Rice Named President at 21st Century Fox

21st Century Fox said Peter Rice has been promoted to president of the media company.

Rice will continue to serve as chairman and CEO of the Fox Networks Group, which means he oversees Fox Broadcasting, Fox Sports, FX Networks, National Geographic, 20th Century Fox  Television and the Fox Networks Groups in Latin America, Europe and Asia.

The move makes Rice the most senior executive outside of the Murdoch family since Chase Carey.

Related: Fox Broadcasting Names Thorn President of Entertainment

“As part of our ongoing work to evolve and expand the 21CF leadership structure, we’re pleased to name Peter to this newly created position," CEO James Murdoch and executive chairman Lachlan Murdoch said in a statement.

“Peter has driven exceptional growth at Fox Networks Group during a time of real transformational change in the business, expanding our audiences and innovating new distribution models, from which the Company, our shareholders and our customers have benefited greatly. Peter’s impact on the business is immense and we are incredibly fortunate to have him with us in this expanded role during this exciting next chapter of the Company,” the Murdochs said.

Stacey Snider, chairman and CEO of 20th Century Fox Film will continue to report directly to Lachlan and James Murdoch. Fox News Channel will continue to report directly to Rupert Murdoch, Executive Chairman of 21st Century Fox, and Executive Chairman of Fox News Channel.

Before being named as head of Fox Networks Group, Rice was chairman, entertainment for Fox Network Group. Prior to that he was president of Fox Searchlight Pictures and executive VP, production for Twentieth Century Fox.

Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.