UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif.—Universal Production Services has inked a deal with Hollywood Trucks Technologies, Inc. to deploy a fleet of solar-powered, off-grid Ecoluxe brand trailers across its studio operations.

Universal Production Services, which is a unit of NBCUniversal, provides high-quality production services and stage facilities across the US, UK, and Europe for all feature, television, commercial and streaming productions.

It said that this initiative represents a major step forward in sustainable production infrastructure by introducing what they are billing as the world's first mobile solar vehicle system designed to directly support and integrate with studio grid power infrastructure.

The Ecoluxe offers luxury amenities including Starlink WiFi and universal onboard EV chargers while generating additional electricity to support basecamp operations.

The new Ecoluxe solar trailers by Hollywood Truck available exclusively from Universal Production Services, come in 1, 2, and 3 room layouts as well as wardrobe, hair and make-up, and restroom models.

All configurations rent at the competitive market rate while also reducing the cost for additional EV chargers, WiFi, and diesel generator rentals lowering overall production expense, GHG emissions, and noise pollution.

The Ecoluxe® trailers have already supported television, features, commercials, and special events including Universal Television's Hacks and Dig.

"We always look for ways to make our productions more sustainable," said Morgan Sackett, Executive Producer of Hacks and Dig. "With the Ecoluxe trailers, we got easy-to-use, quiet, premium trailers that sustainably powered themselves and the cast was happy to be part of making a difference."

Under the agreement, Hollywood Trucks will design, manufacture, and deliver a new fleet of advanced solar trailers capable of generating, storing, and distributing clean energy on-site. These Ecoluxe brand trailers will enable film and television productions to operate with significantly reduced reliance on traditional diesel generators, lowering emissions while enhancing operational flexibility.

The solar trailers are engineered to function entirely off-grid while also providing supplemental power to existing infrastructure, creating an autonomous hybrid energy system that enhances grid reliability and reduces environmental impact. Hollywood Trucks has been a pioneer in the clean transportation field for over 10 years. It launched the first, patented solar thermal trailers in 2015 and mobile, "off-grid" basecamps in 2016.

"The Hollywood Trucks Ecoluxe solar trailers are a significant leap forward in production technology innovation," said Craig Lewis, Vice President, Market Development for Universal Production Services. "As soon as an Ecoluxe solar trailer arrives at basecamp, it's fully operational. No diesel generator is needed. No delay in setup. It immediately supports HVAC, WiFi, and premium onboard amenities, while also powering electric vehicle (EV) charging, electric golf carts or tools, all simultaneously. We are looking forward to a future where these trailers not only power a basecamp, but a sound stage as well through their "vehicle-to-grid" interfaces."

The new line of Ecoluxe and Ecoluxe Air brand trailers are the first trailers to feature "vehicle-to-grid" applications, which can export additional power to the infrastructure grid, in addition to powerful solar arrays and lithium batteries.

The 53-foot Ecoluxe® trailers, paired with electric semis, generate over 1.2 MWh of battery storage and 18 kW of solar power. The smaller 40-foot Ecoluxe® trailers offers 70 kWh of battery storage and 6 kW of solar each. The trailers also feature universal onboard EV chargers, Starlink WiFi, and luxury amenities.

Each unit is controlled through the Aurora dashboard allowing for extensive eco-data reporting and over-the-air operational control of the vehicle. The Ecoluxe® solar trailers come in 1, 2, and 3 room layouts as well as wardrobe, hair and make-up, and restroom models.

The first wave of solar trailer deployments has begun at the Universal Studios Lot in Los Angeles, Calif. The deployment will span multiple Universal Production Services locations, supporting sound stages, backlots, and remote production environments.

Sports producers battling rising costs amid audience fragmentation have much to explore at this year’s NAB Show, where an extended four-day Sports Summit complements an unprecedented display of tech innovations aimed at building fan engagement.

Across exhibit halls and in meeting rooms and hotel suites, visitors will find an AI-driven potpourri of ever-expanding options that portend a wild ride ahead for sports producers.

“Ideas can come from anywhere,” said Mike Davies, Fox Sports executive vice president of technical and field operations. “You just need to utter an idea, and it can be turned into reality in a matter of weeks or months.”

The AI impact can be seen wherever equipment and software solutions used in live sports production are on display, including exhibits featuring:

• Next-generation cameras.
• Automated production workflows.
• Real-time data applications supporting feature personalization and insights into user behavior.
• Advances in immersive audio and video.
• Innovations in user experience like multiviewing involving sports program or play-action multiviewing.

AI Abounds

“There’s more and more AI, not just in postproduction, but using AI for camera tracking and image capture within the event,” said Duane Yoslov, senior vice president at Diversified, known for its role in designing and building experience-rich sports and other environments.

“Some of the AI camera robotic tracking technology is really impressive.” He said many shots covering competition at the Winter Olympics “have never been done before.”

Indeed, the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics offered an especially dramatic demonstration of the transformation in live sports coverage enabled by advanced production technology, in this case supplied by Comcast Technology Solutions (CTS).

From its suite at the Encore Las Vegas, the company is explaining how “Comcast Sports360 from Comcast Technology Solutions enables us to deliver the speed, quality and reliability that Olympics coverage demands, supporting seamless, multiformat delivery across a wide range of platforms,” said Darryl Jefferson, senior vice president of engineering and technology for NBC Sports and Olympics.

NBC chose Sony Electronics, exhibiting in the Central Hall at C8401, to deal with the challenges posed for capturing the action in the widely dispersed, geographically diverse regions of the Milan-Cortina games.

As described by Jefferson, the game plan leveraged “high-quality monitoring, color grading tools and highly customizable remote production workflows” with the “use of 2110 transport, teams of color experts shading Sony’s HDR cameras from a distance, enhanced PTZ robotic cameras and support for our end-to-end BT-2020 HDR Workflow through production and our facility in Stamford.”

The many approaches suppliers of cameras and related gear are taking to address these new performance demands are on display across the Central Hall.

For example, as reflected in the long-distance Winter Olympics production operations, one response to the new requirements involves support for operators’ shift to IP-based production workflows. Because it often happens incrementally, the shift requires support for seamlessly switching camera feeds between SDI output and IP transport over ST 2110 or alternatives like Network Device Interface (NDI) or Secure Reliable Transport (SRT).

“We’re seeing a shift to IP-based workflows, especially in the high-end broadcast space,” said Peyton Thomas, a product manager at Panasonic.

At booth C3509, Panasonic is displaying 4K Studio and 4K Multipurpose Cameras supporting selection of multiple transport options without the use of an external camera control unit (CCU). Live IP feeds into production workflows can include hybrid workflows anchored in Panasonic’s KAIROS IT/IP software system to enable live A/V production processing with an unrestricted number of media effects utilizing SDI baseband or IP signals formatted to ST 2110, NDI or SRT.

Live Tech Gets Versatile
As for the suppliers focused on live production workflows, multiprotocol versatility is just part of what’s in play to add efficiency, remote operational flexibility and enhanced feature output to their platforms.

There’s also a widespread focus on fostering interoperability to address producers’ objections to vendor lock-in as they move to cloud-based software solutions.

One case in point can be found in the Central Hall, where Grass Valley (C2408) is promoting the GV Media Universe as a multivendor environment in which its virtualized Agile Media Processing Platform (AMPP) operates as a single control layer, seamlessly integrating live production workflows across its own and other hardware and software solutions.

Similarly, TVU Networks, exhibiting in the West Hall (W1717), has responded to broadcasters’ migrations to cloud production by opening its MediaMesh-based remote production ecosystem to access by competitors.

An emerging force behind vendor interoperability, as well as virtualized cloud efficiency in live sports production workflows, is the Media eXchange Layer (MXL) software development kit (SDK), managed through the Linux Foundation-backed MXL Project and supported by industry organizations and vendors worldwide.

The open-source MXL SDK provides a commonly shared approach to working with packetized video, audio and data essences as individual microservices in container-virtualized datacenters.

“It is a way of breaking down the barriers, not having to encapsulate 2110 every time you want to do another bit of processing in the workflow,” said Daniel Robinson, product manager for MXL at Matrox.

Robinson says the company, exhibiting in the North Hall at N2451, is one of about six vendors “that have actually got it working in our product and have since the beginning.”

Another trend in full bloom at NAB Show involves two approaches to enabling multiviewing by sports fans, one that allows them to track multiple parallel games through a single, immersive viewing experience and the other enabling access to multiple camera feeds.

Multiviewing of one kind or another is now supported by several vendors at the show, including MediaKind (W1743), Harmonic (W2831), Techex (W2267) and Red5, which is running a live multiview display of camera feeds from the show floor at Nomad Media’s booth (W2357).

Marking another new development with much broader implications, Red5 is also one of a growing coterie of streaming platform providers, including Bitmovin (W3323), CacheFly (W3129), Cisco (W2633), Cloudflare (W2300G), Synamedia (W2851) and others, who are in the process of enabling real-time interactive streaming of sports and other live content via the emerging Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) standard known as Media Over QUIC (MOQ).

Red5 is demonstrating MOQ at the Nomad Media booth in conjunction with global CDN supplier CacheFly and in a display with Amazon Web Services (W1701), showing how a live-streamed sports production distributed in real-time over MOQ and at higher latencies over Low-Latency HLS and conventional HLS can be managed from a single browser.

© 2026 NAB

NEW YORK—NBCU-Versant unseated YouTube as the top media distributor in February with a 13.1% share of TV viewing, beating out YouTube, which had 12.7% share. YouTube has held the top spot for many months in Nielsen’s Media Distributor Gauge.

Nielsen combined NBCU and Versant even though Versant was spun off in early January.

The much delayed Nielsen’s The Gauge was also released, showing that broadcast garnered 21.7% of TV viewing, beating out cable, which fell to 20%. Streaming held a 48% share of TV viewing.

Nielsen reported that Super Bowl LX and the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics generated impressive cross-platform audience engagement and helped curb seasonal viewing declines, according to Nielsen’s The Gauge and Media Distributor Gauge reports. NBCU-Versant was up 48% month-over-month to represent 13.1% of total television usage in February (+4.6 pts.), its best share of TV since the Paris Olympics in August 2024 (13.4%).

NBC’s presentation of the Super Bowl delivered February’s largest TV audience with over 125 million viewers. The game also provided helped kickoff NBC’s slate of extensive Winter Olympics coverage, which comprised 71 telecasts that helped provide a 60% overall bump for NBC affiliates in February, Nielsen reported.

Peacock exhibited a 64% monthly uptick in viewing in February and recorded its highest share of television to date in The Gauge, achieving a 3.0% share of TV viewing.

Nielsen's researchers noted that Peacock’s simulcast of the Big Game represented over 20% of the total Super Bowl audience and helped drive the platform’s most-watched day ever on February 8. Viewers who watched the Super Bowl on Peacock were considerably younger compared to the average age of the total audience, with 73% of viewers under age 50 versus 54% overall.

Peacock also got a boost from its new original series "The ‘Burbs", which was released in full on Super Bowl Sunday. The time-tested strategy of a post-Super Bowl release worked to power the series to the highest average audience among streaming originals in February, and second-highest in minutes viewed. Additionally, Episode 1 of The ‘Burbs was notably the most-watched episode of the month across all original titles.

On the cable side, USA Network registered a 234% viewing increase in February due to its extensive Olympics coverage. An active news cycle drove a 4.4% increase in cable news viewing this month, with MSNOW notching a 7% uptick which contributed a full share point to the NBCU-Versant total.

In another notable trend highlighted by Nielsen, Tubi was up 4.1%. It was the only other streamer to record a month-over-month viewing increase in addition to Peacock. Tubi added a tenth of a share point to finish at 2.2% of TV. The Grammys on CBS was the most-watched telecast in February that aired outside of Super Bowl Sunday. Meanwhile, sports coverage had the opposite effect on other media distributors due to the lack of NFL and college football playoffs on ABC/ESPN, CBS and FOX compared to last month.

The February 2026 interval spanned four weeks, from 01/26/2026 through 02/22/2026. Nielsen reporting follows the broadcast calendar, with weekly intervals beginning on Monday.

Nielsen released the February data later than usual with a note stressing that The Gauge and Media Distributor Gauge (MDG) do not reflect Nielsen's currency TV ratings that inform advertising sales.

The Gauge and MDG reflect total TV viewing, which includes both ad-supported and non-ad-supported viewing. Nielsen made enhancements to its currency ratings for advertising in February 2026, with impact data provided to clients and the industry in advance. Nielsen is working on updates to The Gauge and MDG reports to better reflect and include currency enhancements for the Fall TV season, at which time Nielsen will provide additional back data to clients to assist in the transition.

NEW YORK—Comcast NBCUniversal and NBCUniversal Local have announced the return of the NBCUniversal Local Impact Grants for the ninth consecutive year. The 2026 competitive grant challenge will award $2.5 million in unrestricted funds to eligible nonprofits located in and servicing one of the 11 NBC- and Telemundo-owned stations’ markets across the United States in three categories. 

Eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofits can apply for NBCUniversal Local Impact Grants through April 24 at localimpactgrants.com and the Spanish-language site becasdeimpactolocal.com, which also provide more information on the program. The grant categories include youth education and empowerment, next generation storytellers, and community engagement. Winners will be announced later this year.   

“Local nonprofits perform a critical role in the communities we serve,” said Valari Staab, chairman of NBCU Local. “We’re proud that for nine years our annual grant program has recognized impactful local organizations and provided funding to help them fulfill their missions and expand their efforts.”

Founded in 2018, NBCUniversal’s grant program has provided $21 million to 615 organizations— including the 69 nonprofits last year that were awarded a combined $2.5 million—in the communities served by NBC- and Telemundo-owned stations, which are: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas-Fort Worth, Washington, D.C., Boston, San Francisco, Miami, San Diego and Hartford, Conn. 

“Nonprofits are essential partners in driving progress across local communities, and the unrestricted support that we're providing gives them the flexibility to direct resources where they’ll make the greatest difference,” said Jessica Clancy, senior vice president of Corporate Social Responsibility at NBCUniversal. “We’re proud to once again offer this program and uplift organizations that empower young people, elevate emerging storytellers and build stronger, more connected communities.”  

Key grant eligibility requirements:  

• 501(c)(3) nonprofit must be headquartered in and operate in a participating market.
• Entity must service the market they operate from .
• The organization’s total expenses must be between $100,000 and $1,000,000.
• The nonprofit must help to resolve everyday community issues in any of the three grant categories.   
• The applying organization’s revenue must be greater than $100,000.

NBCUniversal Local Impact Grant categories include:  

• Youth Education & Empowerment: In-school and community-based programs that equip youth with the tools they need to succeed, including STEM/STEAM education and youth entrepreneurship.   
• Next Generation Storytellers: Programs that develop pathways for emerging talent and youth voices to explore careers in communications, arts, news, sports and entertainment.   
• Community Engagement: Programs that help foster community unity by enabling individuals to engage with and volunteer in their regions.  

The participating NBCU Local stations are NBC 4 and Telemundo 47 (New York) ; NBC4  and Telemundo 52 (Los Angeles); NBC 5 Chicago and Telemundo Chicago; NBC10 and Telemundo62 (Philadelphia); NBC 5 and Telemundo 39 (Dallas-Fort Worth); NBC4 and Telemundo 44 (Washington D.C.); NBC 10 Boston and Telemundo Boston; NBC Bay Area and Telemundo 48 Area de la Bahia; NBC 6 South Florida and Telemundo 51 Miami; NBC 7 and Telemundo 20 (San Diego); and NBC Connecticut and Telemundo Connecticut.   

NEW YORK—NBCUniversal Local’s NBC- and Telemundo-owned stations today launched "Our 250 (Nuestros 250)," a comprehensive multiplatform campaign commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States’ independence. The 100-day celebration culminates on July 4 with NBCUniversal News Group’s six hours of exclusive live coverage of Sail4th 250 events in New York Harbor, which will gather the largest assembly of international ships in U.S history for an unprecedented maritime spectacle.

“Our country’s 250th anniversary is a significant milestone for all Americans, and a meaningful opportunity to bring us together to share our pride as citizens, recognize our nation’s achievements, and honor our rich history,” said Valari Staab, Chairman of NBCU Local. “We’re excited to launch this special initiative to inform, entertain and support our communities as we count down the final 100 days to our national celebration on Independence Day, which we’re proud to commemorate by presenting Sail4th 250’s festivities to audiences nationwide.”

NBC’s plans call for extensive news coverage, specials, features and vignettes covering semiquincentennial storylines across NBC- and Telemundo-owned stations’ broadcast, streaming and digital platforms.

NBCU Local’s stations will showcase America’s history, traditions, people and places, and covering events and activities taking place across the nation celebrating the milestone through July 4th, with local programming tailored to each market. NBC- and Telemundo-owned stations are also supporting 250-related events and initiatives in their respective communities.

As part of Our 250, NBCU Local is serving as an “official media partner” of Sail4th 250, the non-partisan, non-profit host of international goodwill events and civic celebrations in the Port of New York and New Jersey from July 3 to 8. Through the partnership, NBC News and Telemundo, in collaboration with NBCU Local, will produce multiplatform English- and Spanish-language coverage of Sail4th 250’s marquee Fourth of July events featuring tall ships, naval vessels and aircraft from 46 nations from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET.

