Latest news with #Comcast-owned
Time Magazine
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Magazine
TIME100 Most Influential Companies 2025: Comcast NBCUniversal
The Comcast-owned media conglomerate NBCUniversal had fingers in every pie in 2024. During the Paris Olympics, Snoop Dogg donned a dressage-style jacket and made international headlines as a special correspondent covering the games, helping drive 30.4 million viewers on average each day across platforms including its streaming service Peacock. In November it announced it would spin off some of its cable TV networks, including MSNBC, CNBC, and E!, as the giant aims to focus its offerings. Universal Pictures' onslaught of pink-and-green Wicked marketing pushed the film to becoming the highest-grossing Broadway adaptation ever as it raked in over $750 million worldwide. And it opened Epic Universe—the first major theme park to be constructed in 25 years, with an estimated cost of around $7 billion, and its fourth one in Orlando—in May to coincide with the live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon, released three weeks later. "Our ability to sync up movie releases with big entertainment releases has been a proven formula for us," says Mark Woodbury, CEO of Universal Destinations & Experiences. "And we'll do it again."
CNBC
13-06-2025
- Business
- CNBC
WNBA renews media rights deal with Scripps
The WNBA and E.W. Scripps announced on Friday a new, multi-year media rights agreement to carry Friday night WNBA matchups on Ion. The new agreement also includes the "WNBA on Ion" studio show, the first weekly broadcast show dedicated exclusively to WNBA coverage. The value of the deal was not disclosed, but media reports peg the original deal that expires at the end of the 2025 season at an average of $13 million annually. The WNBA has been airing games on Ion since 2023. This season, the network will broadcast 50 regular season games. Ion is available on pay TV and streaming platforms in more than 128 million homes, according to a news release obtained by CNBC Sport. The new agreement comes after Ion has seen huge growth with the WNBA and as the league gains in popularity thanks to stars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. The network said WNBA Friday Night Spotlight viewership grew 133% year over year and more than 23 million unique viewers tuned into the coverage. "Our robust partnership with the league has flourished, and we are thrilled to solidify ION's status as the premier Friday night destination for WNBA action for years to come," said Scripps CEO Adam Symson in the release. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said the partnership with Scripps has helped the league expand its reach and visibility. "This new multi-year agreement reflects the growing excitement surrounding the league and the rising demand for WNBA games," she added. The league signed an 11-year media rights deal with Disney, Amazon and Comcast-owned NBCUniversal last July as part of the NBA's media rights negotiation. The WNBA's portion of the deal is valued at about $200 million per year, CNBC previously reported.
New York Post
03-06-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Joy Reid claims ‘horrified' MSNBC bosses pressured her to stop social media posts before she was fired
Joy Reid claimed MSNBC bosses were 'horrified' by her presence on social media and repeatedly pressured her to stop tweeting before ultimately canceling her primetime show, The ReidOut. In a wide-ranging conversation with Katie Couric released Monday on Reid's new podcast, the former MSNBC host claimed that management at the left-leaning Comcast-owned network discouraged her from engaging with audiences online, fearing it gave her too much autonomy. 'Anytime I would tweet anything, I would get calls — I would get, 'Please get off Twitter, we hate it,'' Reid said. 4 Former MSNBC host Joy Reid (right) told Katie Couric on Monday that her bosses at the network were 'horrified' by her social media activity. YouTube / The Joy Reid Show 'They just don't like that it pulls their talent and their reporters out of their control because now you're not running what you're tweeting through Standards and Practices. It's giving your personality directly to the audience, which they don't like because it's no longer managed and curated by them.' Reid's MSNBC program 'The ReidOut' was canceled in February as part of a broader programming overhaul led by the network's new president, Rebecca Kutler. Reid's final broadcast aired on Feb. 24. The cancellation occurred amid a network-wide restructuring that also affected other hosts, including Alex Wagner and Katie Phang. Reid's remarks come ahead of the June 9 launch of 'The Joy Reid Show,' a new podcast and YouTube series. She posted the interview with Couric to her website and YouTube channel, marking her most candid remarks yet about her February departure from MSNBC. 4 Reid's primetime show 'The ReidOut' was cancelled by MSNBC in February. MSNBC The network gave no public explanation when it canceled 'The ReidOut,' sparking speculation that the decision was part of a broader post-election shakeup following Donald Trump's return to the presidency. Several non-white anchors were let go around the same time. Former MSNBC host Keith Olbermann called it 'an MSNBC purge so brutally racist it makes you think it was done by [Elon] Musk.' When Couric asked her directly what led to her dismissal, Reid said she's still unsure. 'I've been asked this so many times,' she said. 'And people think that I'm just saying it to BS, but I'm being honest with you — I don't know.' 4 MSNBC is the left-leaning all-news cable channel owned by telecommunications giant Comcast. Ralf – Reid said she learned about the cancellation not long after exchanging emails with MSNBC's public relations team celebrating the show's NAACP Image Award win. Reid insisted the cancellation wasn't related to poor ratings. 'It wasn't ratings,' she said. 