders are also supported by the other holders of FOX class B common stock. Furthermore, the adoption of the stockholder rights agreement prevents, unless the Company’s board of directors otherwise determines at the time, other potential stockholders from acquiring a similar ownership position in the Company’s class B common stock and, accordingly, could prevent a meaningful challenge to the Murdoch Family Trust’s influence over matters submitted for stockholder approval. Risks Related to the Company’s Separation from 21CF The Company may be unable to achieve some or all of the expected benefits that it expects to achieve as a standalone, publicly traded company. Following the Transaction, the Company may be more susceptible to market fluctuations and other adverse events than the Company would have otherwise been while it was still part of 21CF. As part of 21CF, the Company enjoyed certain benefits from 21CF’s scale, operating diversity and access to capital, which are no longer available. As a standalone, publicly traded company, we expect to benefit from, among other things, sharpened focus on the financial and operational resources of the Company’s businesses, which allows management to design and implement a capital structure, corporate strategies and policies that are based primarily on the business characteristics and strategic opportunities of the FOX businesses. We believe this will allow us to respond more effectively to industry dynamics and to create effective incentives for management and employees that are more closely tied to FOX’s business performance. If we fail to achieve some or all of the benefits that we expect to achieve as a standalone, publicly traded company or such benefits are delayed, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected. The Company’s accounting and other management systems and resources may not be adequately prepared to meet the financial reporting and other requirements to which the Company is subject following the Transaction. If the Company is unable to achieve and maintain effective internal controls, the Company’s results of operations, cash flows and financial condition could be materially adversely affected. The Company’s financial results were previously included within the consolidated results of 21CF, and the Company believes that its reporting and control systems were appropriate for those of subsidiaries of a public company. However, the Company was not directly subject to the reporting and other requirements of the Exchange Act. As a result of the Transaction, the Company is directly subject to reporting and other obligations under the Exchange Act. Beginning with the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, the Company will be required to comply with Section 404 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, which will require annual management assessments of the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting and a report by the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm. These reporting and other obligations will place significant demands on the Company’s management and administrative and operational resources, including accounting resources. To comply with these requirements, the Company is relying in part on 21CF to provide it with services on a transitional basis under the transition services agreement that are similar to some of the financial, administrative and other resources it provided the Company prior to the Transaction. In addition, the Company is in the process of upgrading its systems, including information technology, and implementing additional financial and management controls, reporting systems and procedures. The Company has incurred and expects to incur additional annual expenses related to these steps, and these expenses may be significant. If the Company is unable to upgrade its financial and management controls, reporting systems, information technology systems and procedures in a timely and effective fashion, the Company’s ability to comply with its financial reporting requirements and other rules that apply to reporting companies under the Exchange Act could be impaired. Any failure to achieve and maintain effective internal controls could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. The Company may be unable to make, on a timely or cost-effective basis, the changes necessary to operate effectively as a standalone, publicly traded company, and the Company may experience increased costs as a result of the Transaction. The Company historically operated as part of 21CF’s broader corporate organization, and 21CF provided various corporate services for us, including information technology, tax administration, treasury activities, accounting, benefits administration, legal and ethics and compliance program administration. Following the Transaction, 21CF has no obligation to provide us with assistance other than the transition services under the transition services agreement. These transition services include, among others, broadcast operations, sports production, information systems and technology (enterprise, infrastructure, operations and digital), human resources services (payroll and human resources information system/benefits administration), finance and accounting, facilities, intellectual property/music and other corporate services. Generally, the services provided under such transition services agreement are provided at cost for a period not exceeding two years. During this period, we depend on 21CF for these services and are subject to the risk of 21CF not properly performing its obligations under the transition services agreement. If 21CF is not in compliance with its obligations and following the expiration of the term for a specific transition service under the transition services agreement, the Company will need to provide the covered services internally or obtain them from unaffiliated third parties. The Company may be unable to replace these services in a timely manner or on terms and conditions as favorable as those the Company receives from 21CF. Because the Company’s business historically operated as part of the wider 21CF organization, the Company may be unable to successfully establish the infrastructure or implement the changes necessary