Rupert Murdoch’s entertainment group to be named 21st Century Fox

Rupert Murdoch has settled on a new name for his soon-to-be-reconstituted film and television company: 21st Century Fox, a moniker with a guaranteed 87-year shelf life.

That should be more than sufficient for the 82-year-old media mogul.

Murdoch and senior managers had previously announced that the existing News Corp. would be renamed “Fox Group” when the media conglomerate cleaves itself into two separate publicly traded companies this summer.

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The newspapers and publishing assets will be given the News Corp. name, as it was more fitting of a company boasting a portfolio of newspapers, including the Wall Street Journal, Times of London, the Australian and the New York Post.

But, as it turned out, the name Fox Group wasn’t snazzy enough for Murdoch and crew.

“After much exploration, and valuable input from our executive team, we’ve chosen the name 21st Century Fox to take us into the future,” Murdoch announced in an email Tuesday to News Corp. employees.

Murdoch will be chairman of both companies, and chief executive of 21st Century Fox.

“21st Century Fox is a name that draws upon the rich creative heritage of Twentieth Century Fox, while also speaking to the innovation and dynamism that must define each of our businesses through the 21st Century,” Murdoch said in the email message. “Our new name is inspired by the very first company we acquired nearly 30 years ago as our initial foray into the awe-inspiring world of entertainment.”

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Murdoch in 1984 acquired the 20th Century Fox movie studio from oil man Marvin Davis. The West Los Angeles movie studio provided the foundation of Murdoch’s U.S.-based empire, which has since grown into the dominant and most profitable part of his company. Murdoch launched the Fox broadcast network in 1986.

The newly-named 21st Century Fox will include the 20th Century Fox film studio, 20th Century Fox Television studio, Fox Broadcasting network, Fox News Channel, FX, Fox Sports, National Geographic channels and interests in foreign TV broadcasting companies, including British Sky Broadcasting.

“We believe that the 21st Century Fox name captures the power of our legacy as well as the vast opportunities for our consumers, businesses and investors as we look forward,” Chase Carey, the company’s president and chief operating officer, said in a statement.

The company announced its change of heart in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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