Everything about Nbc Universal totally explained
NBC Universal is a
media and
entertainment company formed in
May 2004 by the combination of
General Electric's
NBC with
Vivendi Universal Entertainment (part of the French Media Group,
Vivendi SA). GE owns 80% of NBC Universal with the remaining 20% owned by
Vivendi SA. The company develops, produces, and markets entertainment, news, and information to a global customer base.
NBC Universal owns and operates a
United States television network, numerous cable networks, a group of local stations throughout the country, motion picture companies, a number of television production companies, and multiple theme parks.
Universal Music Group wasn't included in the 2004 deal and isn't part of NBC Universal.
Jeff Zucker was named president and CEO of NBC Universal on
February 6,
2007, replacing
Bob Wright, who remains chairman of NBC Universal and vice chairman of
General Electric. Zucker previously served as chief executive of the company's television operations. The logo of NBC Universal is a combination of the
NBC peacock logo and the
Universal Studios globe and text.
Television
NBC Universal has its modern roots in a series of expansions undertaken by NBC. In the late
1980s, NBC began pursuing a strategy of diversification, including the formation of two NBC-owned cable-television networks:
CNBC and
America's Talking. NBC also had partial ownership of several regional sports channels and other cable channels such as:
American Movie Classics, and
Court TV (until
2006).
In
1994, NBC began operating
NBC Desktop Video, a financial news service that delivers live video to personal computers. In 1996, the company announced an agreement with the
Microsoft Corporation to create
MSNBC, an all-news cable television channel (using its subscriber base from America's Talking network). A separate joint venture with Microsoft included establishing a news website,
MSNBC.com. In
1998, NBC began broadcasting
NBC Europe,
CNBC Europe,
NBC Asia,
CNBC Asia,
NBC Africa, and
CNBC Africa. This was in partnership with Dow Jones & Co. They combined their financial news channels outside the US.
In
1999, NBC took a 32% stake in the Paxson group, operator of
PAX TV. In
2004, NBC announced it was looking to sell its interest in PAX and end its 5 year relationship with Pax owner, Paxson Communications.
In
2002, NBC acquired the US-Spanish language broadcaster
Telemundo, which included the
bilingual Mun2 Television (pronounced "moon dohs" *just like mundo with an s*).
Also in
2002, NBC acquired the cable channel
Bravo.
In
2003, as part of the dismantling of the
Vivendi Universal conglomerate, GE formed NBC Universal: 80% owned by GE, 20% by
Vivendi Universal. In 2006, Vivendi Universal will have the right to monetize the remaining 20% at fair market value, which would result in a forced purchase by GE. The joint venture encompasses Vivendi's US film interests, such as
Universal Studios production and distribution units, five theme parks, and cable television channels such as the
USA Network,
Sci Fi, the defunct
Trio, a cable channel devoted to
pop culture, and its replacement, the mystery/crime channel
Sleuth.
In
2004, the television production divisions of NBC Studios and Universal Network Television were combined to form
Universal Media Studios. NBC Studios series brought into the company include the NBC dramas
Las Vegas (with
DreamWorks SKG),
Crossing Jordan, and
American Dreams. Universal Network Television brought the
Law & Order franchise and
The District -- in fact, Universal Network Television had co-produced
American Dreams with NBC before the merger. Late night shows produced by the new group include
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,
Late Night with Conan O'Brien,
Saturday Night Live, and
Last Call with Carson Daly.
The formation of NBC Universal saw the establishment of
NBC Universal Cable, which oversees the distribution, marketing, and advertisement sales for thirteen channels (Bravo, Bravo HD+ (eventually renamed
Universal HD),
Chiller, CNBC, CNBC World, MSNBC, mun2,
Sci Fi,
ShopNBC, Telemundo, Sleuth,
USA Network,
Weather Plus, and the
Olympic Games on cable). NBC Universal Cable also manages the company's investments in
A&E, the
History Channel, History Channel International, the
Biography Channel,
National Geographic International, the
Sundance Channel, and
TiVo.
In the early
1990s, NBC began its expansion throughout
Europe by creating
CNBC Europe and its long-time successful NBC Europe
Superstation by broadcasting
NBC Giga throughout
Germany and the rest of the European Union. NBC Europe helped to develop the largest European computer and video games expo "Games Convention" in
Leipzig with more than 100,000 visitors each year.
In 2005, NBC Universal joined HANA, the
High Definition Audio-Video Network Alliance to help establish standards in consumer electronics interoperability.
On
December 6,
2005 they announced a partnership with Apple Computer to offer shows from all the NBC Universal channels on the
iTunes Store.
In
January 2006, NBC Universal launched a new cable channel, Sleuth. The channel airs programming in the mystery/crime genre. The channel's inital slogan was "Mystery. Crime. All The Time." In early [[2008,the channel unveiled a new slogan, "Get Clued In."
On
January 12,
2007, NBC Universal revealed that on
March 1,
2007, the company will launch a horror-themed cable channel, Chiller. At launch Chiller will be available exclusively on
DirecTV. Chiller's tagline is "Dare To Watch". The network will feature films like
Psycho and
The Shining and TV series that include
Twin Peaks,
Alfred Hitchcock Presents,
Freddy's Nightmares,,
Tales from the Crypt, and others to be announced. NBC Universal also stated that, aside from content in their own vaults,
Chiller will feature content from other studios as well (
Lionsgate,
Sony Pictures,
Warner Bros. Pictures,
Paramount Pictures,
CBS and
20th Century Fox, to name a few).
On
February 14,
2007, the initial Chiller launch schedule was released. Other than the aforementioned series, other series set to air on the cable channel include
American Gothic,
G vs E,
Night Gallery,
Monsters and
New Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
Also of note, NBC and Universal had a long standing partnership, dating back to 1950, when NBC Universal Television Studio's earliest ancestor,
Revue Studios, produced a number of shows for NBC, although they'd have some hits on the other networks as well. This partnership continued even after Revue became Universal Television, then
Studios USA (after it was split off from Universal again), then back to Universal Television.
NBC Universal is contracted in the entertainment industry as NUTS/NBC Entertainment.
NBC Universal and
Citadel Broadcasting are extending their exclusivity period while in negotiations for
ION Media Networks.
ION Media Networks, NBC Universal (NBCU) and Citadel Broadcasting have all reached an agreement for the recapitalization of ION.
On Thursday,
June 14,
2007, NBCU announced that NBC Universal Television Studio would be renamed, effective immediately, to
Universal Media Studios. The parent company, NBC Universal, explained that the reason for the name change of NBC Universal Television Studio was because "the new name fully describes the company's mission to be the premier content provider for television and digital platforms, spanning all television dayparts and creative genres."
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On
October 9,
2007 NBC Universal bought the
Oxygen network .
In late 2007, NBC Universal bought
Sparrowhawk Media Group and renamed it NBC Universal Global Networks. This acquisition gave NBC Universal all Hallmark channels outside the United States, plus the British channels:
Diva TV,
Movies 24 and
Hallmark ChannelUK.
Film
Universal Studios became a part of NBC Universal as a result of the 2004 merger.
In
July 2005, rumors began to emerge that NBC Universal might buy
DreamWorks SKG for around
US$1.0 billion. Eventually, however, the studio (excluding
DreamWorks Animation) was sold to
Viacom, the parent company of Paramount Pictures, for just over US$1.6 billion.
DreamWorks is now the part of
Viacom, the parent company of Paramount Pictures.
Parks and Resorts
NBC Universal owns
Universal Studios Hollywood in
Universal City, California and has a major stake in:
Further Information
Get more info on 'Nbc Universal'.
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