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Fox Entertainment CEO Rob Wade and Billy Parks Detail Strategy for New Creator Studios Division

Variety· June 25, 2026

Fox Entertainment has launched a dedicated division, Fox Creator Studios, to develop content and businesses alongside digital creators looking to scale their influence. Speaking at the Cannes Lions festival, CEO Rob Wade and division head Billy Parks explained that the initiative aims to combine the high engagement of social media personalities with the reach and production expertise of a major television network. This move signals a significant shift in the creator economy as traditional media giants move beyond simple talent deals to help creators build diversified mini media empires across multiple platforms and product lines.

Fox Entertainment CEO Rob Wade and Billy Parks, head of the newly formed Fox Creator Studios, are positioning the network as a strategic partner for creators seeking to expand their revenue streams beyond social media platforms. Wade noted that the inspiration for the division came from Gordon Ramsay’s success in leveraging social followers to drive business for television, YouTube, and consumer products like the cookware brand HexClad. The central mission of the new division is to provide creators with the heft and expertise needed to maximize earnings on YouTube and TikTok, while also exploring ancillary opportunities in consumer goods and live events.

Billy Parks highlighted that the studio's value lies in providing professional development and production mechanics to creators who already have proven concepts. For instance, Parks described a creator with a successful social media game show who sought Fox’s institutional knowledge to refine the format, leveraging the network's extensive history in the genre. This incubation model allows Fox to develop content for its own platforms while helping creators scale their independent businesses, bridging the gap between digital influence and traditional media production standards.

The division has already begun aligning with major digital talent, including TikTok star Josh Richards, who is working with Fox to develop his sketch comedy series Read the Room. Richards stated that the association with Fox provides a massive stamp of approval as he transitions from short-form content and podcasts into scripted, high-production-value projects. This partnership underscores a growing trend in the creator economy where established digital stars seek the credibility and resources of legacy media companies to prove their versatility and reach new audiences in the scripted space.

Read the full story at Variety

Summary generated by RabbitReport AI from public reporting. The full article and original reporting belong to Variety.

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