Thursday, November 21, 2024
DreamWorks, Telemundo, CNBC, MSNBC, Universal TV And Studio Universal May Have To Undergo A Name Change Under Comcast's Spun Off Company
Wednesday, November 20, 2024
"SpinCo": Comcast Unveils Spun Off Company Home To Brands Like MSNBC And E!
How Comcast Plans To Ditch Several NBCUniversal Channels Affects DStv?
Comcast Plans Massive Cable Spin-Off, Separating USA, MSNBC and More From NBC, Theme Parks
Comcast is planning to spin off most of its cable television networks, including MSNBC and CNBC, into a separate publicly traded company, according to executives with knowledge of the plan.
The spinoff is expected to be formally announced on Wednesday. The Wall Street Journal, which first reported the impending announcement on Tuesday evening, said the involved channels also include USA, Oxygen, E!, Syfy and Golf Channel.
Comcast’s NBCUniversal division is keeping Bravo, the NBC broadcast network, the Peacock streaming service, and all of its other assets, like NBC Sports and the Universal theme parks.
The separate cable channel company will have the same sort of ownership structure as Comcast, but will have its own management team, led by NBCUniversal Media Group chairman Mark Lazarus, who will become CEO of the new venture.
While observers may view the spinoff as an attempt to shed cable channels that are losing value in the streaming age, the channels still contribute strong profits to Comcast’s bottom line. The company’s executives are expected to portray the spinoff as a growth opportunity for an industry in transition, with an eye toward acquiring other channels in the future.
Of course, the standalone cable network venture could also attract buyers as well as sellers. Wall Street analysts are predicting further consolidation of major media companies in the years ahead.
Comcast president Mike Cavanaugh foreshadowed the spinoff during a conference call with investors last month. He said the company was going to study whether it was a good idea to create “a new well-capitalized company that would go to our shareholders” comprised of “our cable portfolio networks.”
The study evidently did not take long.
Craig Moffett, an analyst with MoffettNathanson, told Variety that “investors have yearned for exactly this, or at least something close to it, for years.”
Notably, the spinoff will cleave MSNBC and CNBC, two profitable parts of the NBCUniversal News Group, away from the core news-gathering operation of NBC News. In recent years NBC has tried to bring its broadcast and cable news operations closer together. Now they may be peeled back apart.
Saturday, November 2, 2024
Comcast Considering Spinning Off TV Networks As More Households Opt For Streaming
For starters, Comcast president Mike Cavanagh said that the company is weighing a spinoff of its cable networks, which include USA Network, Bravo, MSNBC, CNBC and Syfy. He emphasized that the NBC broadcast network and Peacock would remain with the core company.
“Like many of our peers in media, we are experiencing the effects of the transition in our video businesses, and have been studying the best path forward for these assets. We are now exploring whether creating a new well-capitalized company owned by our shareholders and comprised of our strong portfolio of cable networks would position them to take advantage of opportunities in the changing media landscape and create value for our shareholders,” Cavanagh told Comcast’s third-quarter earnings conference call on Thursday. “We are not ready to talk about any specifics yet, but we’ll be back to you if and when we reach firm conclusions.”
And he added that the company is interested in seeking a partner for its Peacock streaming service in a bid to grow the business.
“As you know, we chose not to participate in the M&A process around Paramount in the earlier part of this year, but we would consider partnerships in streaming despite their complexities,” he said.
Spinning out the cable channels would transform the company’s TV business and would lead to complications for MSNBC and CNBC, which are currently integrated into NBC News. Similarly, shows from Bravo (like Watch What Happens Live and the Real Housewives franchise) are popular on streaming service Peacock.
There has been speculation in the industry that a legacy company with cable channels could launch a rollup vehicle, something that could acquire other channels to build scale, giving it the ability to drive harder bargains with pay TV providers and pursuing other options in streaming.
Cavanagh declined to address that directly on the call, but said that if the company pursues a spinoff, it could “play some offense.”
On the streaming front, while Peacock has acceptable scale (it now has 36 million subscribers), Comcast clearly thinks that working with another partner can make it a more compelling competitor to Netflix. The two logical possible partners are Paramount+ — with executives there openly discussing a partnership — or Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max.
As for the choice to announce their decision to look into the possibilities, Cavanagh said that they wanted to disclose the idea to Wall Street early, rather than have it leak out later.
“The reason we’re announcing here is that we want to study it, there are a lot of questions to which we don’t have answers,” Cavanagh said. “So we want to do the work, with transparency around it, so that — as you know, rumors fly and the like, you know, we expect that — but we want our shareholders to understand what we’re willing to look at.”