The live presentation will cover the entirety of Sail4th 250’s International Parade of Sail—which will include 26 Class A international tall ships and a fleet of Class B vessels—and showcase the 52 allied and U.S. naval vessels participating in the International Naval Review and the International Aerial Review’s 100-plus U.S. and allied aircraft, led by the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels. The coverage will begin as tall ships form a line near Sandy Hook, N.J., starting at 7 a.m. ET, and will continue as the first ships enter New York Harbor, sail past the Statue of Liberty, and up the Hudson River to the George Washington Bridge.

Our 250 also covers Sail4th 250 activities and themes leading up to July 4. Open House—the architecture, design and real estate series produced by NBCU Local’s LXTV Productions—debuted a special edition this week offering behind-the-scenes tours of tall ships from Germany, the Netherlands and Portugal. Participating ships and their adventures at sea will also be showcased through multiplatform vignettes, and news coverage will follow the flotilla’s journey from New Orleans to Norfolk and Baltimore, en route to New York.

Other Our 250 highlights include a ‘Destination America’ edition of 1st Look, LXTV Productions’ travel program, and a series from the NBC-owned stations’ lifestyle shows on international culture and cuisine that have become American traditions. NBCU Local’s stations will also cover ‘America’s Field Trip,’ a nationwide contest for students to share what America means to them via an essay or artwork. As part of the America 250 program, 250 students will earn the chance to visit historic and cultural American landmarks.

Additionally, NBC- and Telemundo-owned stations are participating in other local celebrations across the nation. Those events are highlighted by Philadelphia’s ‘Welcome America,’ the city’s premier Fourth of July festival featuring musical acts and fireworks—which will be presented exclusively on NBC10 / WCAU—and the Battle of Gloucester Reenactment in the Boston area, which will take place June 20-21.

MIRAMAR, Fla.—Comcast NBCUniversal and Telemundo Station Group have announced that they are working with the U.S. Soccer Federation’s Soccer Forward Foundation to award $600,000 in Vamos World Cup Initiative grants to 17 nonprofits that use soccer to create opportunity, build leadership and move communities forward. The program aims to build on the impact of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in North America.

Through the Vamos World Cup Initiative, two local nonprofits located in each of the eight FIFA World Cup 2026 host cities served by Telemundo-owned stations, along with national organization Soccer Without Borders, are receiving funds to support activities aligned with Soccer Forward’s mission to promote physical and mental well-being, strengthen local connections, and expand participation through soccer.

“Comcast NBCUniversal and our Telemundo-owned stations are committed to serving our communities, so we’re honored to work with organizations that share our mission and demonstrate how soccer can enrich lives as the sport takes center stage nationwide,” said José Cancela, president of Telemundo Station Group. “We’re proud to make these grants possible, and to partner with Soccer Forward to support those using soccer for good.”

The grants are facilitated by Soccer Forward, U.S. Soccer’s legacy platform and the driving force behind its efforts to expand access and strengthen communities through the game, with Comcast NBCUniversal funding. The Telemundo-owned stations will partner with the local nonprofits in their respective markets to spotlight grant recipients and amplify their impact through media coverage and community engagement events leading up to and during FIFA World Cup 2026.

“The FIFA World Cup 2026 is more than a tournament, it’s a catalyst for an enduring impact-driven legacy,” said Lex Chalat, executive director, Soccer Forward Foundation. “By working with Comcast NBCUniversal and Telemundo Station Group, we’re able to invest in the organizations that will carry the game’s impact forward long after the final match. These grants reflect Soccer Forward’s commitment to ensure 2026 leaves a meaningful legacy, with the goals to expanding access, empowering young leaders, and strengthening communities in every host city.”

The local nonprofits and their in-market partner Telemundo-owned stations, which are part of Telemundo Station Group, serve the following cities hosting FIFA World Cup 2026™ matches: New York (Telemundo 47 / WNJU), Los Angeles (Telemundo 52 / KVEA), Philadelphia (Telemundo62 / WWSI), Dallas (Telemundo 39 / KXTX), Houston (Telemundo Houston / KTMD), San Francisco (Telemundo 48 / KSTS), Boston (Telemundo Boston / WNEU), and Miami (Telemundo 51 / WSCV).

The Vamos World Cup Initiative Grants are part of Telemundo’s community initiative designed to inspire and empower the next generation of leaders through the transformative power of sport. Anchored in Telemundo’s exclusive Spanish-language coverage of the FIFA World Cup 2026, the initiative creates access, opportunity and mentorship experiences that help young people turn their passion into purpose. The initiative builds on Telemundo’s commitment to ensuring the FIFA World Cup 2026 leaves a lasting impact beyond the pitch in the communities hosting the tournament.

STAMFORD, Conn.—Newly released viewing figures for the U.S. show that the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics were up 96% from the 2022 games and were the most watched Winter Games since 2014.

The games, which saw NBCUniversal cover more than 3,200 hours of the action from 116 events and a star-studded performance by Team USA, which won its most-ever Winter Games gold medals (12), also saw viewers consum more than 16.7 billion minutes of streaming on NBCU platforms, more than double the combined total of all prior Winter Games.

NBCU also reported that more than 215 million Americans (215.6 million through Feb. 17) tuned in across NBCUniversal’s platforms for what it has been calling “Legendary February,” headlined by Super Bowl LX, the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, the NBA All-Star-Game, and the Feb. 1 debut of Sunday Night Basketball on February, according to Nielsen Big Data + Panel reach metrics.

“Beginning with the February 1 debut of Sunday Night Basketball, our NBC Sports and Olympics personnel delivered a truly ‘Legendary February’ to our audiences on NBC, Telemundo, Peacock and Versant’s USA Network and CNBC that definitely exceeded our expectations," said Rick Cordella, president, NBC Sports. "The success of the Milan Cortina Olympics, Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara and the 2026 NBA All Star Weekend in Los Angeles could not have happened without the enormous cooperation and support from across Comcast NBCUniversal— including Peacock, NBC Entertainment, NBC News, Telemundo, local owned-stations, NBC affiliates, our exceptional ad sales and distribution teams, and Xfinity. And, of course, our great partners at the IOC, USOPC, NFL and NBA.”

Other data highlights from the month include:

• Milan Cortina Winter Olympics – most-watched Winter Games since 2014.
• Super Bowl LX – most-watched show in NBC’s 100-year history; second-most watched show of all-time (with largest peak audience of any show in U.S. history); most watched Super Bowl in Spanish language history on Telemundo
• NBA All-Star Game – most-watched since 2011.
• NBC Sports has the most-watched football, basketball and hockey game of this TV season, all coming within Legendary February.
• Since Feb. 1, NBC-owned and affiliated stations dominated broadcast television, topping primetime local market ratings in all 56 metered markets.
• Peacock achieved its biggest month ever.

Gary Zenkel, President, NBC Olympics added that “The Milan Cortina Olympics proved once again that the American audience will gather in large numbers over 17 days to experience this unmatched global competition. These Winter Games — superbly hosted across northern Italy, and produced and distributed by a team of 2,700 — reached blockbuster U.S. audiences of more than 50 million viewers each day, continuing the media dominance we experienced less than two years ago at the Paris Olympics. We can’t wait for the return of the Olympics to the United States with the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028 and are ecstatic to be the U.S. media home of five Olympic Games over the next decade.”

Additional viewing data from the Olympics included:

• Beginning with the primetime show on the field at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., immediately after calling his first Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 8, NBCU’s lead Olympics host Mike Tirico anchored more than 70 hours across two primetime presentations – the latter portion of live Milan Prime coverage from 2-5 p.m. ET and the traditional U.S. primetime (Primetime in Milan) at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Tirico’s closing comments from the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena following the gold medal men’s hockey game have been viewed more than six million times across NBC Sports’ social platforms.
• From the most-watched Opening Ceremony in 12 years through the Closing Ceremony, the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics averaged 23.5 million viewers on NBC, Peacock, NBCUniversal Digital Platforms and Versant’s CNBC and USA Network across the combined live afternoon Milan Prime window (2-5 p.m. ET) and U.S. primetime (8-11 p.m. ET/PT) time periods. Milan Cortina viewership is the highest for a Winter Games since Sochi 2014 and up 96% from the 2022 Beijing Olympics (12.0 million). Viewership is based on official Nielsen Big Data + Panel viewership (through Thursday 2/19) and preliminary data from Nielsen (2/20-22), and digital data from Adobe Analytics. Final data will be available later this week.
• All 15 full competition days (Sat., Feb. 7 through Sat., Feb. 21) topped 20 million viewers
• Over the full Games, Milan Prime (live U.S. daytime) and Primetime in Milan (U.S. primetime) coverage posted a daily streaming TAD of 3.3 million viewers across Peacock and NBCU Digital platforms.
• As the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics concluded with last night’s Closing Ceremony, the NBC Broadcast Network extended its streak to 143 consecutive Olympics nights as primetime’s No. 1 show – dating to the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
• Throughout “Legendary February,” NBC-owned and affiliated stations have dominated broadcast television, topping primetime local market ratings in all 56 metered markets.
• Milwaukee led all markets in local ratings during the Milan Cortina Olympics. A chart of the Top 20 markets is at bottom.
• Peacock had its best month ever. Led by Peacock, a Winter Games record 16.7 billion minutes of Milan Cortina Olympics coverage were streamed across NBCUniversal digital platforms – more than double all prior Winter Olympics combined (6.9 billion minutes). Peacock streamed more than 850 live events over a 17-day period. Peacock also served as the live streaming home for Super Bowl LX, the NBA All-Star Game and the debut of Sunday Night Basketball. The post-Super Bowl premiere of “The ’Burbs” was the highest Day 1 Peacock original debut ever and has already generated nearly 1 billion viewing minutes on platform since its Feb. 8 launch. In addition, four of the top 10 Peacock usage days all-time and seven of Peacock’s 10 largest reach days of all-time happened during the Milan Cortina Olympics.
• Three days apart, United States Women’s and Men’s Hockey Teams defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime to win Olympic gold medals. On Thursday, the USA-Canada game was the most-watched women’s hockey game on record, averaging 5.3 million viewers on USA Network and Peacock. The audience peaked at 7.7 million viewers in overtime (3:45-4 p.m. ET).
• In Sunday’s final medal event of the Milan Cortina Olympics, Team USA won its first gold medal in men’s hockey since 1980 in Lake Placid. Viewership figures for NBC Sports’ presentation of the game will be available on Tuesday.
• Featuring live coverage of every Winter Games sport, USA Network was the top destination for sports and entertainment programming on cable from the first day of competition on USA Network on Feb. 5 through Feb. 17 (latest data available in Nielsen NPower). USA Network has delivered an average of 1.7 million primetime viewers from Feb. 5-17 – topping all sports and entertainment cable networks. USA Network has delivered an average of 1.3 million Total Day viewers from Feb. 5-17 – topping all sports and entertainment cable networks. USA Network delivered an average of 1.64 million Total Day viewers across consecutive weekends (Feb. 7-8 and Feb. 14-15) – the best average viewership across successive weekends since December 2014.
• Milan Cortina Olympics content registered 4.28 billion impressions across NBC Sports social channels – a 437% increase vs. the Beijing Olympics and 231% above the PyeongChang Olympics. In addition, NBC Sports social channels delivered a 434% increase in social video viewership over the Beijing Olympics and more than 9X over PyeongChang. They also added 1.4 million new followers to the full portfolio of accounts/channels.
• Social video views across NBC News and TODAY Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube accounts are up 1,087% vs. Beijing.
• NBCU delivered the highest Olympic and Paralympic advertising revenue for Winter Games in company history. The highest :30 second ad unit rate for Super Bowl ever. The digital ad revenue for Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics also tripled the 2022 Beijing Olympics, revenue setting Winter Games records

STAMFORD, Conn.—As of Weds. Feb. 11, NBCUniversal is reporting that its coverage of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics has averaged 25.7 million viewers, more than double the average audiences (12.6 million) who watched the Beijing Olympics in a similar period.

As of Feb. 11 NBCU also reported that more than 200 million Americans (200.1 million) have watched NBCUniversal’s presentation of what it is calling “Legendary February”, headlined by Super Bowl LX, the Winter Olympics, and the debut of Sunday Night Basketball on February 1, according to Nielsen Big Data + Panel reach data.

“This level of audience accumulation over just an 11-day period is exceptional in today’s media environment,” said Rick Cordella, president, NBC Sports. “We look forward to continued momentum, with Team USA in contention for many medals in upcoming Olympic competition, and the return of NBA All-Star Weekend to NBC for the first time in more than two decades.”

More specifically, NBCU reported these viewing figures:

• Through Wednesday, the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics is averaging 25.7 million viewers on NBC, Peacock, NBCUniversal Digital Platforms and Versant’s CNBC and USA Network – marking the most-watched Winter Games presentation at this point since 2014 Sochi Olympics, according to official Nielsen Big Data + Panel viewership and preliminary data from Nielsen, and digital data from Adobe Analytics.
• NBCUniversal’s Milan Cortina Olympics viewership – headlined by live coverage in the afternoon (Milan Prime: 2-5 p.m. ET) followed by Primetime in Milan (8-11 p.m. ET/PT) – is double the Beijing Olympics at this point (12.8 million average).
• Led by the NBC broadcast network, all six days of Milan Cortina Winter Olympic coverage (since last Friday’s Opening Ceremony) have topped 20 million viewers – with Wednesday’s show averaging 21.5 million viewers – and have posted significant gains over 2022.
• Led by Peacock, 6.3 billion minutes of Milan Cortina Olympics content have been streamed, topping the last two Winter Games combined (6.1 billion minutes for Beijing and PyeongChang).

The numbers are particularly good news for the company, which owns the U.S. media rights to the Olympic Games through 2036 including Milan Cortina (2026), Los Angeles (2028), French Alps (2030), Brisbane (2032), Utah (2034), and the 2036 Summer Games.

STAMFORD, Conn.—As NBCUniversal prepares to air the Opening Ceremony of Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, the company has released additional details showing the immense scale of its coverage, which will provide more than 3,200 total hours across broadcast, cable, and streaming, including 2,500+ streaming hours, a record 700+ hours on linear television, all 116 medal events live on Peacock, and commentary from more than 80 commentators.

TV Tech’s full coverage of the tech plans and production technologies being used for the Winter Olympics can be found here, here and here.

The February Digital Edition of TV Tech also contains extensive coverage of the Olympics and previews of their production plans.

NBCU provides these stats to show the scale of its coverage:

• 115,000: Square feet in NBC Sports’ integration facility and warehouse in Connecticut, where nearly all of its production and engineering infrastructure begins its journey to northern Italy.
• 3,983: Distance in miles between NBC Sports’ International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn., and Milan, Italy.
• 3,200+: Total programming hours across NBCU’s linear and digital platforms.
• 2,900: Approximate total number of athletes expected to compete at Milan Cortina 2026, a Winter Olympics record.
• 2,500+: Hours of streaming coverage across Peacock and NBC Sports’ Digital platforms.
• 1972: Year that marked NBC’s first-ever coverage of an Olympic Winter Games in Sapporo, Japan.
• 1,600: Approximate number of NBCU Olympics employees based at NBC Sports’ International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn.
• 1,000: Approximate number of NBCU Olympics employees on-site in northern Italy.
• 700+: Hours of coverage being telecast across linear platforms.
• 232: Number of Team USA athletes expected to compete at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
• 230+: Number of hours on the NBC broadcast network, a Winter Olympics record.
• 116: Number of medal events at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, all of which will be streamed live on Peacock.
• 92: Number of countries and territories taking part in the Parade of Athletes at the Opening Ceremony.
• 84: Number of commentators on NBCU’s talent roster.
• 62: Total number of medals won at the Beijing Winter Olympics by the United States and Norway, who will face off in mixed doubles curling on Wednesday, Feb. 4, at 4:05 a.m. ET on Peacock, marking Team USA’s first event of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
• 50: Number of Full Remote Edit Rooms in use.
• 44: Number of Olympic medals won by NBCU’s Olympic commentators.
• 41: Number of total events that the NBC Olympics Research team went to in preparation for the Games.
• 35: Number of Multi-Purpose Flexible Use Rooms used for everything from replay operations, remote graphics, telestration, and more.
• 17: Number of purpose-built broadcast booths at NBC Sports’ International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn., where a select commentators will call live competition from.
• 17: Consecutive nights of primetime coverage on the NBC broadcast network.
• 16: Number of Olympics that NBCU’s lead alpine skiing play-by-play commentator Dan Hicks will have worked.
• 14: Number of international trips that the NBC Olympics Research team went to in preparation for the Games, including four countries and five Canadian provinces.
• 13: Number of Production Control Rooms at NBC Sports’ International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn.
• 8: Number of Winter Olympics broadcast by NBC, including Milan Cortina.
• 6: Number of hours northern Italy is ahead of the U.S. Eastern time zone.
• 5: Number of Muppets of Sesame Street (Elmo, Cookie Monster, Grover, Bert, and Oscar the Grouch) who will travel to Milan and be incorporated into NBCU’s comprehensive social and broadcast coverage surrounding the Games.
• 4K: NBC and Peacock will be “4K All Day” for Super Bowl LX and the Winter Olympics on Sunday, Feb. 8.
• 3: Number of Olympic Winter Games that Italy has hosted, joining the United States (four) and France (three) as the only countries to host the Winter Games three or more times.
• 2: Number of cities officially co-hosting these Winter Olympics, marking the first time this has happened.
• 1: The one and only Snoop Dogg will contribute to NBCU’s coverage of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, providing his unique take on what’s happening in northern Italy.

