New York (CNN Business) Former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan is joining the board of the newly slimmed-down Fox Corporation, the parent company of Fox News.

Ryan and three other board of directors were appointed on Tuesday. Appointing these directors was a necessary step as the Murdoch family wraps up the Disney-Fox deal.

The Ryan appointment is the most noteworthy, given his history near the top of Republican politics. Ryan and Rupert Murdoch have been friendly for many years. In 2014, he named Ryan as a presidential contender he had "particular admiration for."

Disney is acquiring most of 21st Century Fox, including its movie studio and entertainment cable channels. The deal will officially close at 12:02 a.m. ET on Wednesday

The parts of Fox that aren't being acquired by Disney are forming a new company, simply called Fox, that will be run by Rupert Murdoch's son Lachlan Murdoch.

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