National Geographic Partners

**National Geographic Partners, LLC** is a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company (which owns 73% of shares) and the namesake non-profit scientific organization National Geographic Society (which owns 27%). The company oversees all commercial activities related to the Society, including magazine publications and television channels.

The company was originally established by 21st Century Fox (21CF) and the National Geographic Society; following the completion of Disney's acquisition of 21CF on March 20, 2019, Disney assumed 21CF's share in the joint venture.

## History

### Formation

On September 9, 2015, the Society announced that it would re-organize its media properties and publications into a new company known as National Geographic Partners, which would be majority-owned by 21st Century Fox with a 73% stake. This new, for-profit corporation, would own *National Geographic* and other magazines, as well as its affiliated television networks—most of which were already owned in joint ventures with Fox. At the time of the deal's announcement, James Murdoch, the CEO of 21st Century Fox, said in remarks to National Geographic that the pact created "an expanded canvas for the National Geographic brand to grow and reach customers in new ways, and to reach new customers."

On November 2, 2015, roughly two weeks before the closing of the expanded joint venture deal, National Geographic and 21st Century Fox announced that 9 percent of National Geographic's 2,000 employees, approximately 180 people, would be laid off, constituting the biggest staff reduction in the Society's history.

As reported by *The Guardian*, a spokesman for National Geographic in a November 2, 2015, e-mail statement, briefly discussed the rationale for the staff reductions as part of the "... process of reorganizing in order to move forward strategically following the closing the National Geographic Partners deal, which is expected to occur in mid-November."

Additional specifics were provided to Photo District News by M. J. Jacobsen, National Geographic's SVP of communications, similar to the contents of a formal announcement by the two companies. "The National Geographic Society and the National Geographic Channels are in the process of reorganizing in order to move forward strategically following the closing of the NG Partners deal (with Fox), which is expected to occur in mid-November," Jaobsen wrote. "Involuntary separations will represent about 9 percent of the overall workforce reduction, many in shared services and a voluntary separation offer has also been made to eligible employees," he added.

Specifics as to which departments would be affected were not immediately available but *The Washington Post* reported that the staff reduction appears to affect almost every department including the magazine and the National Geographic Channel.

### Later developments

On October 26, 2016, National Geographic announced a rebrand and the television network dropped "Channel" from its name.

As a part of the acquisition of most 21st Century Fox assets, The Walt Disney Company took over 21CF's controlling stake in the joint venture. Following the acquisition, National Geographic Partners channels became part of Walt Disney Television unit; with the president of the National Geographic Partners reporting directly to the Walt Disney Television chairman. Disney officially closed the deal on March 20, 2019.

## Businesses

### Publications

* *National Geographic*: The flagship, monthly magazine. The magazine contains articles about geography, popular science, world history, culture, current events and photography of places and things all over the world and universe. *National Geographic* magazine is currently published in 40 local-language editions in many countries around the world. Combined English and other language circulation is around 6.8 million monthly, with some 60 million readers.
* *National Geographic Explorer*: Classroom magazine. The *National Geographic School Bulletin* was launched in 1919 and was replaced by the children's magazine *National Geographic World* in 1975. *NG* *World* was separated into the current *National Geographic Explorer* and *National Geographic Kids* in 2001.
* *National Geographic History*: Launched in Spring 2015.
* *National Geographic Kids*: A version of *National Geographic Magazine* for children, launched in 1975 under the name *National Geographic World*. It has a U.S. circulation of over 1.5 million. There are also currently 18 local-language editions of *NG Kids*, with another half million in circulation. An Arabic edition of the children's magazine was launched in Egypt in early 2007, and more than 42,000 copies are distributed to all the public schools in Egypt, in addition to another 15,000 single copy sales. More recently, an Albanian and Polish edition were launched.
* *National Geographic Little Kids*: For younger children aged 3–6
* *National Geographic Traveler*: Launched in 1984. There are 18 local-language editions of *NG Traveler*.

### Television channels

The National Geographic-branded television channels are operated as a part of this venture, but Disney's companies (Walt Disney Television in the United States, Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer & International outside the United States) handle distribution and advertisement sales of the channels. In most cases internationally, the National Geographic and Disney channels cross-promote each other. In some territories, the versions of National Geographic channels are directly operated by Disney Channels Worldwide.

* National Geographic: The flagship documentary channel.
* Nat Geo Wild: A wildlife-themed channel.
* Nat Geo People: A lifestyle-centered channel
* Nat Geo Music: A channel that focuses on ethnic music.
* Nat Geo Kids: A children's interest channel. Currently available in the MENA region and Latin America.

## Notes

1. ↑ National Geographic television channels operate under Walt Disney Television.

## External links

* Official website
* nationalgeographic.com: the consumer-faced website

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