NBC and Peacock will present live coverage of the Opening Ceremony on Friday, Feb. 6, beginning at 2 p.m. ET. Primetime coverage will begin at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

The NBC broadcast network and streaming service Peacock will be the company’s primary platforms for its coverage of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, scheduled for Feb. 5-22.

For more information on how to watch the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics across NBCUniversal, click here.

MIRAMAR, Fla.—NBCUniversal Local’s Telemundo Station Group has announced that its Telemundo Puerto Rico is now available in the U.S. on The Roku Channel, with distribution on additional streaming services and connected TV platforms expected to be announced soon.

The free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channel features Telemundo Puerto Rico / WKAQ’s original entertainment and news programming.

“WKAQ has a tremendous legacy serving the residents of Puerto Rico with content that celebrates and connects their communities, so we are very pleased to extend their reach to those with Puerto Rican heritage and other Spanish-speaking audiences in the U.S.,” said Valari Staab, chairman, NBCU Local. “This channel showcases the great work of our talented local production teams and dedicated journalists in San Juan.”

The new 24/7 Spanish-language streaming channel features the entire lineup of original entertainment and news content produced by WKAQ, the Telemundo-owned station based in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The streaming channel provides simulcast and encore presentations of WKAQ’s 80-plus hours of weekly variety, talk, comedy, lifestyle and family shows, as well as award-winning investigative series and news programs.

“WKAQ’s iconic content has connected, informed and entertained the Puerto Rican community for generations, making it an indelible part of the island’s culture and history,” said José Cancela, president, Telemundo Station Group. “The launch of this free streaming channel now allows Telemundo Puerto Rico’s robust, entertainment-centric lineup and storied journalism to engage audiences in new ways and in new places across the U.S.”

WKAQ, part of Telemundo Station Group, has delivered local news and entertainment programming throughout Puerto Rico since 1954, when it became the first local TV station to launch on the island.

“We are incredibly proud to bring WKAQ’s beloved programming to audiences across the mainland U.S., creating a powerful bridge between the island and viewers on the mainland,” said Migdalia Figueroa, president and GM of WKAQ / Telemundo Puerto Rico. “This free streaming channel serves old and new audiences with the experiences, stories and voices that define Puerto Rico and matter to Puerto Ricans.”

Telemundo Station Group also operates four 24/7 free regional news streaming channels, which feature programming produced by Telemundo-owned stations. Noticias Telemundo California, Noticias Telemundo Florida, Noticias Telemundo Noreste and Noticias Telemundo Texas are available nationwide on leading streaming and connected TV platforms, and via Telemundo-owned stations’ sites and apps.

NBCU Local’s streaming portfolio, which first launched in January 2022, now includes 17 channels. The 11 NBC-owned stations’ streaming channels provide 24/7 access to locally produced news, lifestyle and original content across the stations’ digital platforms and top streaming and connected TV platforms. In addition, NBC LX Home streams LXTV Productions’ award-winning lifestyle entertainment titles and other programs.

PHILADELPHIA—Comcast’s cable operating brand Xfinity has detailed its plans to use a variety of new technologies and experiences to deliver what it is billing as NBCUniveral’s “most dynamic viewing experience” of the Olympic Winter Games.

The experiences are designed to showcase capabilities of the operator’s cable and broadband platform that greatly improve streaming, image quality, personalization and discovery in ways that its competitors can’t match.

“The Olympic Games capture the attention of the nation like no other sporting event, making them a perfect stage to showcase what Xfinity does best when it comes to live sports,” said Vito Forlenza, vice president of sports entertainment, connectivity and platforms, Comcast, which owns NBCU. “By uniting our most exciting features and advanced technologies on top of our superior network, we’re creating the ultimate viewing experience that lets fans choose how they want to engage with all the excitement coming out of Milan Cortina.”

During the games, Fan View, Multiview, and RealTime4K new technologies will be making their Olympic debuts.

With thousands of hours of coverage across NBC, USA Network, CNBC and Peacock, Xfinity’s Fan View is the easiest way to find and watch the action, no matter where it’s airing. The on-screen companion brings the most advanced features together, allowing fans to personalize, navigate, and control how they watch without ever taking their eyes off the big screen.

Fan View allows customers to:

• • Select their favorite Olympic sports, automatically creating a customized viewing experience based on those selections.
• • Find live programming, highlights, the latest medal counts, scores, competition stats, and the daily schedule – all in one place.
• • Launch flyover tours of the key sporting venues in and around Milan- – including ski slopes, snowboarding halfpipes, and the bobsled track – to immerse themselves in the beauty and spectacle of the host country.

Another major new feature is Multiview. Fans can watch up to four channels of NBCUniversal’s coverage at the same time with Xfinity Multiview - no flipping required.

Plus, with the new “Create Your Own Multiview,” fans can customize their multiview experience by choosing the channels they want to watch - whether that is all four channels airing Olympics coverage, two channels airing their favorite events, or a mix with other live sports.

In terms of 4K coverage, Xfinity customers can enjoy USA Network’s coverage of the Winter Olympics with its new RealTime4K technology. Delivered to the home over Xfinity’s network just seconds behind the action in Milan Cortina, RealTime4K offers stunning contrast, brilliant colors and lifelike detail with Dolby Vision and an immersive audio experience with Dolby Atmos.

Xfinity is also launching a dedicated Peacock 4K channel on Super Bowl Sunday, so customers can lean back and enjoy NBCUniversal’s coverage of two of the biggest sporting events of the year, the Milan Olympics and the Super Bowl LX, with RealTime4K technology, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. Available within the channel guide on Xfinity X1 and the Xfinity Stream app, the channel will air live Olympics coverage in the morning before shifting to Super Bowl LX programming - including the pregame, halftime, and postgame shows - and then returning to Milan Cortina for special Primetime and late-night coverage on NBC and Peacock.

During the games, viewers will also be able to catchup with AI-powered highlights.

Available on DVR recordings of NBC’s daytime and primetime coverage, AI Highlights automatically tags key moments like competitions, interviews, studio analysis, and medal ceremonies so fans can quickly catch up on the biggest action of the day without sifting through the entire recording.

Highlights Zone offers a curated collection of short-form video playlists featuring top highlights, features, interviews, and trending clips from all 16 Olympic sports so customers can relive every top moment of the Games. Customers who personalize their viewing experience with their favorite sports will also find a special playlist curated just for them, focusing on the sports they care about most.

SAN JOSE, Calif.—NBCUniversal and Roku have announced the launch of the 2026 NBC Winter Olympics Experience, a dynamic destination delivering NBCUniversal’s comprehensive CTV coverage of the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, from Feb. 6 to Feb. 22.

Launched on Feb. 2, the dedicated hub is designed to make finding and watching Olympic programming effortless for Roku viewers, with access to live events including the Opening Ceremony, highlights, clips, and more. For the first time, viewers can set reminders to receive mobile notifications when events begin.

“Following the tremendous fan reaction and embrace of our experience for NBCUniversal’s coverage of the Paris Olympics experience, Roku is once again putting millions of viewers front and center for one of the biggest sports moments of the year, with everything from figure skating and hockey to curling in one immersive destination,” said Joe Franzetta, head of sports, Roku Media. “Roku’s continued collaboration with NBCUniversal will deliver the excitement of the Games straight to your living room, so you can catch every must‑see moment.”

With Milan and Cortina, Italy, in the same time zone as Paris, France, the programming plan for the 2026 Winter Games will be similar to NBCUniversal’s massively consumed and critically acclaimed coverage of the Paris Olympics in 2024, including:

• The entire Olympics streaming live on Peacock
• An enhanced Olympics primetime show, “Primetime in Milan,” featuring top events, stars, and stories
• Comprehensive coverage across numerous cable and digital platforms
• Return of “Gold Zone” and Multiview on Peacock

Click here for more on NBCUniversal’s Milan Cortina programming.

The Olympics destination will feature more than 2,500 hours of programming available to Roku users with a Peacock subscription. Fans on Roku can track their country’s progress with the interactive Medal Count presented by Delta and explore personalized viewing options for each live event. Roku is also bringing the spirit of the Olympic Village to Roku City, creating a playful winter escape that invites fans to step inside the magic of the Games.

Sponsors for the destination include American Honda (Honda and Acura), Carnival Cruise Line, Delta, Xfinity, and Visa.

The Opening Ceremony from San Siro Stadium in Milan will be presented on Friday, Feb. 6, live and in primetime on NBC and Peacock. NBCUniversal is presenting its 20th Olympic Games, 13th consecutive overall, and owns the U.S. media rights on all platforms to all Olympic Games through 2036, which are scheduled for Milan Cortina (2026), Los Angeles (2028), French Alps (2030), Brisbane (2032), Utah (2034), and the Olympic Games 2036 (host yet to be determined).

In addition, the NBC Winter Olympics Experience will be featured prominently on the Roku Home Screen and across multiple entry points on the platform, available exclusively in the U.S.

NEW YORK—With one month until the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, NBCUniversal has announced that it has officially sold out of its Olympic inventory and that it set a new Winter Games ad-sales record with more advertisers investing in the upcoming Games (Feb. 6-22) than ever before.

Milan Cortina 2026 is part of what the company is calling its "Legendary February" programming that also includes the Super Bowl (Feb. 8) and the NBA All-Star Game.(Feb. 15). The trifecta has generated extraordinary demand from advertisers leading to sell out across all three tentpole moments, the company reported.

"With the resurgence of the Olympic movement, our strongest Sports Upfront in history, the early sellout of Super Bowl LX and the remarkable return of the NBA, NBCUniversal has solidified itself as a sports powerhouse and brands have taken notice,” said Mark Marshall, chairman, Global Advertising and Partnerships, NBCUniversal. “Our partners have not only seen the power of the NBC Sports portfolio, but also the incredible results our robust sports programming delivers, which is why our company now sits in its strongest position ever for a Winter Games and is kicking off 2026 officially sold out of all our Legendary February programming."

NBCU said that following the massive success of the 2024 Paris Olympics, brands were more eager than ever to commit to the Milan Cortina Games, with more than 100 new advertisers. As a result, the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics produced the highest linear and digital revenue in Winter Games history.

Over 85% of brand partners are investing in Milan Cortina digitally and advertiser adoption of Peacock’s ad innovations has grown 31% from Paris 2024 to Milan Cortina. Additionally, nearly 60 advertisers have invested in unique marketing elements, up 174% from Beijing 2022. More than a dozen brands are investing in sponsorships to offer more live sports viewing to fans, NBCU said, up 75% from Paris 2024.

Peter Lazarus, executive vice president NBC Sports and Olympics, Advertising and Partnerships, added: “The upcoming Winter Games, surrounded by Super Bowl LX and NBA All-Star Weekend, will captivate a highly engaged and passionate audience at scale in a way that no other media company can for advertisers. For the first time in our company's history, we have seen such unprecedented demand that we are officially sold out of our inventory this far in advance of a Games. We are excited to once again deliver to fans a world-class viewing experience while providing brands with the powerful halo effect the Olympics has to offer.”

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LAS VEGAS—In the run-up to the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January where a variety of new digital ad technologies will be on display, NBCUniversal unveiled a suite of new technology and data products that its says will open up new audience opportunities and help reimagine digital advertising with breakthrough formats, better real-time measurement and attribution.

“Our company was built on innovation, and as we enter into NBC’s 100th year, we are pairing the strength of our storytelling with the power of our technology to enhance the consumer experience and prove real-time impact for brands,” said Mark Marshall, chairman, Global Advertising & Partnerships, NBCUniversal. “Premium video is more valuable to advertisers than ever, and with these new innovations, we are providing solutions clients have been asking for, backed by the power of NBCUniversal’s entire cross-platform ecosystem – setting a new industry standard for success.”

NBCUniversal’s latest product suite includes LIVE Total Impact, Performance Insights Hub, and AI-powered Contextual Targeting in LIVE.

NBCU said these solutions are designed to turn engagement into real outcomes, moving audiences from attention to conversion across every platform.

NBCU described LIVE Total Impact as the industry’s first cross-platform tool designed to leverage the real-time viewership of live tentpole moments and extend that engagement across NBCUniversal’s full ecosystem, delivering the right ad, to the right person, at the right time.

The official launch follows a successful beta rollout during Sunday Night Football - where telecom and retail brands saw higher brand lift through targeted re-exposure across NBCU platforms.

The company said it will now expand and scale LIVE Total Impact to even more advertisers across such major February events as Super Bowl LX, the Milan Cortina Olympic Winter Games, NBA All-Star Weekend, and additional live events throughout 2026 such as Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

In terms of the Beta testing during Sunday Night Football, NBCU said it delivered the following results:

• +10% lift in awareness and memorability compared to control
• +77% higher search engagement vs competitive streaming benchmarks
• +1.8x greater website visitation compared to industry benchmarks
• Retargeted viewers exposed to in-game ads visited the website 6.8x more than those who were not exposed, showing strong lower-funnel impact.

In terms of Contextual Targeting in LIVE, NBCU reported that it allows, for the first time, advertisers to target Live programming in real time.

More specifically, NBCU said Contextual Targeting in LIVE is a breakthrough AI-powered tool that continuously scans live content to ensure an advertiser’s ad or creative automatically aligns with the most relevant moments as they unfold live. Initial VOD beta tests showed brands saw significant increases in engagement and favorability, demonstrating how AI can match brand messages to relevant themes and boost audience interaction, the programmer reported.

In an early beta with a luxury brand NBCU reported the following results:

• +27% higher enjoyment of the creative vs. baseline
• +14% agreement that surrounding content enhanced the brand’s message
• +10% higher Unaided Brand Awareness vs. baseline
• +38% perception of the luxury brand as environmentally responsible
• +56% higher search engagement vs. competitive streaming
• By automating brand suitability and real-time context, this capability gives advertisers greater efficiency, agility, and precision, optimizing every second of live media investment to reach audiences at the exact right moment of authentic connection.

NBCU described the new Performance Insights Hub (PIH) as a proprietary intelligence platform providing advertisers of all sizes with a unified view of campaign delivery, audience insights, and full-funnel, in-flight performance.

Built on NBCUniversal’s One Platform Tech Stack, PIH integrates first- and third-party data through standardized schemas and automated workflows with partners including Dynata, EDO, Kochava, LiveRamp, MarketCast and VideoAmp.

Upcoming integrations will support turnkey outcomes measurement for foot traffic and purchase data, plus category-specific integrations to power CPG, Pharma and more, NBCU said.

NBCU said this new tool moves marketers beyond static post-campaign reporting enabling in-flight reporting and insights that improve performance across awareness, engagement, and conversion metrics.

NBCU also reported that it is launching Arrival Ads on Peacock, which allows brands to own the first impression as soon as viewers enter the platform.

In addition, NBCU is expanding Peacock’s premium Pause Ads into the programmatic marketplace, enabling advertisers to access this high-impact format through Programmatic Guaranteed deals.

The programmer reported that it is the first major premium AVOD publisher to offer a full-screen programmatic Pause Ad, which it said will bring more scale, flexibility, and automation to a placement that has already proven effective in direct-sold campaigns.

Pause Ads appear when a viewer pauses a programming. NBCU said Pause Ads have already proven to be a powerful format, driving a +68% lift in ad memorability, underscoring the format’s ability to capture attention and enhance brand impact. Additionally, campaigns with Pause Ads have driven a +106% lift in foot traffic for advertisers.

In terms of the upcoming Olympics, NBCU said that partnerships with Amazon DSP, FreeWheel Buyer Cloud, Google Display & Video 360, StackAdapt, The Trade Desk, Viant, and Yahoo DSP, will allow it to open up a private marketplace with biddable access for advertisers of all size.

Additionally, following its successful launch at CES 2025, Universal Ads will serve as the first-ever, exclusive ads manager for NBCUniversal’s coverage of the Milan Cortina Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, offering advertisers even more opportunities to invest in NBCUniversal’s coverage of the Games.

More information about these and other new capabilities are available here.

The NBA has released encouraging viewing and social media data that the beginnings of its $76 billion deal with NBC/Peacock, Prime Video and ESPN are paying off for its broadcast rights partners.

More than 60 million viewers watched NBA games during the first month of the regular season, the NBA reported, the highest first-month viewing in 15 years if you exclude the 2011-12 season, which opened on Christmas Day.

The NBA also reported record levels of social-media engagement, with more than 30 billion views across social media platforms operated by the league and others.