Tuesday, May 14, 2024
Comcast To Launch Peacock, Netflix And Apple TV+ Bundle At A 'Vastly Reduced Price'
Saturday, November 11, 2023
Warner Bros. Discovery Looking To Acquire Assets Of Companies Flirting With Or For Filing For Bankruptcy, Hints At The Demise Of Paramount Global And NBCUniversal
Tuesday, January 24, 2023
Comcast, Parent Company Of NBCUniversal To Rollout Fourth Kids Brand In The UK, Sky Kids
Sky, a division of Comcast and in some way the UK version of NBCUniversal announced the rollout of Sky Kids bringing the total number of kids to 4 from February 2023.
As you may recall, NBCUniversal is responsible for conceiving the other 3 brands. DreamWorks being the eldest has been dominating the cinema circuit, Universal Kids the middle man is going through troubled times and the last Peacock Kids is still in daycare.
Sky Kids, the pay-tv children's channel sets out to be fourth edition to the trio exclusively in the UK. Home to ad-free 24-hour programming, the new channel will showcase quality Sky Originals and big names that kids love and parents can trust.
Some of the content announced include originals such as My Friend Misty, Ready, Eddie, Go!, Dino Club and The Very Small Creatures alongside other content like TrollsTopia, Where’s Wally, Madagascar a Little Wild, and Clifford The Big Red Dog.
Insidus Games:
- Bugs Bunny & Lola Bunny: Operation Carrot Patch
- Buzz Lightyear Star Command
- Fix It Fun! Bob The Builder
- Daffy Duck: Fowl Play
Lucy Murphy, Director of Kids Content at Sky said:
“We’re so excited to announce the launch of our brand-new linear channel. Millions of our customers already love watching our huge range of Original shows on-demand but families with younger kids have told us that watching on linear channels is an important part of their day; so, we’ve listened and expanded our Sky Kids offering at no extra cost.
“The new channel will have a whole breadth of brand new and much-loved shows for kids and families to enjoy and we can’t wait to reveal the full fantastic line-up of shows.”
Regular Nick:
- The Twisted Timeline Of Sammy And Raj to rollout on Nicktoons in Africa
- Two current shows from Boomerang rolling out on the Cartoonito block across Africa
- Moonbug Kids To Distribute New STEAM Focused Series, Ocean Explorers
- New Bear Grylls series is coming soon to Da Vinci Kids
Monday, October 17, 2022
'G4', The American Version Of Britain's Ginx Esports To Go Dark Effective Immediately
Comcast Spectacor, the cable and entertainment giant’s sports and esports division, told G4 TV employees Sunday that the gaming network was shutting down effective immediately. The decision has resulted in 45 staff members of G4 TV losing their jobs.
In a memo, obtained by the press, Comcast Spectacor chairman and CEO Dave Scott cited low viewership and said the network had not achieved “sustainable financial results.”
“Over the past several months, we worked hard to generate that interest in G4, but viewership is low and the network has not achieved sustainable financial results,” Scott wrote. “This is certainly not what we hoped for, and, as a result, we have made the very difficult decision to discontinue G4’s operations, effective immediately.”
Comcast Spectacor in July 2020 said it would reboot G4 TV, which NBCUniversal shut down in 2013 (after the network first launched in 2002). Russell Arons, the former Warner Bros., Machinima, EA and Mattel exec who joined G4 as president in September 2021, left the company two months ago.
The content studio and network officially returned to linear television on Nov. 16, 2021, after more than a year of the group releasing content online to test show new concepts. At launch, G4 TV was available Comcast’s Xfinity TV, Verizon Fios, Cox Communications and internet streaming service Philo. The network’s programming slate brought back fan-favorite legacy G4 shows like “Attack of the Show!” and “Xplay.”
In addition to Arons, Comcast Spectacor had hired two G4 alums: Brian Terwilliger, most recently at WWE and former producer for G4’s “Attack of the Show!”, joined as VP of programming and creative strategy. Blair Herter, who once worked on both “X-Play” and “Attack of the Show!”, had come on board as Comcast Spectacor’s VP of content partnerships and brand development.
G4 had established its own broadcast studio in Burbank, Calif., outfitted for professional esports gameplay. The roster of talent for the short-lived network include returning G4 hosts Kevin Pereira and Adam Sessler; esports personalities Alex “Goldenboy” Mendez (host of NBC’s “The Titan Games”), Ovilee May and Froskurinn; WWE Superstar Xavier Woods (aka Austin Creed); YouTube personalities Kassem G, Jirard “The Completionist” Khalil and Gina Darling; Twitch streamers Fiona Nova and Will Neff; livestreamer CodeMiko; and a “degenerate rat-puppet” named Ratty.
