Day of the Jackal for Fox, Berman

21st Century Fox is partnering with US executive Gail Berman on a new independent venture that will produce scripted and unscripted television as well as movies and digital content.

Gail Berman

The Jackal Group will operate alongside 21st Century Fox’s own production operations to develop programming for Fox Networks Group (FNG) channels, which include the broadcast network, cablenets FX and FXX, National Geographic Channels and Fox International Channels.

The venture will also work in the digital and feature film areas, create and develop concepts for live theatrical entertainment and provide opportunities for non-21st Century Fox distribution operations.

Berman, a former president of the Fox broadcast network, will be chairman and CEO of Jackal and have an equity stake in the venture. She will report to and serve on the Jackal board, which will also include FNG chairman and CEO Peter Rice and chief operating officer Randy Freer.

Berman was most recently co-owner of media company BermanBraun but left the business at the beginning of the year.

She is currently producing limited series Dig for USA Network. After her five-year stint at Fox – during which the network aired American Idol, 24 and Arrested Development – Berman was president of Paramount Pictures for two years.

“This new joint venture will provide FNG with yet another source for quality programming, supplementing our already established and proven studio pipeline backed by the industry’s most talented creative executives, and will better position us to meet the increasing demand for quality,” said Rice of the new venture.

Berman said she was “delighted to be returning home to the Fox family and to be working with Peter and Randy. Peter has given me a tremendous opportunity to do what I love best: create outstanding content across a variety of media platforms.”