In addition, sales at NBAStore.com were up more than 20% and subscriptions to out-of-market package NBA League Pass were up 10%. Time spent viewing games on the NBA app was also up 8%.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. and LOS ANGELES and NEW YORK—LA28, Team USA and NBCUniversal have announced a wide-ranging sponsorship deal with Google that will make the tech giant a “founding partner” who will deliver consumer and enterprise solutions to enhance the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics experience for fans and athletes.

“This partnership is a testament to our commitment to innovation and delivering a technologically advanced, engaging and digitally accessible Games when we welcome the world in 2028,” said LA28 chairperson and president Casey Wasserman. “Google’s suite of products and tools will support our vision for uplifting the athlete, fan and workforce experience, and ultimately make it easier for attendees to navigate venues, share their experiences, and stay informed in real time.”

As part of the agreement, Google will be named as the Official Cloud Provider of the 2028 Summer Olympic Games. In addition, a wide range of Google technologies, including Google Search, Google Cloud and advanced AI tools like Gemini will be used by LA28, Team USA and NBCU to improve the fan experience for the games.

Using AI, NBCU and Google reported they will be providing fans with new ways to search for information during NBCUniversal’s coverage of the first Olympic and Paralympic Games in the U.S. in 26 years.

NBCUniversal will also partner with YouTube to provide fans with select content around the Games, serving as an extension of NBCUniversal’s coverage of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, they reported.

"With tools like Gemini and new Google Search features like AI Mode, it's easier than ever for people to find the information they’re looking for, no matter how simple or complex,” said Marvin Chow, vice president of marketing, Google. “Our partnership with LA28, Team USA, and NBCUniversal builds on our successful collaboration from last summer, making the Olympic and Paralympic Games more personal and interactive for fans with the help of AI.”

“For decades, Google has been a leading force in innovation and technology and now they are bringing that pioneering spirit to the Olympic and Paralympic Games,” added Mark Marshall, chairman, global advertising and partnerships, NBCUniversal. “Through this exciting new partnership, we will combine their cutting-edge technology with NBCU’s premium content and passionate community to deliver a world-class viewing experience for fans of all ages on all of our platforms.”

With only two weeks until the 2025-2026 NBA season tips-off on NBC and Peacock— the first under the league’s new 11-year, $77 billion media rights contracts—NBCUniversal is reporting that it is exceeding its advertising expectations, with nearly 170 advertisers and nearly all inventory already sold out.

NBCU reported that over 20% of advertisers are new to NBCUniversal and that the NBA’s return to NBCUniversal sparked interest from first-time brands with nearly 10% new investments into the franchise at large.

A key driver has been crossplatform demand. More than 70% of its clients are investing in crossplatform deals, further demonstrating the importance of a multiplatform, omnichannel approach to reaching audiences at scale, the company reported. Additionally, over 30% of overall NBA investments have gone solely towards digital inventory.

However, NBCU also noted that investments in linear exceeded initial expectations by more than 20%.

In July 2025, NBCUniversal and the NBA announced an 11-year agreement to present NBA and WNBA regular-season and playoff basketball games across numerous platforms beginning with the 2025-26 season.

As part of the deal NBC Sports will present 100 NBA regular-season games and up to 40 playoff games; six conference finals over 11 seasons, including in 2026; and the NBA All-Star Weekend/Game every year.

In a statement, Peter Lazarus executive vice president, NBC Sports & Olympics, Advertising and Partnerships noted: “The demand for live sports over the last year has been unprecedented across our properties and the NBA is no exception. Launching a new property, there were certain expectations we had and the appetite from our partners far exceeded all of those. Advertisers were eager to invest across linear, streaming and digital, leading to our near sell-out. We are proud to welcome the NBA to our incredible roster of sports and bring both viewers and advertisers an unrivaled, world-class experience.”

The 2025-26 season begins on Tuesday, Oct. 21, with a doubleheader featuring reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder hosting Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets, followed by Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors traveling to Los Angeles to take on LeBron James and the Lakers on NBC and Peacock.

Starting Oct. 27, “Peacock NBA Monday” will stream up to three NBA games nationwide on Monday nights throughout the regular season. A 30-minute studio program will lead into game coverage each Monday night.

More specifically, the company said it had officially sold out of all key positions for this season of the NBA with investments across all core categories including auto, finance, QSR, entertainment and retail. The key positions include:

• American Express will be the Official Halftime Sponsor for NBA on NBCUniversal.
• As part of its larger collaboration with NBCUniversal, DraftKings will serve as the Official Betting Partner of NBA on NBCUniversal.
• Kia will be the Official Presenting Sponsor of Tuesday’s NBA Coast to Coast.
• McDonald’s will sponsor “Basketball Night in America” and “NBA Showtime” on Sunday nights
• State Farm will be the sponsor of Tuesday’s “NBA Showtime” studio show.
• Wingstop will sponsor the Monday “NBA Showtime’ studio show.
• Xfinity will be the Official Presenting Sponsor for Peacock NBA Monday.

NEW YORK—In news that highlights the importance of the NFL and sports for the TV and streaming industry, NBCUniversal is reporting record revenue for its 20th season of “Sunday Night Football,” with overall revenue increasing across all platforms. In addition, the company also announced it has sold out of all ad inventory for Super Bowl LX, which will be presented on NBC, Peacock and Telemundo on Feb. 8, 2026.

In addition to being sold out of the Super Bowl, NBCUniversal said it has sold out 90% of its separate NFL inventory.

The company did not provide specific revenue figures.

“Coming off of the strongest sports Upfront in our company’s history, Super Bowl LX has generated extraordinary interest from brands and allowed us to sell out of our ad inventory earlier than ever,” Peter Lazarus, executive vice president, NBC Sports & Olympics, Advertising and Partnerships, said. “The unprecedented demand from advertisers across the Super Bowl and our 20th season of ‘Sunday Night Football’ has made this upcoming NFL season our highest-grossing to date. With a monumental year ahead, we are proud of the incredible momentum thus far and are excited to offer both fans and brands an unrivaled slate of sports programming starting with NFL kick off.”

With advertisers leaning into live sports more than ever before, NBCUniversal also reported that it saw tremendous demand from advertisers for the Super Bowl, with packaged goods, entertainment, finance and alcohol remaining the top categories, while CPG, pharma, entertainment and QSR [quick service restaurants] continue to increase their spend. Digital investments in the Super Bowl also increased by 20% since the last Super Bowl on NBC, with more brands taking a 360-degree approach to advertising within the upcoming spectacle, the company reported.

It also noted that for the 20th season of “SNF,” NBCUniversal is welcoming more than 150 partners into its programming—nearly 40 of whom are new. Auto, insurance, retail, tech and QSR continue to be core categories spending across “SNF,” with pharma, finance, and tech increasing investments year over year. The company has also sold out of all key sponsorships for its NFL lineup with Toyota sponsoring Halftime.

The strength of NFL ad revenue comes in advance of number of high-profile sporting events in 2026. NBCU will be offering fans the Super Bowl, the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics and the NBA All-Star Game in a 17-day span this upcoming February.

The momentum continues that spring and summer with the WNBA, the NBA Playoffs, and the 2026 Men’s FIFA World Cup on Telemundo, followed by the WNBA Finals and Big Ten Championship Game in the fall.

WASHINGTON—NBCUniversal has told the Federal Communications Commission that it should not establish different ownership requirements for stations owned by companies who own broadcast networks, such as NBC, and station groups that do not own broadcast networks.

Notably, the filing did not take a position on whether the FCC should eliminate ownership caps, as the NAB and many broadcasters have argued.

NBCU stressed in its filing that it was only responding "to the following question in the Public Notice [asking for public comments on broadcast ownership rules]: if `the Commission retains a national audience reach cap, should common ownership of stations that are not affiliated with major national broadcast networks (i.e., ABC, CBS, NBC, or Fox) be excluded from the cap?’ The answer is no. Differential treatment of broadcast licensees based on their ownership has no basis in law or policy.”

The response illustrates some of the conflicting regulatory impulses faced by large media conglomerates like NBCU, which is owned by a broadband and cable operator, Comcast, and is in the process of splitting itself up into two companies. When the split is completed in 2026, one of those companies will own its cable networks; the other will own its broadcast networks, streaming operations, Hollywood studios and TV stations.

Comcast is an important member of the pay TV group NCTA, which is opposed to lifting the ownership caps. The NBC network and NBC-owned stations were one of the few broadcast groups that did not join an NAB-backed filing calling for complete elimination of all broadcast ownership caps.

The joint NAB/broadcaster filing also attacked the idea of a two tiered system of ownership rules, with different rules for network owned and operated stations (O&Os) and station groups that were not owned by broadcast networks. The Fox owned stations have also come out against a two tiered system of ownership caps.

The idea of a two tiered system is related to ongoing attacks by the Trump administration and FCC chair Brendan Carr on alleged political bias in broadcast network news coverage.

FCC chair Brendan Carr has on numerous occasions blasted the broadcast networks for political bias, following arguments made by President Donald Trump. On August 24, Trump issued a social media post blasting the political coverage of ABC and NBC that called on the FCC to take away their licenses.

Trump has repeatedly made such claims even though the FCC does not “license” broadcast networks and as such would be unable to remove licenses it does not issue.

The FCC does, however, license individual stations who carry those networks. Carr has repeatedly asserted the agency has the right to remove the licenses of stations, including stations owned by broadcast networks, for violations of public interest requirements and "news bias."

Carr has also argued that he would like to help local broadcasters by reducing or eliminating the ownership caps. A two tier ownership system that keeps restrictions on existing O&Os but eliminates those for other station groups that do not own networks would address those conflicting impulses, hurting the networks while helping many local broadcast groups.

“What I would do is empower those local broadcasters [who] actually serve their local communities,” Carr has said.. “There's lots of ways we can do that. Looking at ownership reform might be one way to do it…So I want to ultimately empower those local stations and, frankly, constrain some of the power of those national programmers.”

In its filing, NBCU argued that the FCC lacks the authority to apply different ownership caps to different broadcasters. “By reaffirming that the national ownership cap applies equally to all persons and entities, without regard to corporate ownership, Congress confirmed that the Commission lacks statutory authority to pick and choose only certain persons or entities for which the FCC could eliminate or modify the national ownership cap.”

“The First Amendment also precludes singling out certain networks for differential treatment in any elimination or modification of the national ownership cap,” the filing also argues. “It is axiomatic that the First Amendment “protects speech and speaker,” and the government cannot single out “disfavored speakers” for restrictions. By offering relief to only certain entities and not others, based solely on the ownership composition of those entities and without any other legitimate justification, such disparate treatment would be unconstitutional.”

The filing also stressed that hurting the network O&Os would also hurt local broadcasters. “Under the guise of promoting localism, the Public Notice suggests that the FCC could relax or eliminate the national television ownership cap with respect to all stations other than those owned by certain of the networks,” NBCU argued. “The proposal to treat networks differently than other television station owners fundamentally misunderstands the nature of the networks’ contributions to their local television markets.”

“NBCU is a local broadcaster. NBCU owns and operates 36 television stations originating local programming across 16 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. These stations provide locally focused coverage of issues and stories that affect the lives of local audiences, produced by experienced journalists who live and work in the communities they cover. NBCU’s local stations employ over 4,000 people (including over 2,000 news professionals) and provide an average of more than 150 daily hours of local news, weather, consumer reporting, and sports coverage across free over-the-air, streaming, and digital platforms. These network-owned stations are leaders in protecting their local communities during severe weather events and are at the forefront of supporting and advocating for local victims of business fraud, theft, and abuse.”

“As a local broadcaster, NBCU is similarly situated to other, non-network owned television stations that are operating in local markets,” NBCU concluded. “Thus, to the extent the FCC’s goal in revisiting the national television ownership cap is the promotion of localism, that goal is only furthered by affording the same treatment to all local television stations, regardless of ownership.”

The full filing is available here.

STAMFORD, Conn., and LIBERTY CORNER, N.J.—NBCUniversal has extended its media rights agreement with the United States Golf Association (USGA) through 2032. Its current deal expires in 2026.

The deal includes media rights for the men’s U.S. Open and other USGA tournaments for NBC and Peacock, as well as on networks owned by Versant, which will be spun off from Comcast this year.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Puck’s John Ourand has reported that NBC will be paying around $93 million a year.

“The USGA has been an important partner of ours for most of the last 30 years and we’re extraordinarily proud of our relationship with their leadership team,” NBC Sports President Rick Cordella said. “We have built something incredibly special with the U.S. Open on NBC. We look forward to further advancing and enhancing our coverage of the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open, and U.S. Senior Open across NBC and Peacock through 2032.”

As a result of the deal, NBC will be the exclusive broadcast home of the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Senior Open. The deal also includes provisions that the U.S. Open will continue to have the most broadcast hours of any major championship, at least 25 hours of coverage.

In addition, NBCU’s streaming service Peacock will simulstream all USGA programming airing on NBC and will provide exclusive streaming coverage of the U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open.

The agreement also includes post-spinoff provisions for Versant’s Golf Channel and USA Network to have media rights through 2032.

More specifically, USA Network will provide coverage of the U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open, while Golf Channel will carry coverage of the U.S. Senior Open, U.S. Senior Women’s Open, U.S. Amateur, U.S. Women’s Amateur, U.S. Junior Amateur, U.S. Girls’ Junior, U.S. Adaptive Open, Walker Cup and Curtis Cup.

The new elements of the agreement will begin in 2027 following the conclusion of the current pact in 2026.

“We’re proud to partner with the USGA and present coverage of 11 USGA championships across USA Network and Golf Channel,” said Matt Hong, president of sports, at Versant. “The USGA championships represent some of the most prestigious events in all of golf. USA Network’s reach and Golf Channel’s reputation as the television home of the sport are ideal platforms to bring the USGA championships to golf fans across the country.”

NBCU described the coverage highlights as follows:

• 48 hours of U.S. Open coverage, including 25 hours on NBC (33 when on the West Coast); an increase of four hours of NBC coverage on Thursday/Friday (for a total of five hours per day, including two in primetime, one each day); combining to deliver more broadcast network coverage than any other major championship;
• 27 hours of U.S. Women’s Open coverage, including seven weekend hours on NBC;
• 18 hours of U.S. Senior Open coverage, including six weekend hours on NBC;
• 15 hours of coverage for both the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Women’s Amateur and continuing coverage of the U.S. Junior Amateur, U.S. Girls’ Junior, U.S. Adaptive Open and U.S. Senior Women’s Open;
• 12 hours of coverage for the Walker Cup (played over two days) and 16 hours of Curtis Cup coverage (contested over three days) when played in the U.S.
• Golf Channel critically-acclaimed Live From studio show will deliver comprehensive pre-championship and post-round coverage on-site at the U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open each year and will continue to deliver its coast-to-coast “election-night” style coverage surrounding U.S. Open Final Qualifying known as “Golf’s Longest Day.”

NEW YORK—As more live events move to streaming and streaming platforms work to boost their ad revenue, the digital advertising tech standards-setting body, IAB Tech Lab has released its Live Event Ad Playbook.

The proposed standards in the release were developed by IAB Tech Lab Working Groups in collaboration with Amazon, NBCUniversal, FreeWheel, and Index Exchange as part of their efforts to improve ad delivery for live streaming events. The proposed standards include the new Concurrent Streams API specification aimed at simplifying the monetization of live streaming events.

“Streaming is now the dominant form of television viewership in the U.S., and the rest of the world is rapidly following suit. Live events — whether sports, news, or cultural moments — are increasingly broadcast via streaming platforms,” said Anthony Katsur, CEO, IAB Tech Lab. “Delivering a seamless live stream at scale is already a technical challenge. Seamlessly inserting ads during those peak moments of concurrency is even harder. The Live Event Ad Playbook and our new Concurrent Streams API are purpose-built to help the industry meet this moment — ensuring advertisers can act on high-impact opportunities without sacrificing the viewer experience.”

In releasing the Live Event Ad Playbook, the IAB noted that streaming services are expected to spend more than $11 billion on sports rights alone this year. Marquee sporting events like Super Bowl LX and the 2024 Paris Olympic Games have driven mass viewership, demonstrating the power of live sports for advertisers looking to reach audiences at scale.

As more streaming services buy sports rights, IAB Tech Lab members felt there was a growing need for new standards and best practices. To address that issue, it formed the Live Event Ad Serving Working Group, which includes industry leaders Amazon, FreeWheel, Index Exchange, and NBCUniversal. The group is focused on leveraging its own learnings and best practices to create a more transparent supply chain for the live streaming ecosystem. The proposed standards aim to equip advertisers and streaming services with the tools needed to support live events with reliable and scalable ad delivery, the IAB Tech Lab explained.

To help the industry address live streaming challenges, the group has proposed the Concurrent Streams API, which provides real-time insights into how many viewers are watching a live stream. This allows publishers—either independently or through their SSAI partners—to send live viewership data to ad systems, enabling faster ad decisions and reducing the risk of missed ad breaks. For advertisers, this means better handling of traffic spikes and the ability to adjust campaigns in real time to capture high-value moments.

Several companies involved in the effort applauded the result.

