FORMER FOX EXECUTIVE OPENS FIRM

Stephen Roberts, former president of 20th Century Fox Telecommunications, has opened an entertainment industry consulting firm in Century City. The new firm, TRC, The S. Roberts Co., will specialize on TV syndication, home video, cable and pay television.

While overseeing Fox’s telecommunications operations, Roberts directed the studio’s rapid and early expansion into home video with the 1979 acquisition of Magnetic Video Corp., one of the earliest manufacturers of prerecorded videocassettes. Roberts also handled the 1982 merger that created CBS/Fox Video, a joint venture of the studio and CBS Inc.

Roberts directed Fox’s pay-TV efforts, including forming the PRISM regional pay-TV network and the successful pay-per-view premiere of “Star Wars.” Roberts also directed Fox’s participation in the ill-fated Premiere pay-TV network formed by Fox and four other motion picture studios.

Roberts left Fox in May in the corporate realignment that incurred in the wake of the hiring of Barry Diller as Fox chairman and chief executive officer.