to operate independently, or may incur additional costs that could adversely affect the Company’s business. If the Company fails to obtain the quality of services necessary to operate effectively or incur greater costs in obtaining these services, the Company’s business, financial condition or results of operations may be adversely affected. The Company has very limited operating history as a standalone, publicly traded company, and the Company’s historical financial information is not necessarily representative of the results the Company would have achieved as a standalone, publicly traded company and may not be a reliable indicator of the Company’s future results. The Company derived the historical financial information included in this Annual Report from 21CF’s consolidated financial statements, and this information does not necessarily reflect the results of operations and financial position it would have achieved as a standalone, publicly traded company during the periods presented, or those that it will achieve in the future. This is primarily because of the following factors: • Prior to the Transaction, the Company operated as part of 21CF’s broader corporate organization, and 21CF provided various corporate services for the Company, including information technology, tax administration, treasury activities, accounting, benefits administration, legal and ethics and compliance program administration. The Company’s historical financial information reflects allocations of corporate expenses from 21CF for these and similar services. These allocations may not reflect the costs the Company incurs, and will incur, for similar services as a standalone, publicly traded company. • The Company has entered into transactions with 21CF that did not exist prior to the Transaction, including in connection with the provision of transition services, which have caused, and will continue to cause, the Company to incur new costs. • The Company’s historical financial information does not reflect changes the Company has experienced, and expects to experience, as a result of the Transaction, including changes in the Company’s cost structure, personnel needs, tax structure, financing and business operations. As part of 21CF, the Company enjoyed certain benefits from 21CF’s operating diversity, size, purchasing power, borrowing leverage and available capital for investments, and the Company lost certain of these benefits following the Transaction. As a standalone, publicly traded company, the Company may be unable to purchase goods, services and technologies, such as insurance and health care benefits and computer software licenses, or access capital markets on terms as favorable to the Company as those that were available to the Company as part of 21CF prior to the Transaction. In addition, the Company may incur increased costs as a result of the loss of synergies the Company previously enjoyed by operating as part of 21CF. Following the Transaction, the Company has been responsible for the additional costs associated with being a standalone, publicly traded company, including costs related to corporate governance, investor and public relations and public reporting. The Company may also face reduced purchasing power with respect to certain enterprise-wide purchases, such as certain third party services, certain off-the-shelf software licenses and other information technology hardware and software. Relatedly, the Company’s historical financial data does not include an allocation of interest expense comparable to the interest expense the Company has incurred as a result of the Transaction and also does not reflect expected additional recurring costs related to FOX operating as a standalone, publicly traded company, which could range between $225 million and $250 million on an annual basis. See Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations-Introduction. Therefore, the Company’s historical financial statements may not be indicative of the Company’s performance as a standalone, publicly traded company. The indemnification arrangements the Company entered into with 21CF in connection with the Transaction may require the Company to divert cash to satisfy indemnification obligations to 21CF. The indemnification from 21CF may not be sufficient to insure the Company against the full amount of liabilities that have been allocated to 21CF. Pursuant to the agreements the Company and 21CF entered into connection with the Transaction, 21CF will indemnify the Company for certain liabilities and the Company will indemnify 21CF for certain liabilities. Payments pursuant to these indemnities may be significant and could negatively impact our business. Third parties could also seek to hold the Company responsible for any of the liabilities of the businesses that were retained by 21CF in connection with the Transaction. 21CF has agreed to indemnify the Company for such liabilities, but such indemnity from 21CF may not be sufficient to protect the Company against the full amount of such liabilities, and 21CF may not be able to fully satisfy its indemnification obligations. Moreover, even if the Company ultimately succeeds in recovering from 21CF any amounts for which it is held liable, the Company may be temporarily required to bear these losses itself. Each of these risks could negatively affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. The Company could be liable for income taxes owed by 21CF. Each member of the 21CF consolidated group, which, prior to the Transaction, included 21CF, the Company and 21CF’s other subsidiaries, is jointly and severally liable for the U.S. federal income and, in certain jurisdictions, state tax liabilities of each other member of the consolidated group for periods prior to and including the Transaction. Consequently, the Company could be liable in the event any such liability is incurred, and not discharged, by any other member of what was previously the 21CF consolidated group. The tax matters agreement entered into in connection with the Transaction requires 21CF and/or Disney to indemnify the Company for any such liability. Disputes or assessments could arise during future audits by the Internal Revenue Service in amounts that the Company cannot quantify. ITEM 1B.