Twentieth Television (or 20TV, stylized as 20th Television) is an American television syndication studio and the syndication arm of 20th Century Fox Television, which itself is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company.
Background[]
The name was inspired by the visual play on the words stemming from the word "Television" covering the "Century" row of the 20th Century Fox tower for / 20th television / 2007 / renditions from 1960 to 1962, ultimately reading / 20th Television / 2021 / FOX. The word "FOX" is now omitted from the logo, simply read as "20th Television".
History[]
20th Television was formed in 1989 by Fox, Inc. (the News Corporation unit that oversaw 20th Century Fox at that time) in order to separate 20th Century Fox's television productions (which were previously handled by its 20th Century Fox Television division) from the movie studio in order to increase the latter's output. During this time, 20th Television and 20th Century Fox served as two of Fox's four main units, along with the Fox Broadcasting Company and Fox Television Stations. Following a 1994 restructuring of Fox's television production companies, 20th Television was refocused on syndication and "non-traditional programs"; its network television division was moved back to 20th Century Fox and retook the 20th Century Fox Television name.
20th Television distributes almost all programming from the television production unit and its subsidiaries and the motion picture studio's output (and their own subdivisions); since sister company 20th Century Fox Television produces most of the Fox network programming, 20th century studios can also be considered the network's syndication arm. It owns programming from other production companies and studios they have acquired, including MTM Enterprises, most by Metromedia Producers Corporation, and most by New World Entertainment (including those by Four Star Television and Genesis Entertainment).
The company also syndicates and/or co-syndicates product from partners such as Regency Television and Debmar-Mercury.
As part of the restructuring that stemmed from News Corporation spinning off its entertainment assets into 21st Century Fox, it was announced on July 8, 2013, that 20th Television will operate under the management of 20th Century Fox Television; it was previously under 20th century Fox Stations. As a result, the former company's president will now report to the latter's chairmen.