- Disney-owned 20th Television partners with Vox Media Studios to develop scripted and unscripted projects
- Focus on adapting journalism and podcasts from Vox Media brands for Disney+ and other outlets
- Partnership reflects industry trend of transforming established media content into premium streaming entertainment
Disney-owned 20th Television has struck a multi-year first-look agreement with Vox Media Studios, broadening a relationship that will give both companies room to develop scripted and unscripted projects built around Vox Media’s reporting and podcast brands.
The deal is expected to feed into Disney Entertainment Television outlets including Disney+, with a particular emphasis on adapting material from New York Magazine and Vox Media podcasts. Vox Media said the partnership will span multiple platforms and is designed to turn long-form journalism into premium television.
Karey Burke, president of 20th TV, said the agreement would allow the studio to explore material from New York Magazine’s reporting and the wider Vox Media Studios slate, while Dana J. Olkkonen, head of Vox Media Studios, described the tie-up as a significant step that underlines the appeal of the company’s journalism to television audiences.
Vox Media Studios has already supplied Hulu with unscripted fare such as “Best in Dough” and “Secret Chef”. The former centres on pizza fans competing for a cash prize, while the latter follows ten chefs in anonymous blind tastings, showing the studio’s experience in packaging distinctive editorial ideas for streaming audiences.
The new arrangement also reflects a wider industry appetite for established media brands with recognisable voices and built-in story pipelines. For Vox Media, it adds another route for adapting its reporting into entertainment; for Disney, it offers a way to mine journalism-led concepts for future streaming and television projects.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://whatsondisneyplus.com/20th-television-signs-new-deal-with-vox-media-studios/ – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.voxmedia.com/2026/7/16/22580000/vox-media-studios-inks-first-look-deal-with-20th-television – Vox Media Studios has entered into a multi-year first-look deal with 20th Television, aiming to produce both scripted and unscripted TV series across various platforms. The collaboration will focus on developing shows inspired by the in-depth reporting of Vox Media properties, such as New York Magazine and Vox Media podcasts, for Disney Entertainment Television platforms like Disney+. Karey Burke, president of 20th TV, expressed enthusiasm about exploring the extensive content from New York Magazine’s investigative journalism and the entire Vox Media Studios portfolio. She highlighted the potential for compelling storytelling that delves into diverse subjects, exposes modern life, and pop culture. Dana J. Olkkonen, head of Vox Media Studios, emphasized the significance of this partnership, noting it as a meaningful milestone that underscores the resonance of Vox Media’s award-winning journalism with passionate audiences and the value of trusted media brands in producing premium television. Vox Media Studios has previously worked on notable shows, including Netflix’s ‘The Altrusits’, Apple’s ‘Monster Factory’, and Hulu’s ‘Best In Dough’ and ‘Secret Chef’.
- https://studios.voxmedia.com/show/secret-chef.html – Vox Media Studios’ ‘Secret Chef’ is a culinary competition series where ten chefs anonymously rate various foods through blind tastings. The contestants’ identities are concealed, focusing solely on the quality of the food. The show is available for streaming on Hulu.
- https://studios.voxmedia.com/show/best-in-dough.html – In ‘Best in Dough’, Vox Media Studios brings together pizza enthusiasts from diverse backgrounds to showcase their pizza-making skills in a competitive format. Hosted by Wells Adams, the series is available for streaming on Hulu.
- https://www.voxmedia.com/2022/9/19/23361178/vox-media-studios-celebrates-latest-hulu-culinary-premiere-with-best-in-dough – Vox Media Studios celebrates the premiere of ‘Best in Dough’ on Hulu, a culinary competition series that unites pizza-obsessed competitors from various walks of life to showcase their pizza-making skills and compete for a cash prize. The show is hosted by Wells Adams and features judges including Chef Daniele Uditi, Chef Millie Peartree, comedian Eunji Kim, and baker Bryan Ford. The series premiered with three episodes, with new episodes released every Monday through October 3rd.
- https://www.voxmedia.com/2023/6/29/23777613/vox-media-studios-secret-chef-brings-mystery-to-cooking-competition – Vox Media Studios’ ‘Secret Chef’ brings a mysterious twist to the traditional cooking competition format. Ten contestants from various backgrounds are isolated in a secret underground kitchen labyrinth connected by conveyor belts. Guided by an animated talking hat, they perform cooking challenges without judges, rating each other’s dishes in blind taste tests. The series is available for streaming on Hulu.
- https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/416608/vox-teams-up-with-20th-television-to-produce-tv-se.html?edition=143232 – Vox Media has partnered with 20th Television to produce scripted and unscripted TV series across all platforms. The collaboration focuses on developing shows based on long-form reporting from Vox Media properties like New York Magazine and Vox Media podcasts for Disney Entertainment Television platforms. Karey Burke, president of 20th TV, expressed excitement about exploring the extensive content from New York Magazine’s investigative journalism and the entire Vox Media Studios portfolio. Dana J. Olkkonen, head of Vox Media Studios, emphasized the significance of this partnership, noting it as a meaningful milestone that underscores the resonance of Vox Media’s award-winning journalism with passionate audiences and the value of trusted media brands in producing premium television.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
10
Notes:
The article reports on a new multi-year first-look deal between 20th Television and Vox Media Studios, announced on July 17, 2026. This is the earliest known publication date for this news, indicating high freshness. The content does not appear to be recycled or republished from other sources, and there are no discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes. The article includes updated data and does not recycle older material. Therefore, the freshness score is 10.
Quotes check
Score:
10
Notes:
The article includes direct quotes from Karey Burke, president of 20th TV, and Dana J. Olkkonen, head of Vox Media Studios. A search for these quotes reveals that they are unique to this article, with no earlier matches found. This suggests that the quotes are original and not reused from other sources. Therefore, the quotes score is 10.
Source reliability
Score:
7
Notes:
The article originates from ‘What’s On Disney Plus’, a niche publication focusing on Disney+ news. While it provides detailed information about the deal, its limited reach and potential lack of editorial oversight may affect the reliability of the information. The article does not appear to be summarising or aggregating content from other sources, indicating some level of independence. However, the source’s niche nature warrants a cautious approach. Therefore, the source reliability score is 7.
Plausibility check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims made in the article align with industry trends, as major media companies often enter into first-look deals to develop content based on their existing properties. The article provides specific details about the deal, including the emphasis on adapting material from New York Magazine and Vox Media podcasts for Disney Entertainment Television platforms. The language and tone are consistent with industry reporting. Therefore, the plausibility score is 9.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The article reports on a new first-look deal between 20th Television and Vox Media Studios, with no evidence of recycled content or discrepancies. The quotes appear original, and the claims are plausible and align with industry trends. However, the source’s niche nature and the lack of direct access to the original Variety report reduce the overall confidence in the verification. Therefore, the overall assessment is a PASS with MEDIUM confidence.
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