“Between over a billion impressions during the 2024 NFL Playoff, and a 90% increase in advertiser participation in the 2024 Olympics, there's a very clear, booming demand for live sports,” said Mark McKee, general manager at FreeWheel, which is owned by Comcast. “By partnering with IAB Tech Lab, Amazon, NBCUniversal, and Index Exchange, we’re making it easier for advertisers to tap into these high-impact moments with scalable, seamless, and low-latency ad experiences.”

"Live streaming events represent a unique opportunity for advertisers. The premium nature of these environments requires thoughtful technical infrastructure that can adapt in real-time,” said Neal Richter, director, Amazon DSP. “By establishing common protocols and APIs, we're collectively moving toward a more reliable set of standards that benefits viewers, content creators, and brands.”

Another proposal on the horizon is an API that will provide projected viewership estimates for upcoming events over a rolling 2–3-week window, helping publishers prepare for traffic surges and enabling advertisers to fine-tune their budgets, deals, and delivery strategies, the Lab reported.

“NBCUniversal has been a leader in live streaming for several years, paving the way for advertisers to reap the benefits of tentpole live event programming across news, sports, and entertainment,” said Ryan McConville, executive vice president chief product officer, advertising platforms and operations, NBCUniversal. “With our extensive work in live event advertising, we have unique insight and expertise, and believe that the industry at large will benefit from the standards the IAB has put forward.

“The high degree of concurrency and unpredictability in live TV streams is both a challenge and a tremendous opportunity for the programmatic ecosystem,” said Catherine Cho, lead product manager, Index Exchange. “The goal of this effort is to tame the chaos with standards and make every streaming impression opportunity biddable and addressable by buyers.”

IAB Tech Lab said that all stakeholders including publishers, advertisers, developers, and technology partners can review the proposed guidelines at https://iabtechlab.com/standards/leap/

NEW YORK—Despite widespread concerns about a soft advertising market, NBCUniversal said it closed its 2025-26 upfront negotiation cycle with a record ad sales volume.

The media giant said that sports and live events, the addition of the NBA, growth in Peacock, and advancements in technology were key factors in the record sales commitments overall.

It also reported that it delivered its largest digital upfront in history.

NBCU did not report specific numbers, aside from saying it brought in nearly $1 billion in programmatic investments alone for the 2025-25 upfront cycle.

More specifically, NBCU reported that three major tentpole events—the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, the Super Bowl and Telemundo’s Spanish-language telecasts of the FIFA World Cup—drove additional record sales to the business for its 2025-26 upfront, outpacing all three of the property’s combined previous benchmarks.

“This year, we went to the market earlier than ever to strategically align our powerful content slate with our clients’ goals,” said Mark Marshall, chairman, Global Advertising and Partnerships, NBCUniversal. “The response has been extraordinary, and we are incredibly grateful for our partners’ trust and collaboration. In a year set to redefine industry benchmarks, ad-supported reach remains the most influential force in media —and no one delivers it like NBCU. With a cross-platform strategy supercharged by cutting-edge technology, we’re proud to engage 286 million people monthly—setting a new standard and delivering the most successful Upfront in our company’s history.”

The company also reported that with the addition of the NBA, NBCU delivered its strongest sports upfront in history, adding 20% new clients over last year and securing a 45% year-over-year increase in volume beyond the big three tentpoles. NBC, Peacock, Telemundo, Golf Channel and USA Network all benefited from the demand for sports, driving new clients and sports commitments for the properties.

In addition, with a renewed focus on live events in 2026, as well as the Spanish-language presentation of the FIFA World Cup, Telemundo has experienced its best upfront to date, already exceeding the revenue for the previous World Cup with over 10 months until kickoff.

On the digital front, NBCU reported that Peacock delivered its highest Upfront to date. The streamer has seen consistent year-over-year growth, driving over 20% YoY increase and now representing nearly one-third of NBCUniversal’s total upfront commitments, NBCU reported.

In addition, client demand for Peacock’s ad performance has propelled NBCUniversal’s strength in its overall digital footprint, leading to the company’s largest digital Upfront in history.

According to NBCU, other highlights included:

• The company reported a resurgence in broadcast across news, sports and entertainment, nearly 15% year-over-year driven in part by new opportunities with the NBA. Over 25% of NBCUniversal’s NBA advertisers will be new to broadcast this year.
• Bravo has continued to see steady growth over the past five years, representing nearly 20% of the company's entire entertainment demand across broadcast and cable.
• The portfolio of networks that represent Versant, Comcast's planned spinoff of cable news, sports and entertainment brands and digital businesses, saw nearly a 10% increase in client investment.
• The company generated 30% net-new small-medium business (SMB) clients this upfront cycle, signaling a shift in how this sector is prioritizing inventory in the upfront timeframe.
• Advertisers with NBCUniversal are increasingly moving beyond standard age and gender demos, with nearly 60% of investments now transacted on advanced audiences.
• NBCUniversal’s robust programmatic business—which has included sports and live events since 2023—continues to see strong demand, bringing in nearly $1B in programmatic investments alone for the 2025-26 upfront cycle.
• The company saw record revenue growth across key categories this upfront, including retail, restaurants, auto, travel and financial services—which all grew by about 12%. The marketplace strength in studios has fueled demand in the company’s studio-adjacent properties, including Fandango.
• In the 2025-26 Upfront negotiations, NBCUniversal sold the company's entire portfolio across linear and streaming under its One Platform banner. The company will continue to represent domestic Versant advertising inventory, including CNBC, E!, Golf Channel, MSNBC, Oxygen, Syfy, USA, and digital platforms, for the next upfront cycle.

NEW YORK—Warner Bros. Discovery captured the largest monthly viewership increase among media distributors in March, according to Nielsen’s latest Media Distributor Gauge report, which breaks down the total TV viewing of content distributed by major media companies.

In the March report, WBD exhibited 3% growth in television viewing compared with February, primarily driven by March Madness coverage on TBS, TNT and truTV. Tournament games were also available to stream on Max, which allowed for additional reach to notably younger consumers.

Max notched the largest month-over-month growth among streaming services in March (up 6%), further contributing to Warner Bros. Discovery’s significant monthly gains, the report explained.

Max’s increased viewing was due in large part to HBO megahit ‘The White Lotus,’ which was No. 4 among most-streamed titles in March with 4.5 billion viewing minutes. The debut season of Max original series ‘The Pitt’ also contributed, generating 2.3 billion viewing minutes across the month and charting in Nielsen’s Streaming Top 10 for the first time during the week of March 17.

YouTube captured 12.0% of overall TV viewing in March to secure a second consecutive month as the top reported media distributor, eclipsing its previous company best share of TV of 11.6%, which it set last month, the researchers noted.

Disney gained half a share point over February to account for 10.5% of TV watch-time in March. Disney benefited from its successful cross-platform simulcast of “The Oscars,” which drew 20.3 million viewers across ABC and Hulu, in addition to the return of “American Idol” and the continued strength of “ABC World News Tonight With David Muir.”

Paramount advanced to No. 3 in the Media Distributor Gauge rankings in March (up from fifth in February) with an 8.5% share of TV (up 0.3 share points). Paramount rode the success of March Madness coverage on CBS, coupled with a robust drama lineup on the network, including “Tracker” and “Matlock,” which drew 10.7 million viewers and 9.2 million viewers, respectively, across the month. “Tracker” episodes represented five of the top 10 broadcast telecasts in March, averaging over 10 million viewers each (on a live-plus-7-day basis).

Despite a 0.1 point decline in viewing share versus February, NBCU climbed from No. 6 to No. 4 in the distributor rankings and finished with 8% of TV viewing in March. Although it did not change from a ranking perspective, The Roku Channel also set a platform record with 2.2% of television viewing, per Nielsen data.

The March interval ran from Feb. 24 to March 30. Nielsen reporting follows the broadcast calendar with measurement weeks that run Monday through Sunday.

NEW YORK—NBCUniversal and LG Electronics (LG) have announced a deal that will make a wide variety of content available from NBCU on LG smart TVs and add e-commerce experiences to some of that content.

As part of the agreement, 40 new FAST channels will launch in March on LG Channels. In addition, NBCUniversal will enable consumers to shop directly from some of that content in the U.S. on LG smart TVs.

The two companies said that NBC News NOW, TODAY All Day, Dateline 24/7, and SNL Vault FAST channels have already launched.

An extensive collection of film and TV series spanning decades including “Little House on the Prairie," “Murder, She Wrote” and "Saved by the Bell,” plus cinema classics from Universal Pictures and genre-based action, crime and monster movies coming soon.

These upcoming launches include past seasons of popular series from “Million Dollar Listing,” “The Real Housewives” and “Top Chef” along with Spanish-language news and entertainment from Telemundo. Additionally, local news, true-crime and sports programming will join the LG Channels lineup.

“We’re excited to deepen our partnership with NBCUniversal and bring even more premium content to LG Channels,” said Matthew Durgin, vice president of LG content and services at LG Electronics USA. “With the addition of NBCUniversal’s renowned programming, we’re enhancing the LG Channels experience and furthering our commitment to delivering exceptional value to our customers.”

“Following our recent deal with LG for the hit series Suits, we are thrilled to expand upon our relationship with them through the launch of these FAST channels,” said Bruce Casino, executive vice president of sales and distribution – U.S., NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution. “Now, LG Channels viewers will have access to the very best of NBCUniversal’s unrivaled content library. Whether it’s hugely popular classics like Little House on the Prairie, iconic comedies like Will & Grace, or legendary films from Universal Pictures, there’s truly something for everyone.”

Looking ahead, the two companies also announced that LG TV users with pay-TV subscriptions will be able to watch some of their favorite current NBCUniversal content on linear, including Bravo’s highly successful “Below Deck” franchise.

These users will also be able to shop directly within the LG experience on-screen with plans to offer additional content.

Using NBCU Checkout and LG’s ‘webOS pay’ feature, viewers will be able to utilize their LG remote to easily explore different products inspired by the content and easily make a purchase through their mobile device or directly on their TV.

The two companies reported that the joint effort leverages LG’s Emmy-award-winning webOS smart TV platform and NBCUniversal’s ad technologies. It aims to redefine how viewers engage with content and commerce through shoppable experiences, ad innovations, and purchasing technology.

Since launching its commerce business, NBCUniversal reported that it has seen incredible demand and impact for brands of all sizes.

Adding shopping experiences within the free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) and commerce spaces, also builds on NBCUniversal and LG Electronics’ long-standing sponsorship deals.

NBCU described the full list of channels that will be launching on LG as follows:

• Alfred Hitchcock Presents: This Emmy-winning anthology series created by Alfred Hitchcock features pulse-pounding mysteries and delightfully twisted endings. Enjoy these star-studded classics from the beloved "Master of Suspense" himself!
• American Ninja Warrior: Catch up on American Ninja Warrior, where athletes take on a tough obstacle course in an epic physical competition.
• Bad Girls Club: Watch as seven outrageously bold, brazenly misbehaved women attempt to transform their reckless ways. Can they change – or will chaos rule?
• NBC Comedy Vault: For non-stop laugh-out-loud moments from iconic series “Will & Grace,” look no further than the NBC Comedy Vault channel!
• Little House on the Prairie: Set in the late 1800’s, the Ingalls family pack up their belongings and venture out west in search for new life in the new land. Starring Michael Landon and Melissa Gilbert, watch this family of five adjust to their new home in Plum Creek, on the plains of Minnesota.
• Murder, She Wrote: Join mystery writer Jessica Fletcher (played by legend Angela Lansbury), as she solves crimes in this Emmy®-winning drama.
• Saved By The Bell: Share the inventive schemes and mischievous dreams of these tight-knit friend groups. Watch them grow from Bayside High in “Saved By The Bell” to after graduation in “The College Years.”
• Universal Action: Buckle up and hold on tight! Helicopters, fast cars, and fight scenes are packed into this channel. Here you’ll find riveting shows that are sure to get your heart pumping and adrenaline flowing, such as “Magnum P.I.,” “Knight Rider,” “The A-Team” and many others.
• Universal Crime: Mystery, suspense, and action culminate in these notable drama series. From the scene of the crime to the courtroom, follow along with some of your favorite stars as they fight for justice to be served. Series include: “Columbo,” “Kojak,” “The Rockford Files” and more.
• Universal Monsters: Blood-sucking vampires, stitched-together monsters, and howling werewolves! From iconic monster movies to modern classics, these films are guaranteed to give you goosebumps, which include titles such as “Frankenstein,” “Dracula,” “The Wolf Man” and more.
• Universal Movies: Immerse yourself in the magic of cinema, from laugh-out-loud comedies and inspiring dramas to thrilling adventures – all on the Universal Movies channel.
• Bravo Vault: From “Shahs of Sunset” to “Flipping Out,” Bravo Vault immerses you in all the high-sheen content and drama you love with our rotating content library.
• E! Keeping Up: Catch up and "keep up" with the Kardashians, plus popular spin-off series like Kourtney & Khloe Take Miami.
• Million Dollar Listing Vault: Bravo's Million Dollar Listing vault has the best of luxury real estate, with all the deals and drama! Watch every season now!
• Oxygen True Crime Archives: Oxygen True Crime Archives is your home for deep dives into infamous cases and binge-watching original series. True crime, all day, every day.
• Real Housewives Vault: Revisit the Real Housewives that launched the iconic franchise, showcasing the glitz, glamour, and drama of the reality show’s wealthy female stars.
• SNL Vault: See your favorite SNL characters, sketches, and hosts!
• Top Chef Vault: Bravo’s “Top Chef” Vault has a rotating library to catch up on and learn the latest in sous-vide, gastronomy and more from the ultimate food competition show.
• GolfPass: GolfPass brings together thousands of lessons from the game’s biggest instructors, exclusive series, GOLF Channel news and features, and much more.
• NBC Sports NOW: Enjoy big-time sports talk with Dan Patrick, Mike Florio, Dan Le Batard and more, plus watch live events and highlights.
• American Crimes: Explore the dark side of the American dream and life behind bars, featuring award-winning series “American Greed” and “Lockup”.
• Dateline 24/7: Get true crime mysteries from the True Crime Original. All Dateline, all the time.
• NBC New York News: The latest local news, breaking updates, live events & weather in the tri-state area.
• NBC Los Angeles News: The latest local news, breaking updates, live events & weather in the LA area.
• NBC Chicago News: The latest local news, breaking updates, live events & weather in the Chicago area.
• NBC Philadelphia News: The latest local news, breaking updates, live events & weather in the Philadelphia area.
• NBC South Florida News: The latest local news, breaking updates, live events & weather in the South Florida area.
• NBC Boston News: The latest local news, breaking updates, live events & weather in the Boston area.
• NBC Connecticut News: The latest local news, breaking updates, live events & weather in Connecticut.
• NBC Washington, DC News: The latest local news, breaking updates, live events & weather in the DC area.
• NBC Dallas Fort Worth News: The latest local news, breaking updates, live events & weather in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
• NBC San Diego News: The latest local news, breaking updates, live events & weather in the San Diego area.
• NBC Bay Area News: The latest local news, breaking updates, live events & weather in the Bay Area.
• NBC News NOW: Get live breaking news, the latest headlines, and in-depth reporting. Streaming 24/7.
• TODAY All Day: Enjoy all four hours of the TODAY show every weekday starting at 11am ET plus show exclusives, original food shows, celebrity interviews, health, wellness and more hosted by your favorite TODAY anchors.
• Telemundo Noticias California: The latest local news, breaking updates, live events & weather in California.
• Telemundo Noticias Texas: The latest local news, breaking updates, live events & weather in Texas.
• Telemundo Noticias Florida: The latest local news, breaking updates, live events & weather in Florida.
• Telemundo Noticias Noreste: The latest local news, breaking updates, live events & weather in the northeast.
• Telemundo Accion: Experience recent fan favorites and the best hits from Telemundo, featuring fast-paced crime telenovelas. Immerse yourself in popular series and join iconic characters like Aurelio Casillas, Nacho Montero, Catalina Santana and Vicenta Acero in thrilling titles such as “El Señor de los Cielos,” “El Barón,” “Sin Senos Sí Hay Paraíso’ and “Señora Acero.”
• Historias de Amor: Delightful romantic comedies & emotionally charged dramatic sagas of love and revenge.
• Telemundo al Dia: The most trusted news source for the Hispanic community in the US, offering the most important news and the latest in entertainment and sports.

LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND and PHILADELPHIA—The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Comcast NBCUniversal have signed a wide ranging $3 billion media rights deal for the Olympic Games in the U.S. that also includes a number of joint initiatives, partnerships and projects in digital advertising and other areas.

The deal extends Comcast NBCU’s rights to the games in the U.S. on all platforms to media rights for the 2033-2036 cycle, covering the Olympic Winter Games Salt Lake City-Utah 2034 and the Olympic Games 2036 (host yet to be determined).

The agreement, which was approved by the IOC Executive Board (EB) on March 12, will start in 2025 . NBC has broadcast the Summer Games since 1988 and the Winter Games since 2002.

