Fox Corporation has named Pete Distad as the CEO of its newly announced direct-to-consumer streaming platform, marking a significant step in the company’s push to capture audiences beyond traditional pay-TV bundles. The yet-to-be-named service will feature a robust lineup of channels, including Fox News, Fox Sports, and the Fox broadcast network, positioning it as a one-stop destination for sports, news, and entertainment enthusiasts. Distad, a seasoned executive with a proven track record in streaming and consumer products, will report directly to Paul Cheesbrough, CEO of Tubi Media Group, under whose umbrella this new venture falls.
Cheesbrough expressed enthusiasm about Distad’s appointment, praising his leadership credentials. “Pete is a proven leader with deep experience in consumer products, and we’re thrilled to have him join the team to lead this new platform,” Cheesbrough said. “His track record of innovation, execution, and building world-class streaming products speaks for itself, and we’re confident that under his leadership, we will deliver a best-in-class service that showcases Fox’s premium content and brands.”
Distad’s appointment comes on the heels of his brief tenure as the head of Venu Sports, a sports streaming service that was intended to be a joint venture between The Walt Disney Co., Warner Bros. Discovery, and Fox Corp. Announced with much fanfare, Venu aimed to revolutionize sports streaming but ultimately stalled before launch due to legal challenges from competitors like FuboTV, DirecTV, and Echostar. A recent court ruling against the Disney-Fox-Warner sports streamer, spurred by FuboTV’s lawsuit, underscored the complexities of breaking into the competitive streaming market. Despite Venu’s failure to take flight, Distad’s experience there has evidently positioned him as a key player in Fox’s next streaming chapter.
Before Venu, Distad spent a decade at Apple, where he oversaw the business, operations, and global distribution for video, sports, and Apple TV+. His tenure at Apple solidified his reputation as a strategic thinker capable of scaling streaming services to a global audience. Earlier in his career, Distad was part of the original Hulu launch team, serving as senior vice president of marketing and distribution. His contributions helped establish Hulu as a pioneer in the streaming wars, a foundation he now brings to Fox’s ambitious new project.
In his first public statement as CEO, Distad expressed excitement about the opportunity. “I’m excited to bring Fox’s leading sports, news, and entertainment content to audiences outside the traditional pay TV bundle for the first time via an all-new streaming platform,” he said. “Working closely with our content, distribution, and platform partners, we’re going to build and grow a differentiated viewing experience for consumers to access their favorite Fox programming.”
The announcement comes at a time when Fox Corp. is riding high, buoyed by a strong financial quarter driven by election-year spending and robust live sports viewership. The company’s focus on premium content, from NFL broadcasts to political commentary, aligns with Distad’s vision of a “differentiated viewing experience.” Industry analysts see this move as Fox doubling down on its strengths while adapting to the cord-cutting trend that continues to reshape media consumption.
Though details about the platform’s name, pricing, and launch date remain under wraps, Distad’s appointment signals Fox’s intent to compete aggressively in the crowded streaming landscape. With his extensive background and a clear mandate from Fox leadership, Distad is poised to steer this venture into a new era of digital entertainment, leveraging the company’s iconic brands to capture a growing audience of streaming-savvy consumers.
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