G4’s shutdown was first reported by Deadline.
Read Scott’s Sunday email to G4 staffers:
October 16, 2022
Team:
As you know, G4 was re-introduced last year to tap into the popularity of gaming. We invested to create the new G4 as an online and TV destination for fans to be entertained, be inspired, and connect with gaming content.
Over the past several months, we worked hard to generate that interest in G4, but viewership is low and the network has not achieved sustainable financial results. This is certainly not what we hoped for, and, as a result, we have made the very difficult decision to discontinue G4’s operations, effective immediately.
I know this is disappointing news, and I’m disappointed, too. I want to thank you and everyone on the G4 team for the hard work and commitment to the network. Our human resources team is reaching out to you to provide you with support, discuss other opportunities that may be available, and answer any questions you may have.
Thank you again for all of your hard work for G4.
Sincerely,
Dave Scott
Chairman and CEO
Comcast Spectacor
Monday, September 19, 2022
Comcast Wants to Buy Warner Bros. Discovery, Merge With NBCUniversal
In a breakdown of the financial struggles Warner Bros. Discovery is currently facing by The Hollywood Reporter, an interesting piece of information emerged: Comcast has its eye on acquiring the struggling company and merging it with NBCUniversal. While the unification of Warner Bros. with Discovery seemed to be a beneficial one for all involved, things have quickly gone south. From the cancellation of Batgirl and Scoob: Holiday Haunt to the purging of numerous films and shows on HBO Max to massive layoffs, Warner Bros. Discovery's birth was quickly met with bad press and a legion of angered creatives. The highly publicized moves by new CEO David Zaslav saw WBD's stock plummet, and that's reportedly what has so enticed Comcast.
Per THR, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts is eagerly awaiting April 2024, when the legal hurdles preventing the purchase of WBD will be out of the way. Of course, the merger of two massive media companies would still face numerous antitrust concerns, but it wouldn't be impossible for the companies to join together. "Obviously, Peacock sucks," said an unnamed executive familiar with both companies about NBCUniversal's current streaming service. "There are some good synergies. I'm sure [Roberts] is licking his chops because the [WBD] stock is so low. And I think that's Zaslav's endgame. Get the place sold."
Warner Bros. Discovery Is in Financial Trouble
Zaslav has indeed proved shrewd as the head of the new company, with every indication that Batgirl was ultimately shelved as a write-off. What's more, the HBO Max purge is reportedly saving the company millions, money that's sorely needed as it faces $50 million in debt.
"People feel like it's Comcast for sure," said another source. "It's going to be so depressing to lose another major studio [after Disney bought Fox]. And Warners was the Tiffany studio."
The coalescing of Disney and Fox saw similar cancellations and concerns about creative freedom moving forward, and the merger between two more powerful film and television studios would provide creators with even fewer options. But Warner Bros. Discovery insists a sale isn't its endgame. "We are building Warner Bros. Discovery for the long term," a spokesperson said.
Either way, the next two years will present plenty of challenges for the new company and its divisive CEO as they struggle to fix a tainted reputation, win back creatives, and turn DC Films into a viable rival to Marvel Studios.
Friday, August 20, 2021
Prediction: G4 Expands Across The UK, Europe And South Africa Through Ginx Esports TV
G4 is an upcoming gaming brand from NBCUniversal which is scheduled to released by the end of the year in the United States and serves as a rival to SPI International's Gametoons and a spinoff to Sky's Ginx Esports TV.
The revived brand will feature new episodes of past series such as Attack Of The Show!, X-Play, G4TV Esports and Ninja Warrior. They'be even greenlit a new series which stars WWE superstar, Xavier Woods.
Even though, there hasn't been any indicator to a possible rollout it's very likely that it will launch under Ginx Esports TV since Sky is owned by Comcast that also manage NBCUniversal International.
It's also possible that some of the content seen on Ginx Esports TV will be scrapped for 'localised version' of G4's upcoming content seeing as both channels have original content in their respective markets.
Comcast recently partnered up with ViacomCBS International to rollout a new streaming service across Europe called SkyShowcase which will see the best of Peacock and Paramount+ rollout under one brand.
Read Also:
- Disney+ will be launching in South Africa next year
- Star might be replacing FOX sooner than expected
- Utsav might be replacing the Star Channels in Africa
- TNT Africa might rebrand into Warner TV Africa
- Discovery and WarnerMedia could launch a joint streaming service
- Is a new kids brand on the way through Warner Bros. Discovery?
- tvN working to become a permanent brand in Africa
- Disney Channel and Disney+ greenlit several African animations
- Boomerang might be discontinued