The IOC and Comcast NBCU stressed that the new agreement takes their longstanding media rights partnership to a new level that with wide variety of joint initiatives and partnerships in such areas as digital advertising, broadcast infrastructure and delivery of the games. Those include:

• Building on Comcast’s expertise in technology infrastructure, connectivity and media to support the delivery of the Olympic Games;
• Support for the in-venue distribution of the live TV coverage of Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS);
• Support to OBS in the production of the Olympic Video Player;
• Collaboration on digital advertising opportunities in the United States;
• The IOC benefitting from Comcast’s investment in relevant and innovative start-ups;
• The extension of the media rights agreement across all platforms in the United States for the Olympic Games until 2036 on NBCUniversal, including its streaming platform Peacock.

“There is no event like the Olympics. Its power to bring joy, and the unifying spirit it embodies, are truly unique. Comcast Chairman and CEO Brian Roberts said: We live in a time when technology is driving faster and more fundamental transformation than we’ve seen in decades. This groundbreaking, new, long-term partnership between Comcast NBCUniversal and the International Olympic Committee not only recognizes this dynamic but anticipates that it will accelerate. It is our honor to continue to bring the full power of our company’s expertise in creating and distributing content that connects with Americans, as well as to begin to provide even more innovative technological support and solutions to the IOC and its stakeholders in areas that benefit athletes and the many people dedicated to organizing the Olympic Games around the world.”

“As we recommit to our collective mission, this groundbreaking partnership between the IOC, Comcast NBCUniversal and the USOPC signifies a new era of collaboration and engagement that will enhance the Olympic and Paralympic Movements immediately," the President of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), Gene Sykes, added. "With our eyes set on the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 and beyond, we are excited to leverage innovative technologies and shared resources that will ensure an unforgettable experience for athletes and fans alike.”

In announcing the deal, NBCU reported that its coverage of Paris 2024 reached an average of 67 million total viewers per day across its broadcast, cable and streaming platforms. Fans streamed 23.5 billion minutes of NBCUniversal’s Paris 2024 coverage, led by streaming service Peacock – 40 per cent more than all prior Olympic Summer and Winter Games combined. Gen Z powered a record 6.55 billion impressions across NBCUniversal’s social media platforms for Paris 2024, a 184 per cent increase compared to Tokyo 2020.

The IOC and Comcast NBCU also highlighted NBCUniversal longstanding involvement with the games. Beginning with Tokyo 1964, NBCUniversal has presented 19 total Olympic Games and 13 consecutive editions, more than any other U.S. media company. Today’s announcement means that at the conclusion of the Summer Games in 2036, NBCUniversal will have presented 25 Olympic Games and 19 consecutive editions. Comcast is also a major sponsor of the Olympic and Paralympic Movements in the US, having served as an Official Partner of Team USA since 2017.

LAS VEGAS—In the run-up to NBC’s 100th anniversary next year, NBCUniversal has been previewing the future of full-funnel advertising at CES here, unveiling new engagement capabilities within its One Platform and highlighting new data demonstrating the power of TV advertising.

This year, NBCU is starting a two-year run of premium, English and Spanish-language programming to celebrate NBC’s 100th-anniversary milestone in the fall of 2026.

“NBCUniversal has long been a leader in innovative storytelling and advertising technology,” said Mark Marshall, chairman, global advertising and partnerships, NBCUniversal. “Our One Platform ecosystem has maximized our marketers’ reach and scale over the past five years to prove TV is a performance vehicle in a way no other product in the marketplace has. Now, as we head into our next century, we are kicking off a slate of unrivaled content combined with cutting-edge technology and exceptional end-to-end advertising solutions that will drive demand in new ways and provide long-term viability for our clients.”

At CES, NBCU introduced viewer and advertiser experiences on Peacock with new formats and product features. It also showed creative optimization capabilities including new predictive ad models to forecast creative impact for the world’s biggest live events.

Peacock’s “Live in Browse” feature brings live events to life on the home page, automatically playing in the top row as soon as viewers open the app. Beginning this month, “Live in Browse” will be available for marketers to align their brands with these highly visible marquee moments.

Additionally, NBCU is making its Pause Ad format available within live events. Pause Ads on Peacock drive a 43% lift in site visitation for brands and 43% higher memorability compared to standard ads, NBCU said, demonstrating the effectiveness of this format.

Looking ahead, Peacock will begin piloting new product features on its iOS and Android mobile apps this month to drive fan engagement around its most popular titles even deeper. These daily mini-games and prediction games, along with new curated vertical video playlists of can’t-miss clips from Peacock’s biggest shows, will be tested prior to a broader rollout, unlocking new potential opportunities for advertisers, NBCU said.

NBCU has also developed new predictive ad models to forecast and improve the performance of ads.

NBCUniversal said its Ad Creative Engine uses generative AI, machine learning and statistical models to understand the the historic performance of ad creative within specific content and predict how creative will perform for specific KPIs, including brand awareness, message breakthrough, ad likability and search engagement.

NBCU is now expanding this capability to the biggest moments in live event content, with new models for golf and ad innovations, including Pause Ads and Engagement Ads, as well as an updated Super Bowl ad model for February, leveraging three times more data points since 2018.

In addition, NBCU has tested the effects of aligning the emotional metadata of advertiser creative with that of content using AI and machine learning to drive impact on mid- and lower-funnel conversion. Preliminary tests have shown a double-digit lift in emotionally congruent ad and content pairings. NBCU plans to make this capability more widely available later this year, it said.

At CES, NBCU also released new data showing the effectiveness of TV advertising. Highlights include:

• NBCU’s One Platform total audience campaigns had generated a 32% increase in purchase intent and a 33% increase in brand favorability; a 2 times increase in search engagement; and a 64% increase in incremental store visits, as well as 28% greater reach, 22% higher search engagement, and a 7% lift in prescription conversions
• NBCUniversal was the first publisher partner for Adobe Real-Time CDP Collaboration, a solution that brings publishers and advertisers together to discover, reach and measure high-value audiences. Through the beta test, advertisers experienced two times more efficient conversion, 10 tmes better match rates and 90% lift compared to standard audience onboarding.
• Consumer packaged goods brands that participated in NBCUniversal’s retail media data collaboration pilot with Instacart saw a return on ad spend of 8 to 17 times, with an average of 37% new-to-brand buyers on Instacart.
• During a successful real-time outcome measurement beta period, NBCUniversal tracked conversions attributed to streaming campaign exposures in flight. Upon completion of the campaigns, advertisers saw an average 8.5 times increase in ROAS, indicating the overall effectiveness of NBCU's streaming environment. This measurement capability will be generally available beginning in Q1.

NBCUniversal also announced that it is a launch partner for Comcast’s “Universal Ads” (UA), a cross-publisher advertising solution enabling new advertisers simplified access into the premium video category

In a statement about UA, Marshall said: “The North Star of advertising has always been combining the premium reach of linear with the precision of data-informed targeting for marketers. Now with Universal Ads, we are delivering that vision to businesses of all sizes. TV has always been a performance vehicle for brands, and UA puts the scaled reach and premium content that TV is known for into the hands of marketers everywhere.”

NEW YORK—NBCUniversal and Walmart said they are bringing new shoppable experiences and measurement capabilities to live sports coverage. Kicking off on Thanksgiving night with NBC’s Miami Dolphins-Green Bay Packers NFL telecast, the effort will allow viewers of both linear TV and streaming feeds to start their holiday shopping from the comfort of home.

The plans to bring live shopping to live sports builds on last year’s announcement that NBCUniversal and Walmart were testing the sales impact of ads in live-streamed sports telecasts. Walmart also served as the launch partner for NBCUniversal’s Must Shop TV.

“The power and reach of NBCUniversal’s sports portfolio is unmatched—bringing game-day action to life for fans and brands in a highly engaging and effective ecosystem,” NBCUniversal president, advertising and partnerships Alison Levin said. “By teaming up with the powerhouse of Walmart and Walmart Connect, we’re differentiating the viewer experience with a first-of-its-kind shoppable activation, while also amplifying real, cross-platform accountability for marketers on one of our biggest stages. This is the next era of advertising—the most compelling content, an innovative viewer experience and real, cross-platform reach and attribution.”

The two companies reported that viewers can easily shop directly on Walmart.com through an on-screen QR code and, for the first time ever, can use NBCUniversal’s new text-to-shop functionality in its Shop the Pod without missing a moment of content.

Beyond holiday deals, fans will also have the opportunity to shop from brands selling at Walmart. These advertisers will be provided with closed-loop measurement to attribute sales across linear and streaming media displayed during programming, through Walmart Connect and NBCUniversal’s data collaboration, the companies said.

Walmart will also feature a two-minute segment from its new advertisement campaign “Deals of Desire,” showcasing the retailer’s biggest holiday deals.

“Walmart customers love professional football—86% of surveyed customers told us they watch the games,” said Rich Lehrfeld, general manager and senior vice president of Walmart Connect. “The new advertising opportunities we’re introducing, powered by Walmart’s scale and reach, will be a game-changer in helping to solve the linear equation by tying our in-store purchase data to linear audiences.”

This collaboration will extend beyond Thanksgiving, Walmart and NBCU said.

NEW YORK—FuboTV and NBCUniversal have announced a deal that will see the launch of 18 NBCU FAST channels on the virtual multichannel video programming distributor (vMVPD).

First out of the gate on Nov. 25 are four channels from Telemundo. Those channels have been added to Fubo’s Spanish-language Latino plan and all English-language channel plans, including the Free plan available to select customers.

The other 14 NBCU FAST channels will be coming soon to all Fubo English-language plans, including Free.

“We’re thrilled to bring Fubo customers a full suite of channels that lets them enjoy NBCU’s legendary content catalog across a wide variety of genres,” said Todd Mathers, senior vice president, content strategy and acquisition. “From sports to entertainment and news programming, our English- and Spanish-speaking customers can stay entertained and informed with NBCU’s deep archive.”

“In partnership with Fubo, we are excited to launch NBCUniversal's premium portfolio of FAST channels, further expanding our presence in the ecosystem,” Matt Farina, senior vice president, NBCUniversal content distribution, said. “This collaboration will enable us to connect with our longtime fans while also introducing new viewers to our diverse library of content.”

NBCU and Fubo described the full suite of NBCU FAST channels set to launch as follows:

• Noticias Telemundo Ahora (All channel plans): A 24/7 Spanish-language news channel, featuring breaking news, live reports from major cities, and interviews with today’s leading newsmakers.
• Telemundo al Dia (All channel plans): The most trusted news source for the Hispanic community in the U.S., offering the most important news and the latest in entertainment, reality and sports.
• Telemundo Romance (All channel plans): Dive into heartwarming romantic comedies and emotionally charged dramatic sagas filled with love, passion, and revenge. Join the most beloved telenovela actors in series cherished by the Spanish-speaking audience, featuring unforgettable characters from shows like “Aurora,” “Rosa Diamante,” “Pasión de Gavilanes” and “Sangre de mi Tierra.”
• Telemundo Acción (All channel plans): Experience recent fan favorites and the best hits from Telemundo, featuring fast-paced crime telenovelas. Immerse yourself in popular series and join iconic characters like Aurelio Casillas, Nacho Montero, Catalina Santana and Vicenta Acero in thrilling titles such as “El Señor de los Cielos,” “El Barón,” “Sin Senos Sí Hay Paraíso’ and “Señora Acero.”
• NBC Sports (All English-language channel plans): Stay updated on the latest in sports with entertaining talk programs, including “Pro Football Talk” and “The Dan Patrick Show.”
• GolfPass (All English-language channel plans): Co-founded by global golf superstar Rory McIlroy, GolfPass is the hub for all things golf, offering thousands of tips and lessons, original entertainment, news and tournament highlights from GOLF Channel, and more.
• Dateline 24/7 (All English-language channel plans): Stream “Dateline” 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on the Dateline 24/7 channel. Discover top true crime picks from the true crime original. All “Dateline,” all the time.
• Oxygen True Crime Archives (All English-language channel plans): Oxygen True Crime Archives is your home for infamous cases, deep dives, and gripping moments of justice served.
• American Crimes (All English-language channel plans): Explore the dark side of the American dream and life behind bars, featuring award-winning series “American Greed” and “Lockup.”
• “Today” All Day (All English-language channel plans): Enjoy all four hours of the Today show every weekday starting at 11am ET plus show exclusives, celebrity interviews, health, wellness and more hosted by your favorite TODAY anchors.
• Million Dollar Listing Vault (All English-language channel plans): Dig Deep into the many seasons of “Million Dollar Listing,” from L.A. to N.Y., S.F. to Miami! Bravo's MDL vault offers the best of real estate, with all the deals and drama.
• E! Keeping Up (All English-language channel plans): Catch up with the Kardashians (and Jenners) from the start, with each breakup and breakdown that broke the internet.
• SNL Vault (All English-language channel plans): See your favorite “Saturday Night Live” characters, sketches and hosts!
• Real Housewives Vault (All English-language channel plans): Revisit the Real Housewives that launched the iconic franchise, showcasing the glitz, glamour and drama of the reality show’s wealthy female stars.
• Top Chef Vault (All English-language channel plans): Bravo's Top Chef Vault features a rotating library of world-class chefs facing off in the ultimate culinary competition.
• Bravo Vault (All English-language channel plans): From “Shahs of Sunset” to “Flipping Out,” Bravo Vault immerses you in all the high-sheen content and drama you love with our rotating content library.
• Rotten Tomatoes (All English-language channel plans): Get your popcorn ready! Watch full-length feature films, from award-winners and cult classics to hilarious comedies and family favorites on the Rotten Tomatoes Channel.
• NBC LX Home (All English-language channel plans): NBC LX Home is your place for breathtaking interior design, unbelievable transformations, home renovations, travel, adventure and more. Providing non-stop inspiration and celebrating life every day.

PHILADELPHIA—As Comcast reported better-than-expected third-quarter financial results, executives told analysts the company is considering spinning off its cable networks, a move that could produce a significant shift in its corporate strategies and in the U.S. media landscape.

“Like many of our peers in media, we are experiencing the effects of the transition in our video businesses and have been studying the best path forward for these assets,“ Comcast President Mike Cavanagh said of the cable networks, part of its NBCUniversal unit, on the company’s third-quarter earnings call. “To that end, we are now exploring whether creating a new, well-capitalized company owned by our shareholders and comprised of our strong portfolio of cable networks would position them to take advantage of opportunities in the changing media landscape and create value for our shareholders. We are not ready to talk about any specifics yet, but we’ll be back to you if and when we reach firm conclusions.

“I’m not talking about Peacock or broadcast,” Cavanagh added, though he did say Comcast would be willing to “consider partnerships in streaming despite their complexities.”

Some analysts, though, have already thrown cold water on the idea and have highlighted a wide range of problems such a deal would pose.

Cavanagh didn't address those specifics and stressed that it is early in a process that, he conceded, would raise a lot of complex issues. Executives were going public with the idea so Comcast shareholders would have a better understanding of what they were exploring, he said.

“There are a lot of questions to which we don't have answers so we want to do the work, and we want to do the work with transparency around it so that as rumors fly and the like, we expect that,” he said. “But we want our shareholders to understand what we’re willing to look at. And that's in the context of a broader, ‘We look at a lot of things.’ And I do think in a moment of a lot of transition in the industries we're part of, I think we've got a very strong hand given the strength of the businesses.”

In response to the possibility of the spinoff, LightShed Partners analysts Richard Greenfield, Brandon Ross and Mark Kelley were generally negative about the prospects of a cable spinoff or any deal involving Peacock.

“Given the acceleration in cord-cutting and the secular decline of linear TV advertising, particularly basic-cable networks, it’s no surprise that Comcast/NBCU would be interested in spinning off its cable networks,” they wrote. “Unfortunately, spinning off NBCU’s cable networks is challenging at this stage of their life cycle and merging Peacock with a streaming-industry peer is beyond complicated. In turn, we wonder whether this is really much ado about nothing or if it could actually lead to a far broader strategic conversation where Comcast revisits spinning off/merging all of NBCU ex-Theme Parks.

“We suspect this is much ado about nothing and is simply a sign of just how structurally challenged linear cable networks and subscale, U.S.-only streaming platforms are in 2024 and beyond,” the analysts concluded. “When you see a dismal future, with no path to growth, you sound the alarm and explore strategic alternatives.”

Cable Carriage Deals a Concern
One major problem with a spinoff was the value of those networks in ongoing negotiations with multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) as a separate company without NBC, which Cavanaugh said would not be included in the spinoff.

“While Comcast Cable could certainly sign a long-term distribution deal with NBCU’s cable networks, why would any other distributor want to renew its carriage agreements or at least renew at levels anywhere near current agreements?” they asked. “It is one thing to package USA, Syfy, Bravo, MSNBC and CNBC cable-network distribution with NBC broadcast, which controls ‘Sunday Night Football,’ college football, Olympics and soon NBA. But without NBC, those cable networks would be in an incredibly precarious position.”

“Remember what happened to Diamond Sports after it lost the protection of the Fox Broadcast Network?” the analysts added, referencing the troubled former Sinclair subsidiary that acquired the Fox Sports regional sports network business spun out during Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox. “Diamond’s $2 billion of EBITDA evaporated within three years and entered bankruptcy because it lost distribution. And remember, there is a lot of NBCU cable network content on Peacock, so for consumers that love that content, there are still ways to access that content, even if not carried by an MVPD/vMVPD.”

