The start of the new year begins spinoff’s life [Editor’s Note: This article was updated on December 4.] The official spinoff of Versant now has a date. The soon-to-be former Comcast cable networks will be part of the new, independent company as of January 2 at the close of the business day, when it will officially be traded on NASDAQ […]
Covers cable channels being spun off to Versant, is relaunching NBCSN A day after reaching a short-term extension to stay on Google’s YouTubeTV, NBCUniversal announced a new long-term deal, which includes NBC, its owned stations, Bravo, Telemundo, and the soon-to-be spun-off cable channels to Versant: CNBC, MSNBC, Oxygen, SyFy, and others. Also included are NBC’s four regional sports network channels […]
New company won’t acquire additional networks [Editor’s Note: This article was updated May 8.] Comcast finally settled on a name for the soon-to-be spun-off cable networks from NBCUniversal, as they settled on Versant, replacing the prototype SpinCo name. It was chosen after sorting through 43 entries, cut to a dozen, and sent through a committee, settling on Versant. The name […]
Cable networks such as USA Network and E! under new ownership by 2026 With the business in freefall, Comcast Corp. has decided to part ways with its cable networks. As hinted a few weeks ago, Comcast announced Wednesday it is spinning off its cable networks from its NBCUniversal into a new company. Tentatively titled SpinCo (we hope it’s a temporary […]
Plus, Chicago radio ratings, Comcast considering the sale or spinoff of cable channels, and the CW returns to a Cleveland station after Nexstar buys it Elon Musk has finally expressed his thoughts on television, and he is not a fan. The South African billionaire who bought Twitter for $44 billion in 2022 blasted the major networks on his platform recently, […]
Interest in genre explodes as off-net debut puts up strong numbers When the news was announced Dateline NBC reruns were being sold into broadcast syndication, the idea was…laughable. After all, since Cops broke the mold in 1992 and became the first reality show to be sold into off-network syndication, others came along and weren’t exactly successful (Rescue 911, Top Cops, […]
In fact, it’s already here. Deal with Univision puts Justice Network on digital subchannels; has been on WGBO since August Univision announced Wednesday it has struck a deal to put digital subchannel network The Justice Network on several of its stations in large markets, including WGBO in Chicago. Justice has been on WGBO’s digital 66.4 channel since August 7; Univision’s […]
Plus: North Carolina media news, Glee is renewed, and somehow Jim Laski gets back on the air – Unlike the fate of The Cleveland Show, this cancellation is confirmed: Comedy Central announced the end of Futurama after seven seasons. The animated comedy from Simpsons creator Matt Greoning ran on Fox from 1999-2003 for 72 episodes, and was picked up by […]
After a few lean years, NBC is back in the ratings ballgame, thanks to the success of The Voice, Revolution, Sunday Night Football, and to a lesser extent Go On. With the former two programs out until spring, can NBC keep its momentum going? Can network chief Robert Greenblatt (who I already like more than his predecessors) steer the network […]
NBCUniversal held its TCA presentations for its broadcast and cable platforms on Tuesday and Wednesday. Here are the highlights: – NBC executive session: On Tuesday, NBC chief Robert Greenblatt addressed the media and touted the upcoming Summer Olympics, which opened in London on Friday – not to mention the brand new series he gets to peddle during the Games. The […]
Here’s a brief synopsis of the cable presentations for NBC Universal’s cable networks: SyFy If you walked down State Street in Chicago’s loop in the last few weeks, then you have noticed ads on bus shelters for SyFy’s new show Being Human, which is a show about a ghost, vampire, and werewolf all living together – and are cute twentysomethings! […]
The cable portion of the TCA Winter Press Tour wrapped up over the weekend, with the rest of the cable networks making their presentations. Remember, even though the cable portion of the tour wrapped up Saturday, cable networks owned by the major broadcast networks are still scheduled to make presentations this week. Rainbow (We, AMC, IFC) -AMC – the home […]
Don’t hit your… out the door… In news that will make TV junkies across the land jubilant, NBC Universal Chairman Jeff Zucker exited the network today after 24 years. But just how he left is a matter of what publication you read: Broadcasting & Cable’s headline was Zucker leaves NBC; but on the Deadline Hollywood site, the headline splashed on […]
In a deal that helps set a precedent, NBC Universal’s cable networks have acquired exclusive cable off-network rights to Twentieth Television’s hour-long drama Glee and half-hour sitcom Modern Family. USA Network- which hasn’t bought a major sitcom for its first cycle since Major Dad and Wings in the early 1990’s, gets Modern Family for a reported $1.4 million per episode […]
Big Media only gets bigger With Comcast’s $13.75 billion dollar deal for NBC Universal practically complete, it looks like big media is only going to get bigger – whether we like it or not. The deal climaxes weeks of speculation, as NBC owner General Electric recently bought out Vivendi’s 20 percent share in NBC Universal, paving the way for Comcast […]
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