'We had just had a ratings meeting a couple of weeks before that talking about the fact that our show… other than Rachel Maddow, we were down the least' in the wake of Trump's win. 'We were just told that we were doing… that we were holding on pretty well,' Reid added. 'And then, you know, it's not like the ratings have gotten better since I've been gone.' She described the way the news was delivered as 'scripted' and 'just very perfunctory,' noting she received no specific reason for the show's end. 'I wasn't told 'The ratings were terrible,' 'It's something you did,' 'You tweeted a terrible thing,'' she said, adding that she had already been 'extra careful' online amid growing concerns inside the network about talent on social media. Although Reid said she doesn't necessarily believe her outspoken criticism of Trump was the reason for her show's cancellation, she acknowledged it may have played a role. 'I'm a black woman doing the thing. You know what I mean?' she said. 'I think that there's a difference for Trump in hearing the kinds of criticisms, specifically, out of a black woman. It bothers him in a way it doesn't bother him like anything else.' 'There's a fear of him,' Reid added. 'We're seeing it everywhere.' 4 The Post reported on Reid's exit from MSNBC earlier this year. Reid has faced multiple controversies over the years, beginning with the resurfacing of homophobic blog posts from her defunct site, 'The Reid Report.' Initially claiming her blog was hacked, Reid later admitted there was no evidence to support that, though she maintained the posts didn't reflect her views. She also apologized for past tweets mocking Ann Coulter and Lindsey Graham with sexist and homophobic language. In 2020, Reid was accused of Islamophobia after comparing Trump's rhetoric to that of radical Islamic leaders, prompting backlash from Muslim-American groups. More recently, during MSNBC's 2024 election coverage, she called Florida a 'fascist-type government' and criticized white women voters in North Carolina for not supporting Kamala Harris, blaming them for the state's failure to protect abortion rights. Reid also stirred controversy with her response to the assassination attempt on Trump, suggesting his own rhetoric may have helped incite political violence. Critics accused her of downplaying the seriousness of the attack and called for her show to be canceled. The Post has sought comment from MSNBC.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sky CEO on the Need to Get AI Policies Right: 'It's Very Hard to Put the Genie Back in the Bottle'
Comcast-owned European pay-TV, media and telecom giant Sky's CEO Dana Strong told a London conference on Tuesday that getting AI policies and regulations right is key given the speed of technological change. During a fireside chat at Deloitte and Enders Analysis' Media & Telecoms 2025 & Beyond Conference, she said about Sky's approach to AI: 'We are thinking about AI as a cultural movement nside the organization.' She highlighted it should be seen as 'an amplification' of people's work inside Sky, touting a 'Dragon's Den of AI' within the company. More from The Hollywood Reporter Emma Thompson Set for Locarno Fest Leopard Club Award, 'The Dead of Winter' World Premiere 'The Real Housewives of London' Cast: Who's Starring in Glitzy Brit-Bound Installment? Pierce Brosnan Talks 'MobLand' Finale, James Bond and Who Sophie's Real Dad Is in 'Mamma Mia!' Sky is using AI 'quite prolifically' in the advertising department. In show creation, 'we use AI as first-generation tools,' such as language translation and post-production. 'We are in the early innings' in this space. And in sports, it will help provide a 'more bespoke' offering to viewers depending on their interest in angles and the like. Copyright protection is key, and a proposed opt-out rule in the U.K. approach to AI, allowing AI companies to use copyrighted works unless the holder actively opts out, is not the right approach, Strong said. 'It's very hard to put the genie back in the bottle, so we need to get it right now,' she said. Continuing to discuss the issue of copyright worries, she added: 'I can't fathom how a small producer keeps up.' The future of Warner Bros. Discovery's content partnership with Sky was not part of Tuesday's debate, even though that has been a popular industry conversation topic. given that WBD is planning to launch HBO Max in the U.K. in 2026 when the companies' previous output deal expires. The two companies previously reached a new distribution and bundling agreement that will see Sky subscribers get the advertising-supported version of HBO Max bundled at no extra cost. Sky users will also continue to get HBO shows, such as The Last of Us and House of the Dragon, on Sky Atlantic and on demand, with the deal covering series that air before the end of 2025. Last year, Strong had also appeared at the event, outlining Sky's sports strategy. That topic was also in focus this year. Asked about Sky's resilience in a tough market, Strong highlighted the role of technology, such as moving from satellite to newer delivery forms. 'I spend a lot of time internally talking about my passion for sport,' Strong said on Tuesday. 'We've been able to increase the volume of sport by 50 percent just in the last year, and so we're able to do 100 streams simultaneously. The volume of sport that we're able to give to customers and choice is very different than what it would have been 10 years ago.' Mentioning that Sky will soon have expanded English Premier League soccer rights, she concluded that 'given the level of disruption,' the focus of her team at Sky is always to 'believe in better' and continue to innovate. Asked about how Sky's own marketing and its advertising business are affected by technological change, Strong shared that automation and deeper localization are key focus areas for her. 'And it is much more social-driven than TV-driven,' she said about a key upcoming marketing campaign. Tuesday's conference also featured top executives from the likes of the Walt Disney Co., U.K. public broadcaster BBC, streaming giant Netflix, and Sky Studios. Best of The Hollywood Reporter How the Warner Brothers Got Their Film Business Started Meet the World Builders: Hollywood's Top Physical Production Executives of 2023 Men in Blazers, Hollywood's Favorite Soccer Podcast, Aims for a Global Empire Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Facts Matter': Lester Holt Signs Off As ‘NBC Nightly News' Anchor