Likewise, they noted that some sort of partnership with Peacock is an appealing idea given the streaming platform has already lost $9 billion and is still losing $400 million a quarter. But a “Peacock merger with another streaming service sounds even more complicated and hard to effectuate,” they said.

Issues that would complicate such a deal include control over the partnership; the difficulties of untangling the close ties between Peacock and NBC in terms of programming and sports rights; the regulatory environment; and existing sports-rights deals that could be voided by a merger.

NEW YORK—NBCUniversal has launched a new content collection ExcellencE! on Peacock that will provide its streaming subscribers with a new destination for the content targeting cross-cultural audiences. 

NBCU partnered with the mission-driven media company, Group Black to create the offering. 

The launch means that Peacock subscribers can visit the ExcellencE! destination to view thousands of hours of diverse-led, inclusive programming such as "Bel-Air," "Martin," and "The Real Housewives of Atlanta." 

NBCU plans to add additional original content in 2025.

This launch is part of NBCUniversal and Group Black's expanded partnership, which originated from Peacock's Black Excellence 365 program in 2023. Over 30 brands joined to support Black-led and diverse content all year-round.   

"NBCUniversal's deep library of inclusive programming is the perfect launching pad for the new ExcellencE! collection on Peacock,” explained Val Boreland, executive vice president, content acquisitions, NBCUniversal Entertainment. “Together with Group Black, we are bringing thousands of hours of diverse-led content to a curated destination, enabling our audiences to better explore cultural conversations through storytelling."

"ExcellencE! on Peacock will champion authentic voices and stories that reflect audiences' experiences everywhere," said Cavel Khan, chief growth officer of Group Black. "This collection embodies what excellence stands for – a platform where multicultural perspectives can thrive."

For more information about ExcellencE! and its available content, visit https://www.peacocktv.com/watch/excellence.  

NEW YORK—NBCUniversal took a commanding lead in TV watch-time among media companies in the August 2024 Media Distributor Gauge report, Nielsen’s monthly view of total television consumption by media company. 

On the strength of its presentation of the Paris Olympics, NBCU added 3.9 share points to garner a 13.4% share of TV usage in August. That set a personal-best for the company and a new record for the largest share of TV consumption by a single media company since November 2023 when Nielsen began ranking media companies by their share of total TV viewing.

The report also noted that NBCU’s recorded double-digit viewership growth across the three main channels that televised Olympics coverage: USA Network viewership jumped 47%, Peacock streaming was up 39%, and viewing across NBC broadcast affiliates rose 62%. 

Additionally, the Democratic National Convention also provided a boost for NBCU in August, as MSNBC’s coverage of the four-day DNC event lifted network viewership by 43% compared to July levels.  

In addition to NBCU, two more companies in the Media Distributor Gauge expanded their share of total TV viewing in August. 

After topping all media distributors in July, YouTube’s watch-time was up 2% in August to finish the month with 10.6% share of TV—another high-water mark for the streaming platform. 

The other company to record growth was The Roku Channel, which received a 3% bump in viewership and added one-tenth of a share point for a total of 1.7% of TV usage, the highest share it has recorded.

With new seasons of football and broadcast programming on the horizon, Disney, Paramount and Fox all experienced the end-of-summer lull in viewership in August, and finished with 9.5%, 7.1% and 6.0%, respectively. 

Nielsen’s researchers also noted that during the Games, NBCU established a successful blueprint for reaching consumers on their viewing platform of choice, which could prove to be an important milestone into the future. 

The measurement month of August 2024 included four weeks: 07/29/2024 through 08/25/2024. Nielsen measurement weeks run Monday through Sunday.

The Gauge is Nielsen’s monthly snapshot of total broadcast, cable and streaming consumption that occurs through a television screen, providing the industry with a holistic look at what audiences are watching. The Gauge was expanded in April 2024 to include The Media Distributor Gauge, which reflects total viewing by media distributor across these categories. 

NEW YORK—July TV viewing marked a notable milestone in the evolution of how consumers watch TV and their use of streaming platforms, YouTube moved into the lead among media distributors in the July 2024 Media Distributor Gauge report, Nielsen’s monthly view of total TV consumption by media company. 

In July time spent watching YouTube on television was up 7% compared to June, leading the streaming platform to account for 10.4% of total TV in July (up from 9.9%). This marks the first time a streaming platform ranks first in the Media Distributor Gauge chart, and the first time a streamer has exceeded 10% of total TV usage in a given month. Disney, which owns both linear networks and streaming services was second with a 9.9% share. 

Nielsen noted that seasonality plays a significant role in viewing behavior fluctuations observed throughout the year, and summer months typically include increases in both streaming viewership and kids’ total TV usage. 

As such, YouTube’s leap to the top media distributor in July was driven largely by school-aged viewers (P2-17) who accounted for nearly 30% of YouTube viewership this month, and 13% of TV viewership overall—the largest usage total for that age demographic since July 2023, Nielsen said. 

TV viewing in July was also impacted by increased political news coverage and the start of the Summer Olympics. Led by coverage of the Republican National Convention, Fox News Channel saw a 39% bump in viewing this month, while Tubi notched 6% growth compared to June. Both entities helped drive a 16% increase for Fox overall. Fox added a 0.8 share point to its share of TV to finish July with 7.4% total TV usage, marking the company’s largest share of TV so far this year and moving it to 5th among media distributors. 

Even with just three days of Olympics coverage included in the July reporting interval, the impact the Summer Games had on NBCUniversal was evident, the Nielsen data showed. 

NBCU’s share of TV climbed from 8.5% in June to 9.5% in July, and viewership across all NBCU distribution channels was up 14%, driven by a 33% increase for Peacock and a 24% increase across broadcast affiliates.

Disney finished July with the second largest share of TV at 9.9% after recording a 0.9 share point loss from June. However, year-to-date totals (January – July) show that Disney leads all media distributors with 11.0% of TV viewing through seven months, followed by YouTube at 9.6% and NBCU at 9.1%. A wider lens look further emphasizes the potential impact of monthly factors like content availability and time of year.

The summer-to-fall transition is one of the most dynamic in the TV viewing landscape each year. And this year, on top of the expected return of football and a new season of scripted programming, we also factor in major TV events including the Summer Olympics and the lead up to the presidential election. With these variables in the mix, TV viewership over the next few months could be as exciting as the content that drives it.

The measurement month of July 2024 included four weeks: 07/01/2024 through 07/28/2024. Nielsen measurement weeks begin on Mondays and run through the following Sunday.

STAMFORD, Conn.—NBCUniversal has announced that it’s coverage of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will be accessible to more viewers of all abilities than ever before with enhanced closed captioning, expanded audio description, and improved digital content accessibility.

Closed captioning, which provides text of the coverage audio for viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing, will be available for all Paralympic events airing across NBC and USA Network, as well as closed captioning for all digital live streams with commentary across Peacock, NBCParalympics.com, NBC.com, and the NBC Sports app.

In addition, more audio description services – interspersing broadcast audio with skilled voices describing Paralympic scenes and context – will be available for viewers who are blind or visually impaired for Paris 2024 than for any previous Paralympics. All coverage on NBC, USA Network, CNBC, and the Gold Zone whip-around show on Peacock, will feature audio description provided by Descriptive Video Works, NBCU reported. 

The coverage will also feature improved web content accessibility, including keyboard navigation, color contrast and support for screen readers on NBCParalympics.com, NBC.com, the NBC Sports app, and Peacock. Livestreams and replays which offer audio description will have English audio description as a language choice within the players on these digital platforms. 

To easily find all events with audio description, click here.

“For over a decade, Comcast NBCUniversal has been working to address barriers to make our experiences more inclusive,” said Tom Wlodkowski, vice president, accessibility at Comcast. “As a consumer of Paralympics programming with audio description, I’m looking forward to fully participating in the joy that the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will bring.”

All of this audio description and closed captioning will be available to Comcast Xfinity customers who experience the Games on the Xfinity X1 platform, including on Xfinity Stream and on Xfinity Flex.

If there were any doubts that streaming TV has finally hit its stride in 2024, NBC was ready to knock them down this month.

Although the network didn’t break out the share of 2024 Olympics viewing split between its three platforms—Peacock streaming, broadcast TV (NBC, Telemundo) and its cable channels (such as USA Network, E! and NBCSports)—the company’s enthusiasm about Peacock’s performance from Paris underscored the growing perceived value of streaming video in the media mix. NBC crowed that the 23.5 billion minutes of Paris Olympics coverage streamed via Peacock during the games, July 19-Aug. 11, was up “40% from all prior Summer and Winter Olympics combined.”

(Read: Peacock Signed-Up 2.8M Subs During Olympics)

NBCUniversal Media Group Chairman Mark Lazarus said the streaming usage “marked a groundbreaking moment for Peacock, which delivered …cutting-edge innovation while shattering all-time Olympics streaming records.”

The Olympics streaming victory lap surfaced amidst a marathon of other developments that illustrate the hurdles and leaps that face the industry. Days after NBC’s declaration of streaming success, a Federal court in New York issued a preliminary injunction to stop Venu Sports, the joint venture streaming service from Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery, which had planned to launch in time for the NFL season.

‘Wait and See’
These developments emerged just after Nielsen’s latest “The Gauge” report, which calculated that 40.3% of TV viewing is now watched on streaming platforms, followed by cable (27.2.1%) and over-the-air broadcast (25.5%). The streaming share was up from 37.7% a year earlier in Nielsen’s analysis of how Americans watch TV across platforms.

Collectively, this summer’s avalanche of streaming exuberance (and stumbles) mirrors the ways that the buzzy business of video streaming is taking off in countless directions. At the same time, dozens of challenges are becoming apparent in this latest competitor to (or collaborator with?) broadcast TV. They encompass technology, economics, legal/regulatory issues and consumer preferences for ad-supported programming vs. paid content.

The emergence of Venu, the proposed $42.99/month bundle of streaming content has been a major source of enthusiasm. Its program package is intended to include ABC, Fox, ESPN, TNT, TBS programs and by extension a slew of major football, baseball, basketball and hockey league games. Analysts are waiting to see how it will fare against alternatives such as the Xfinity StreamSaver bundle that Comcast is assembling by bringing Peacock, Netflix and Apple TV+ into one $15 per month package.

Rick Ducey, managing director of BIA Advisory Services, who analyzes the migration of media platforms, characterizes the current situation as “a very complicated environment for everyone to navigate.” He cites “nearly 2,000 streaming services available to consumers configured, bundled and sold across various platforms, publishers, and content aggregators.”

Ducey observed that industry providers and consumers are evaluating the very different business models that are available.

Other analysts offer similar perceptions of the cloudy near-term outlook. “This environment makes it challenging for consumers to keep track of what they are spending, which causes a great deal of frustration,” says Adriana Waterston, executive vice president and insights and strategy lead at the Horowitz Research Division of M/A/R/C Research. “This is why churn has been such a big issue.” She points to data showing that “consumers navigate these costs by timing which services they pay for when.”

Waterston sees the decision-making process about streaming tied to viewers’ “increased expectation for content that reflects [their] identities and views on the world,” and said she expects an even “bigger impact” if and when Venu debuts as “sports fans get a sense of the breadth of content this service could offer.”

In her firm’s recent research, 42% of sports fans said they would subscribe [to Venu], and among those who were likely to sign up, 38% said they would likely make a change to the other services they get because of it.

NBC, in its post-Olympics victory lap, pointed to streaming video’s ability to give viewers what they want to see. Peacock’s “Gold Zone,” a compendium of whip-around coverage of each day’s Olympic highlights, consistently ranked among Peacock’s top five most-watched Olympics segments and nearly quadrupled its viewership during the two weeks in Paris, according to NBC’s analysis.

One in five Olympics viewers tuned into “Gold Zone” and more than a quarter of Olympics viewers on Peacock watched via “Multiview,” with half of their time spent on featured live events, and half watching the “quad box” view of multiple events.

Churn Concerns
Yet in the deluge of viewer research, an unsettling picture emerges. In Xperi’s latest TiVo Video Trends Report, 20% of consumers said they believed “they have too many services.” The study found that at the end of 2023, the average home used 11.1 services (down slightly from 11.5 a year earlier)—but that the number of free services increased while paid services declined year over year.

Parks Associates also identified a 30% decline in spending on streaming services since 2021. Current spending is about $64 per month compared to $90 monthly three years ago, according to Sarah Lee, a Parks research analyst. “Consumers are spending less, but rather than go without, many are using ad-based alternatives to save on costs,” Lee said. “A service needs to provide unique and ongoing value if it is to charge a premium.”

Separate research by LG Ads indicates that 80% of viewers watch Free Ad-supported Streaming TV (FAST) channels and 63% prefer this format to other on-demand formats.

And that leads to questions about what viewers want to see on streaming channels.

MoffettNathanson media analyst Michael Nathanson, in a mid-summer evaluation, examined a shift away from original content, which had established Netflix in its early years. Now, Nathanson said that Netflix, along with Paramount+ and Warner Bros. Discovery’s (WBD) Max, are showing streaming gains even “as they released less content.”

“The market has shifted to allow the company to drive an increasingly large share of its viewership with its competitors’ content,” Nathanson said. “This is reflected in acquired titles’ (and especially nonexclusive acquired titles) rapidly increasing share of the list of top streamed titles.” He pointed out that only two of the top 20 most-streamed shows on Netflix in Spring were originals.

Seth Skolnik, chief operating officer of Vivid Labs, draws on his experiences at Paramount, Technicolor and new media start-ups to conclude that the bubble has burst. “We already see a significant decline in new show production, smaller deals, and only with established showrunners and stars,” he said. Buckle your pants, we are all going on a diet.”

BIA’s Ducey is also trying to interpret how streaming customers’ viewing preferences will affect future production and distribution. “Content investment strategy has shifted towards more focused content offerings such as TV shows and films in genres like action, medical or police dramas, international series and films, live sports [and]… science fiction,” he said. “The total investment in content and number of titles produced may have reached a limit for now as streaming businesses rationalize” growth and profitability metrics.

“Cross-platform (linear TV plus streaming) campaign planning, activation, optimization and improved measurement and ROI using relevant Key Performance Indicators will provide a lot of lift to streaming’s role in the local media ecosystem,” he added.

Caution: Lawyers at Work
As the content and marketing landscape takes shape, streaming is already facing increased legal scrutiny. Congressional forces are urging the Justice Department and the Federal Communications Commission to probe the Venu alliance with an emphasis on a potential antitrust violation in pooling sports league contracts of the several networks.

In the current legal challenge to Venu, plaintiff streamer Fubo claims it is being forced to carry dozens of channels in order to get licensing rights to the sports events.

“The FCC hasn’t regulated streaming services to date, other than in very discrete areas such as closed captioning,” explains Ari Meltzer, a communications attorney at the Wiley Rein law firm in Washington. He points out that there are already disputes about whether the FCC has authority over streaming video­—an issue that is being bruited around quietly on Capitol Hill. For now, oversight comes under other legal umbrellas, such as antitrust, contracts, copyright, and unfair and deceptive trade practices, Meltzer adds.

“There are tradeoffs: while streaming services don’t have to comply with the same regulations as broadcast and cable/satellite, they also aren’t entitled to certain benefits, such as statutory copyrights,” he added. “Most streaming services seem content trading the need to obtain copyrights for less regulation.”

Last week’s ruling on Venu from the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, has changed the momentum. There is no indication about how long the court’s temporary restraining order will stay in effect. Fubo, a nine-year old streaming service that concentrates on live sports (including NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS and international football), filed the lawsuit in February, claiming that Venu would control up to 80% of live broadcast sports content.

Venu’s owners said they plan to appeal the Court ruling.

Fubu co-founder/CEO David Gandler welcomed the ruling, saying “We seek equal treatment from these media giants, and a level playing field in our industry.” He cited the network and league that “monopolize the market, stifle competition and cheat consumers from deserved choice.”

Determining the Venu legal status “introduces a bit of a wild card” to the landscape, Ducey added. “If Venu does move forward and survives these threats, it certainly could [prove] how to bring some collaborative innovation to the market by trying to offer a ‘best-in-class’ sports experience to streaming viewers.” But he acknowledged that the high-value sports licensing rights could “challenge the viability” of Venu.

“Something has to give. Consolidation may help share costs but then partners stand to lose some competitive differentiation with their other direct-to-consumer and distribution platform strategies,” Ducey added. “It’s not clear how this nets out at this point.”

Meanwhile, Advertisers are Standing By
Central to many streaming providers’ programming and pricing decisions is the flavor of streaming video that appeals to viewers.

Among the options:

• AVOD (Ad-Supported Video on Demand)
• FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV)
• SVOD with ad-supported discount tiers
• TVOD (Transactional VOD, i.e., one-time rentals of a movie or show from Prime Video)
• PVOD (Premium VOD, additional fee for access to exclusive content such as major event or early-access viewing)

Add to that acronym jumble the emerging options for commercial operations, such as:

• CSAI (client-side ad insertion): ads aimed direct to customers
• SSAI (server-side ad insertion): ads put into video streams

Advertisers are evaluating the comparative values of CSAI, which enables more individual personalization to viewers vs. SSAI, which are less prone to disruptions or latency issues.

