▁ ▁However , ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁the ▁Fox ▁Broadcast ing ▁Company ▁was ▁launched ▁as ▁a ▁challenge ▁to ▁the ▁Big ▁Three ▁networks , ▁with ▁six ▁independent ▁stations ▁that ▁News ▁Corporation ▁( which ▁acquired ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁Century ▁Fox ▁the ▁year ▁before ) ▁had ▁acquired ▁from ▁Met rom edia ▁as ▁its ▁corner stone ▁char ter ▁out lets , ▁along ▁with ▁many ▁independ ents ▁owned ▁by ▁other ▁companies . ▁Thanks ▁largely ▁to ▁the ▁success ▁of ▁shows ▁like ▁The ▁Sim ps ons , ▁B ever ly ▁Hills , ▁ 9 0 2 1 0 ▁and ▁The ▁X - Files , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁network ' s ▁ac quisition ▁of ▁rights ▁to ▁show ▁games ▁from ▁the ▁National ▁Football ▁League ' s ▁National ▁Football ▁Conference ▁arm ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁Fox ▁has ▁established ▁itself ▁as ▁a ▁major ▁player ▁in ▁broadcast ▁television . ▁However , ▁Fox ▁diff ers ▁from ▁the ▁three ▁older ▁networks ▁in ▁that ▁it ▁does ▁not ▁air ▁daily ▁morning ▁and ▁night ly ▁news ▁programs ▁or ▁have ▁network - run ▁day time ▁or ▁week night ▁late ▁night ▁sched ules ▁( though ▁late ▁night ▁shows ▁do ▁air ▁on ▁Saturday ▁night s , ▁and ▁before hand , ▁the ▁network ▁made ▁previous ▁failed ▁attempts ▁at ▁late ▁night ▁programming ▁on ▁Monday ▁through ▁Friday ▁even ings ▁between ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 3 ). ▁Its ▁night ly ▁prime - time ▁schedule ▁runs ▁only ▁two ▁hours ▁long ▁on ▁Monday ▁through ▁S atur days ▁and ▁three ▁hours ▁on ▁Sund