Fox COO to leave

Joe Earley

Fox Television Group’s long-serving COO, Joe Earley, is leaving the 21^st Century Fox-owned broadcaster after more than two decades.

Earley will leave the firm at the end of the year, bringing to an end 21 years of service.

He has held his current post since August 2014, working under Fox TV Group co-chairmen and CEOs Gary Newman and Dana Walden, having previously served as chief operating officer of Fox Broadcasting Company.

He joined Fox as a senior publicist in 1994, having begun his career as part of Walking Dead executive producer Gale Anne Hurd’s production and development team.

At Fox, he has overseen scripted programming and development, casting, marketing and communications, audience strategy, digital, and business affairs over the years.

Earley said that the merger of Fox’s studio and broadcasting businesses under Newman and Walden had “allowed me to also appreciate the impressive team on the studio side”, but meant he had become removed from creative elements of the business.

“All of this new opportunity… as rewarding as it is, has led me further and further from the creative process, which is really where my heart wants to be. So, while I will miss my extended Fox family terribly, it is time for me to pursue the proverbial, ‘next chapter.’ As a former publicist, I thought I would never use that phrase, but it turns out that sometimes it’s true.”

“We have been discussing his desire to get closer to the creative process for a while now, and although we would love for him to stay at Fox for another 21 years, we understand and fully support his plans to take on new challenges,” said Newman and Walden in a statement.

“We are extremely grateful to Joe for his partnership, strategic insight and all of his contributions to the company, and we know we’ll be working with him again soon.”