'It has been an honor to lead this program and an honor to be welcomed into your homes,' Lester Holt signed off in his final time as anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News this evening. 'I'm so grateful for your trust around here. Facts matter, words matter, journalism matters, and you matter.' In a news packed show leading with tornados in the South, Elon Musk's DOGE exit and drug use reports, Sean 'Diddy' Combs sex-trafficking trial, wildfires in Canada, and Taylor Swift finally buying back her music, Holt's departure was one of the biggest stories of all More from Deadline Trump Sued By PBS To Stop $500M Funding Cut Diddy Pardon: Donald Trump "Certainly" Would Consider Clemency For Sean Combs As Old Pal Faces Sex-Trafficking Trial & Life Behind Bars Taylor Swift Buys Back Her Music Catalog 6 Years After It Was Sold To Scooter Braun Holt, 66, announced earlier this year that he would be stepping down as anchor, after ten years in the spot. However, Holt isn't disappearing from the Comcast-owned NBC. He will remain with the network in a full-time role hosting Dateline. Today, it was that role at the news magazine series that got a shout-out from Holt. 'I'll see you on Dateline, in the meantime, please continue to take care of yourself, and each other,' he said as Nightly News staffs came on to the set to share the farewell with the anchor and offer Holt a round of applause. 'And I'll do the same,' he added as the show cut to a look-back at Holt's NBC Nightly News anchor debut in 2015 to today. (Read Holt's full goodbye below) On Monday, Tom Llamas will debut as anchor, and he also will take the title of managing editor. When he returned to NBC News in 2021, there was speculation that he would be in line to succeed Holt, as Llamas had been weekend anchor on ABC News' World News Tonight. In his new role, Llamas will continue anchoring the streaming newscast Top Story for NBC News Now. With clips of sit-downs with the likes of Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, meeting Pope Leo XIV and showing off his impressive bass playing skills, Friday morning saw Holt feted on The Today Show. 'Class act' Holt, as Savannah Guthrie called him, told the morning show that part of leaving Nightly News had to do with him thinking lately of 'what's the back part of my career going to look like?' 'The time seemed to be right' for him to transition to a new role on-air, Holt told Today. In a vastly shifting media landscape, NBC Nightly News for the most part has been in second place to ABC's World News Tonight with David Muir. Having said that, the Peacock network has touted instances, like during the Olympics, where it has beat its rival. Although evening news audiences aren't what they once were, they are still significant for linear television and typically outperform most cable news programming. ABC's World News Tonight with David Muir at times is the most watched show of the week in all of broadcast television. In the first quarter, it averaged 8.13 million viewers, compared to 6.6 million for Nightly News and 4.59 million for CBS Evening News. In the 25-54 demo, World News Tonight averaged 1.16 million viewers, compared to 983,000 for NBC Nightly News, and 657,000 for CBS Evening News. There is a bit of a risk for networks in shifting anchors, as evening news viewership habits tend not to budge much unless there is a major change. CBS Evening News switched up its anchors earlier this year in a switch that leaned in to 60 Minutes style correspondent storytelling, with John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois succeeding Norah O'Donnell. But the newscast has been down year-to-year. As part of the NBC Nightly News transition, spots ran Friday during the show for Llamas' anchor debut on June 2. Unlike when Holt took over for the scandal plagued Brian Williams, this change of anchors has the advantage of being a smooth handover. Read Lester Holt's full NBC Nightly News farewell here: Before we go tonight, a word about me. You may recall the announcement back some months ago that I would be leaving my post here at Nightly News in order to expand my role as host of Dateline. Well, today is that day. After 10 years, this is my last Nightly News broadcast as anchor. It has been an honor to lead this program and an honor to be welcomed into your homes. I'm so grateful for your trust around here. Facts matter, words matter, journalism matters, and you matter. Over the last decade, we have shared some dark and harrowing days and nights from our country, the pandemic, mass shootings, natural disasters, each testing our resilience and our compassion. That's why I often like to leave you with something to smile about, moments that reassure and connect us. I'll miss our evenings together, and I will miss the team that puts it all together, my dear friends and my colleagues. But for now, I just want to say thank you to my incredibly supportive and patient family and all of you. NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas premieres Monday, and I wish Tom great success. I'll see you on Dateline. In the meantime, please continue to take care of yourself, and each other. And I'll do the same. Best of Deadline 'Poker Face' Season 2 Guest Stars: From Katie Holmes To Simon Hellberg 2025-26 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Tonys, Emmys, Oscars & More Everything We Know About Netflix's 'The Thursday Murder Club' So Far
