NBC_Universal

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia NBC Universal NBC Universal the 2004 deal and is not part of NBC Universal.[2] 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 operaIncorporated Joint-stock company tions.[3] The logo of NBC Universal is a comMerger between NBC and Vivendi bination of the NBC peacock logo and the Universal Entertainment (2004) Universal Studios globe and text. New York City, USA (also maintains bases in Los Angeles and Chicago) NBC Universal, Inc. Type Founded Headquarters Key people Jeff Zucker (President/CEO), NBC Universal has its modern roots in a Bob Wright (Chairman, NBC, Vice series of expansions undertaken by NBC. In Chairman GE) NBC, Universal Studios, NBC strategy of diversification, including the Universal Television Group, NBC News, USA, CNBC, MSNBC cable formation of two NBC-owned cable-television networks: CNBC and America’s Talking. NBC TV, NBC.com, MSNBC.com, iVillage, Bravo, qubo, SendMeRSS, also had partial ownership of several regional Telemundo Television Studios, The sports channels and other cable channels Weather Channel Television Products the late 1980s, NBC began pursuing a such as: American Movie Classics, and Court (GE) US$15.416 billion (2007)[3] TV (until 2006). Revenue (Vivendi) €2.171 billion (2007)[4] In 1995, NBC began operating NBC Desktop Video, a financial news service that Parent General Electric Company (80%) delivers live video to personal computers. In Vivendi SA (20%) 1996, the company announced an agreement with the Microsoft Corporation to create www.nbcuni.com Website MSNBC, an all-news cable television channel NBC Universal, Inc. is a media and enter(using its subscriber base from America’s tainment company formed in May 2004 by Talking network). A separate joint venture the combination of General Electric’s NBC with Microsoft included establishing a news with Vivendi Universal Entertainment part of website, MSNBC.com. In 1998, NBC began the French Media Group, Vivendi Universal broadcasting NBC Europe, CNBC Europe, (now Vivendi) without Canal+ Group (who NBC Asia, CNBC Asia, NBC Africa, and had been integrated initially). GE owns 80% CNBC Africa. This was in partnership with of NBC Universal with the remaining 20% Dow Jones & Co. They combined their finanowned by Vivendi SA. [1] The company develcial news channels outside the US. ops, produces, and markets entertainment, In 1999, NBC took a 32% stake in the Paxnews, and information to a global customer son group, operator of PAX TV. In 2004, NBC base. announced it was looking to sell its interest NBC Universal owns and operates a Unin PAX and end its 5 year relationship with ited States television network, numerous Pax owner, Paxson Communications. cable networks, a group of local stations In 2002, NBC acquired the US-Spanish throughout the country, motion picture comlanguage broadcaster Telemundo, which inpanies, a number of television production cluded the bilingual Mun2 Television (procompanies, and multiple theme parks. nounced "moon dohs" *just like mundo with Universal Music Group was not included in an s*). 1 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Also in 2002, NBC acquired the cable channel Bravo. NBC Universal NBC Universal’s headquarters at the GE Building in New York City. NBC Universal Chicago branch (NBC Tower). In 2003, as part of the dismantling of the Vivendi Universal conglomerate, amid a major financial crisis caused by over-expansion, GE formed NBC Universal: 80% owned by GE, 20% by Vivendi Universal. In 2006, Vivendi SA had the right to monetize the remaining 20% at fair market value, which would have resulted in a forced purchase by GE. As of 2008, this option has not been exercised. The joint venture encompasses Vivendi’s US film interests (such as Universal Studios), production and distribution units, as well as five theme parks,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 10 Universal City Plaza in Universal City, California. 2 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 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, 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 initial 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, Friday the 13th: The Series, Tales from the Crypt, and others to be announced. NBC Universal 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 would 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.[4][5][6][7] ION Media Networks, NBC Universal (NBCU) and Citadel Broadcasting have all reached an agreement for the recapitalization of ION.[8] 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." [9] 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, Hallmark Channel and the upcoming channel, KidsCo.[10] On July 6, 2008 NBC Universal, Blackstone Group and Bain Capital announced 3 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia their intentions to buy The Weather Channel from Landmark Communications. The deal was closed on September 12, 2008.[11] In August 2008 it marked its first venture into the United Kingdom by acquiring Carnival Films.[12] NBC Universal Notes [1] [1] [2] [2] [3] http://www.nbcumv.com/ release_detail.nbc/corporate-jeffzuckernamedpr.html [4] NBC and Citadel Revise Ion Proposal, Yahoo!, [5] NBC and Citadel Extend Ion Exclusivity, Yahoo!, [6] NBC and Citadel Amend Ion Media Offer, Yahoo!, [7] NBC and Citadel’s Final Try for ION, New York Post, [8] ION Media Networks, Citadel and NBC Universal Reach Agreement to Recapitalize ION, Yahoo!, [9] Breaking News - Nbc Universal ReNames Nbc Universal Television Studio As Universal Media Studios | Thefutoncritic.Com [10] ’NBC Universal buys 18 Hallmark channels outside the U.S.’, International Herald Tribune, August 28, 2007 http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/08/28/ business/nbc.php [11] ’NBC Universal to buy The Weather Channel for $3.5B’, The Sydney Morning Herald, July 7, 2008 http://news.smh.com.au/technology/nbcuniversal-to-buy-the-weather-channelfor-35b-20080707-32qb.html [12] Conlan, Tara (2008-08-20). "NBC Universal buy Carnival". guardian.co.uk (Guardian News and Media). http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/ aug/20/television.usa1. Retrieved on 2008-08-20. 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 has since become independent again). In July 2008, NBC Universal partnered with the New York Film Academy to break ground in training a new breed of digital journalists. Steve Capus, President NBC News, and Today show anchor Hoda Kotb will teach master classes to students in the Digital Broadcast Journalism program. Parks and resorts NBC Universal and Blackstone Group own the following parks and resorts: • Universal Studios Hollywood in Universal City, California • Universal Orlando Resort in Orlando, Florida • Universal Studios Florida • Universal’s Islands of Adventure • Wet ’n Wild - Orlando • Universal Studios Japan in Osaka Websites On April 24, 2007, NBC bought a website called Rmail which they later renamed SendMeRSS. In October 2008, the website was reportedly spamming users. It was shutdown the same day and two weeks later, the executive responsible, George Kliavkoff, resigned his position with NBC. NBC also runs a related website called DealMeRSS, which appears to be affiliate link supported SERP spam. External links • • • • • • • NBC Universal’s website NBC Universal’s theme parks NBC Universal’s online store iVillage.com NBC CITY Studios- Burbank, California NBC Universal Global Networks NBC Universal Broadcast Journalism Program Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NBC_Universal" 4 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia NBC Universal Categories: Companies established in 2004, Entertainment companies of the United States, General Electric subsidiaries, Media companies of the United States, NBC Universal, Rockefeller Center This page was last modified on 17 May 2009, at 14:51 (UTC). All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details.) Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a U.S. registered 501(c)(3) taxdeductible nonprofit charity. Privacy policy About Wikipedia Disclaimers 5