NBCUniversal
NBCUniversal Media, LLC (abbreviated as NBCU and doing business as simply NBCUniversal or Comcast NBCUniversal since 2013) is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate that is a subsidiary of Comcast and is headquartered at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Midtown Manhattan in New York City.[5]
"Comcast NBCUniversal" redirects here. For the parent company, see Comcast.NBCUniversal
NBC Universal, Inc. (2004–2011)
May 11, 2004
Worldwide
- Mike Cavanagh
- (CEO)
- Bonnie Hammer
(Vice Chairwoman)
- Amusement parks
- Films
- Music
- Television program
- Video games
- Web portals
US$39.2 billion (2022)
35,000 (2020)
- Universal Brand Development
- Fandango Media (75%)
Universal Pictures is founded
NBC is founded
Universal Cartoon Studios (later known as Universal Animation Studios) is founded
MCA Inc. establishes Revue Studios (later Universal Television)
NBC begins first compatible color broadcasts, preceding other networks by nine years
NBC's first peacock logo debuts
American Cable Systems is founded
NBC broadcasts the first Super Bowl
American Cable Systems rebrands to Comcast
Comcast began trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)
Universal releases Jaws
PolyGram renames Casablanca Record & Filmworks to PolyGram Pictures
Universal releases E.T. The Extra Terrestrial
Walter Lantz Productions is sold to Universal
Universal releases Back to the Future
General Electric buys RCA for $6.4 billion, including NBC and a stake in A&E
NBC relaunches Tempo Television as CNBC
Universal Studios Florida opens
Law & Order premieres on NBC
Sky Television and British Satellite Broadcasting merge to form British Sky Broadcasting
Universal Cartoon Studios (later Universal Animation Studios) is established
Universal releases Jurassic Park
DreamWorks Animation is founded
Barry Diller purchases Universal's domestic television assets
Seagram acquires PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
Universal Television is renamed Studios USA Television
PolyGram Filmed Entertainment is folded into Universal Pictures
Universal Studios Florida expands to become Universal Orlando Resort
Grand opening of Universal Studios Japan
Universal releases The Fast and the Furious
Vivendi purchases Studios USA
NBC acquires Telemundo and Bravo
Studios USA assets are folded into Universal
Focus Features is formed
Comcast acquires AT&T Broadband for $44.5 billion
Universal becomes the first studio with five summer releases breaking the $100 million mark
GE and Vivendi merge NBC and Universal into NBCUniversal
The Office premieres on NBC
Comcast sets up a joint-venture with PBS, Sesame Workshop & HIT Entertainment to form PBS Kids Sprout
Comcast & Time Warner Cable jointly acquire Adelphia Cable assets for $17.6 billion
USA Network begins 13-year streak as #1 cable network in total viewers
Illumination is founded
Universal releases Illumination's first film Despicable Me
Vivendi divested in NBCU; Comcast buys 51% of NBCU from GE, turning it into a limited liability company
NBCUniversal Archives is founded
Universal celebrates its 100th anniversary
NBCUniversal divests its A&E Networks minority stake
Comcast buys GE's remaining 49% of NBCU
Comcast/NBCU assumes full ownership of Sprout
Comcast attempts to acquire Time Warner Cable for $45.2 billion
NBCUniversal reaches a new long-term deal with WWE
NBCU acquires DreamWorks Animation
Sprout relaunches as Universal Kids
Comcast acquires Sky after a heated bidding war with 21st Century Fox
NBCU acquires Cineo Lighting
NBCU launches Peacock
Grand opening of Universal Beijing Resort
The Super Mario Bros. Movie becomes Illumination's highest-grossing film
NBCUniversal is primarily involved in the media and entertainment industry. The company is named for its two most significant divisions, the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) – one of the United States' Big Three television networks – and the major Hollywood film studio Universal Studios. It also has a significant presence in broadcasting through a portfolio of domestic and international properties, including USA, Syfy, Bravo, E!, Telemundo (Spanish), Universal Kids, the streaming service Peacock and ownership stakes in Snap and Vox Media. Via its Universal Destinations & Experiences division, NBCUniversal is also the third-largest operator of amusement parks in the world.[6] Since 2018, its sister company under Comcast's control, Sky Group Limited, holds its media and telecommunication assets.
NBCUniversal was formed on May 11, 2004, beginning on November 8, 2004 as NBC Universal, Inc., with the merger of General Electric (GE)'s NBC with Vivendi Universal's film and television subsidiary Vivendi Universal Entertainment, after GE had acquired 80% of the subsidiary, giving Vivendi a 20% share of the new company.[7][8] In 2011, Comcast attained 51% and thereby the control of newly reformed NBCUniversal, by purchasing shares from GE, while GE bought out Vivendi. Since 2013, the company has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Comcast, which bought GE's ownership stake.[9]
History
Early history
NBC and Universal Television had a partnership dating back to 1950, when Universal Television's earliest ancestor, Revue Studios, produced a number of shows for NBC, although Revue would have hits on other networks as well. This partnership continued throughout a number of name changes and changes of ownership.