In its latest survey of viewer acceptance of ad-supported streaming, Hub Entertainment Research found that “an increasing number of TV viewers are accepting advertising in streaming video and they are readily able to discern the differences in how various services deliver the ad experience.” Hub said that “two-thirds of TV viewers would prefer watching ads if it saves on subscription costs” and the level of total ad intolerance has dropped from 17% in 2021 to 12% in June 2024.

Along with the ad-structure decisions comes a confrontation with a question that many media veterans fear: “Are we reinventing cable TV?” For example, the SVOD vs. FAST deliberation revives memories of the 1970s and ’80s introductions of ad-supported cable networks along with HBO, Showtime and other extra-fee “paid” channels.

Adriana Waterston of M/A/R/C calls content consolidation (such as Venu) into à la carte packages “the beginning of the new cable TV/multichannel bundle,” adding “I believe that at least from a value standpoint, this is what consumers really need, even if it’s not what they think they want.”

We’ve Seen This Show Before
In his 2024 memoir “Hits, Flops, and Other Illusions,” TV and film producer/director/writer Ed Zwick mused about Hollywood’s shift toward the economics of streaming.

The celebrated creator (“thirtysomething,” “Glory,” “The Last Samurai,”), laments that, “storytelling in this new age of streaming platforms seems deliberately crafted to create a new kind of anxiety designed to induce gorging rather than fulfillment, conversation rather than catharsis, consumption instead of closure.”

“The thoughtful has given way to marketable, and the complex idea replaced by the 15-second TikTok,” Zwick contends as he dissects Hollywood’s current “pressure to hold to …commercial viability” and the preference for “pre-sold IP [intellectual property] [that] can be marketed in a single sentence.”

After expressing his frustrations, Zwick kvetches that the modern Hollywood approach is “to aim low and hit the target.”

In addition to the huge audiences the 2024 Summer Olympics delivered for NBCUniversal, a new study from Antenna found that the games also produced a burst of new signups to NBCU’s streaming service Peacock, which saw 2.8 million sign ups during the games. 

Typically, many of the biggest acquisition moments for streaming are related to the NFL, but the 2024 Paris Games approached those levels. Between July 25 and July 31, Antenna observed 2.8 million sign-ups to Peacock. 

The researchers also reported that average daily sign-ups to Peacock of 398k during the first week of The 2024 Olympics represented a 5.6x increase versus the 8-week benchmark. 

“For now, we know that there is no doubt that the 2024 Paris Games had an impact on acquisition,” a blog post on the results reported. “On average, Peacock has commanded 16% share of Premium SVOD Gross Adds over the prior 12-months. In July 2024, Peacock drew 29% share of all Gross Additions in the category.”

Antenna has previously noted that live sporting events, especially the NFL, drive acquisition for streaming video services. In fact, earlier this year Antenna observed 3 million sign-ups to Peacock during the January NFL AFC Wild Card Weekend, and 3.4 million sign-ups to Paramount+ for Super Bowl LVIII. But the nature of those events—a single game on a single day—is much different than the Olympics, which are spread across multiple days and weeks. 

Antenna also found that the loyalty of the AFC Wild Card cohort, a significant acquisition moment in SVOD, was just -7pts weaker than the service’s benchmark.

For more detailed information on Antenna’s methodology and definitions of core metrics, please visit http://www.antenna.live/methodology. 

STAMFORD, Conn.—NBCUniversal is reporting that its coverage of the Paris Olympics attracted viewing audiences that were up 82% from the Tokyo Olympics and that the games produced record levels of streaming and engagement on social media. 

More specifically, the games delivered a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 30.6 million viewers across the combined live Paris Prime (2-5 p.m. ET) and U.S. primetime (8-11 p.m. ET/PT) time periods – up 82% from the Tokyo Olympics (16.9 million), according to fast national data from Nielsen and Adobe Analytics. 

In addition, NBC Broadcast Network extended its streak to 152 consecutive Summer Olympics nights as primetime’s No. 1 show and USA Network ranked as the #1 cable sports/entertainment network in Total Day and primetime viewership over the two weeks of competition.

Led by Peacock, 23.5 billion minutes of Paris Olympics coverage were streamed – up 40% from all prior Summer and Winter Olympics combined (16.8 billion minutes across NBCUniversal digital platforms).

“Our NBCUniversal team matched the occasion of this transformative Paris Olympics, presenting peerless coverage in daytime and primetime across all platforms, including the NBC broadcast network, which once again was home to the most-watched night of television for 17 consecutive days,” said Mark Lazarus, chairman, NBCUniversal Media Group. “The Games marked a groundbreaking moment for Peacock, which delivered a flawless user experience and cutting-edge innovation while shattering all-time Olympics streaming records. USA Network went around-the-clock and ranked #1 in cable sports and entertainment for the past two weeks. Telemundo Deportes provided extensive Spanish-language coverage. NBC News broadcast from on-location in Paris and dominated the competition, while our owned-stations and affiliates had soaring local news ratings. We sold more advertising for the Paris Olympics than for any other Games, and we delivered for all of our partners. Parks and Studios received unmatched promotion, as the ‘halo effect’ boosted all of our businesses. The Paris Olympics was as exciting as we could have hoped, and we can’t wait to work with our partners at the IOC and USOPC in Milan-Cortina in ’26 and LA28.”

“Led by our best-in-class engineering and production teams in Paris and Stamford, a staff of more than 3,000 worked tirelessly to present these reimagined Games in new and innovative ways in all dayparts and on all platforms,” added Rick Cordella, president, NBC Sports/ 

NBCU described the other highlights as follows: 

• NBCU’s lead Olympics host Mike Tirico anchored nearly 100 hours across two primetime presentations – live “Paris Prime” coverage from 2-5 p.m. ET and the traditional U.S. primetime at 8 p.m. ET/PT – as NBCU featured the best events live while adding context and special elements for the large evening audience.
• Over the full Games, Paris Prime (daytime) and U.S. primetime coverage posted a streaming TAD of 4.1 million viewers daily across Peacock and NBCU Digital platforms.
• NBC has dominated broadcast primetime since the beginning of the Paris Olympics, which has boosted NBC to No. 1 among Adults 18-49 in the 2023-24 season. NBC is now on pace to win the demographic for the 12-month season, which concludes in September.
• New Orleans led all markets in local NBC station ratings during the Paris Olympics (“Paris Prime” + primetime windows). 
• Led by Peacock, 23.5 billion minutes of Paris Olympics coverage were streamed – up 40% from all prior Summer and Winter Olympics combined (16.8 billion minutes across NBCUniversal digital platforms).
• As the streaming home of the 2024 Paris Olympics, Peacock provided fans with the most comprehensive Olympic destination in U.S. media history. Through innovative new features like Peacock Discovery Multiview, Live Actions and the generative A.I.-powered “Your Daily Olympic Recap on Peacock,” fans were able to navigate more than 5,000 hours of Olympics coverage in a way that best fit their interests or timetable.
• Peacock managed up to 60 concurrent single live event streams and up to 300 live events a day during the first week alone – leading to a total of over 3,200 live events over the course of the Games. As one of the most popular offerings of Peacock’s comprehensive Paris Olympics coverage, Gold Zone consistently ranked among Peacock’s top five most-watched Olympics titles and nearly quadrupled its viewership over the course of the Games, with one in five Olympics viewers tuning in.
• More than a quarter of Olympics viewers on Peacock watched via Multiview, with half of the time spent in the featured live events, and half watching in the quad box view. Six of 10 viewers used the Browse by Sport navigation menu in the Olympics hub to quickly dive into a specific sport.
• USA Network dominated the cable landscape during the two weeks of Paris Olympic competition, ranking as the #1 cable sports/entertainment network in Total Day and primetime in both total viewers and the Adults 18-49 demo.
• With its strong performance, USA Network is now the #2 entertainment cable network in the demo for 2024.
• TODAY and NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt ranked No. 1 in total viewers and the key Adult 25-54 and Adult 18-49 demos during for the two weeks of the 2024 Paris Olympics, according to Nielsen.
• TODAY and Nightly posted their largest Summer Olympics across-the-board advantages vs. the competition since the 2016 Rio Olympics.
• Telemundo Deportes presented the most Spanish-language coverage of an Olympics to date, including the first-ever broadcasts of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies on Telemundo. The network deployed its largest Olympic commentary team, with 40+ hosts, commentators, and in-country reporters, representing the different disciplines and countries relevant to Hispanic audiences.
• Through Thursday, Aug. 8, Paris Olympic viewership on Telemundo increased 26% from the comparable period for the Tokyo Olympics, while Universo viewership spiked 138%. In addition, Telemundo streamed a record 3.1 billion minutes of content through Thursday – up 18% from the full Tokyo Olympics.
• Paris Olympics content registered a record 6.55 billion impressions across NBC Sports social channels – a 184% increase vs. the Tokyo Olympics and 53% above the Rio Olympics.
• In addition, NBC Sports social channels delivered a 497% increase in social video viewership over the Tokyo Olympics and 566% over Rio; they added 4.7 million new followers to the full portfolio of accounts/channels; scored 7X social engagement for On Her Turf over the Tokyo.
• Paris 2024 provided massive scale and high engagement across all platforms for NBCUniversal’s advertising partners – generating both immediate return and lasting impact. The Paris Olympics delivered significant lifts throughout the brand funnel vs. competitive TV among the 30.6 million multiplatform viewers: +27% greater ad attention; +44% greater message recall; +14% higher brand search engagement; +17% increased purchase intent. 
• For NBCUniversal brand partners, this impact among 30.6 million viewers isn’t just transactional – it’s transformational – with 3 in 4 viewers saying they trust Olympic advertisers and 2 in 3 consumers finding Olympics advertisements more credible vs. other ads.
• NBCUniversal delivered the highest Olympic and Paralympic advertising revenue in history for Paris 2024, with more advertisers than Rio and Tokyo combined and more than half a billion dollars coming from first-time sponsors.

NEW YORK—NBCUniversal is reporting that it has set records for advertising revenue at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, breaking the record set at the Tokyo games. It also said that more than 70% of the advertisers for the 2024 Summer Games are new, with nearly half a billion dollars coming from first-time sponsors. 

In addition, digital ad revenue more than doubled Tokyo digital, setting a record high for NBCUniversal. 

 While NBCU did not provide updated specific numbers, it reported several months ago that it had surpassed a record $1.2 billion.   

“The 2024 Paris Games have delivered a uniquely powerful halo for brands at an incredible scale with a highly engaged and passionate audience,” noted Mark Marshall, chairman, Global Advertising & Partnerships, NBCUniversal. “We are proud to have secured the highest Olympic and Paralympic advertising in the history of the Games, and are grateful to our advertisers for their partnership. Together, we have innovated the advertising experience with authentic and inspirational creative that is leaving a lasting impact on consumers.” 

NBCU also reported that for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the company secured more advertisers than the 2016 Rio Games and 2020's Tokyo Games combined.

STAMFORD, Conn.—NBCUniversal’s coverage of the Paris Olympics continues to draw large audiences with four-day total viewership average up 77% from Tokyo Olympics and its Monday July 29 coverage delivered 31.3 million viewers on NBC, Peacock, and key NBCU platforms according to official data from Nielsen and Adobe Analytics.

The Monday July 29 figures were up 70% from the opening Monday of competition for the Tokyo Olympics (18.4 million across all platforms).

Monday's coverage was highlighted by the U.S. men’s gymnastics team winning its first medal (bronze) in the team competition since 2008, beach volleyball, and medal-winning swimming performances by Katie Grimes, Emma Weyant, Luke Hobson, and Ryan Murphy (for the third consecutive Olympics in the 100m backstroke), NBCU reported. 

Beginning with Friday’s Opening Ceremony, NBCUniversal has a posted four-day Total Audience Delivery (TAD) average of 33.8 million viewers across the combined live Paris Prime (2-5 p.m. ET) and U.S. primetime (8-11 p.m. ET/PT) time periods – up 77% from Tokyo (19.1 million).

Aiming for an unprecedented eighth consecutive gold medal, the U.S. women’s basketball team won its opening game against Japan, and averaged 3.0 million viewers on USA Network and Peacock – topping all men’s and women’s basketball at the Tokyo Olympics, excluding the gold medal games.

In addition, NBCU reported record audiences for its streaming platform Peacock. 

Peacock’s Paris Olympics usage through Monday’s competition surpassed the combined total of the full Beijing and Tokyo Olympics, with Paris streaming minutes up 25% over those previous Games combined.

Monday’s coverage was streamed by 4.5 million viewers on Peacock and NBCU Digital platforms.

Total Audience Delivery is based upon live-plus-same day custom fast national figures from Nielsen and digital data from Adobe Analytics. Live viewership from 2-5 p.m. ET (Paris Prime) is inclusive of NBC, Peacock, USA Network, E!, Paris Extra 1, Paris Extra 2, and additional NBCU digital platforms. Primetime viewership includes NBC, Peacock, and USA Network. Official viewership will be available on Tuesday.

NEW YORK—As part of a $2.5 billion media rights deal with the NBA announced on July 24, NBCUniversal and the NBA have also announced an 11-year agreement for rights to WNBA regular season and playoff games.

Starting in 2026, NBCU will be the home of 50+ national WNBA regular season games every season (across USA Network, Peacock, and NBC). The agreement will also see three WNBA Finals Series, multiple first-round playoff, and semi-final games across NBCU platforms over the deal’s 11 years.

“Returning to NBCU at a time when momentum around the WNBA and women’s basketball has never been higher presents numerous opportunities to engage with new fans and grow the league’s core audience,” said WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert. “We look forward to bringing WNBA games to NBCU’s vast audiences on its networks and platforms, which will not only help elevate the league but also enhance the storytelling of the WNBA’s incredible athletes.”

As previously reported the agreement, the agreement features substantial yearly coverage across NBC and Peacock that will include 100 national NBA regular-season, a robust lineup of playoff games, and the NBA All-Star Game. Conference Finals Series will be featured six times throughout the 11-year span. The partnership ensures NBCUniversal will have more NBA playoff games each season on average than any other NBA media partner.

In addition to extensive NBA and WNBA coverage, NBCUniversal acquires the rights to Team USA men’s and women’s games leading into the Olympics for 2028, 2032, and 2036. Fans can also look forward to select NBA games and every NBA All-Star Game on Telemundo.

In terms of the NBA deal, Peacock is front and center, offering approximately 50 exclusive NBA national regular-season and postseason games lined up, anchored by Peacock Monday Nights and doubleheaders late in the season. The all-new Sunday Night Basketball “Game of the Week” franchise will air at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. It will also present a one-hour pregame show leading up to tip-off every Sunday night. Fans can also expect national coverage of Tuesday regional matchups at 8 p.m. ET and 8 p.m. PT on NBC and Peacock. NBC Sports will host the first games every NBA season with an opening night Tuesday doubleheader.

NEW YORK—The National Basketball Association (NBA) has announced the renewal of its partnership with The Walt Disney Company and new agreements with NBCUniversal (NBCU) and Amazon under which ABC/ESPN, NBC/Peacock and Prime Video will telecast NBA games for 11 years beginning with the 2025-26 season and running through the 2035-36 season.

The agreements left Warner Bros. Discovery without NBA rights after the end of the upcoming 2024-25 season even though WBD filed a matching offer on July 22 for the Amazon package, saying it had the right to match any agreement under its current contract. 

"We have matched the Amazon offer, as we have a contractual right to do, and do not believe the NBA can reject it," TNT Sports said in a statement that also argued “We think they have grossly misinterpreted our contractual rights with respect to the 2025-26 season and beyond, and we will take appropriate action.” 

The NBA has said that the WBD offer did not match Amazon’s and was rejected. 

The NBA did not release financial terms of the deals, which are believed to be worth $77 billion over 11 years. The annual costs are believed to be $2.6 billion a year for Disney's ABC and ESPN, $2.5 billion a year for the NBCUniversal and $1.8 billion a season with Amazon. 

TNT Sports and its predecessor Turner Sports have aired NBA games since 1984 but its current deal expires at the end of the 2024-25 season. 

The NBA also reported that the NBA App will be a universal access point – seamlessly directing fans to every national game on Disney, NBCU and Amazon platforms.

Overall, the new media deals will expand the reach of NBA telecasts, with all national games available on broadly distributed streaming services – Prime Video, Peacock and ESPN’s forthcoming direct-to-consumer service – and with dramatically increased exposure on broadcast television.  Approximately 75 regular-season games will be on broadcast TV each season, up from the minimum of 15 games under the current agreement, the NBA said 

Disney, NBCU and Amazon also secured the right to distribute an unprecedented number of WNBA live game telecasts, with a significant increase in the reach of WNBA games across broadcast, cable and streaming.  Full details regarding the WNBA’s media agreements will be issued in a separate press release.

“Our new global media agreements with Disney, NBCUniversal and Amazon will maximize the reach and accessibility of NBA games for fans in the United States and around the world,” said NBA commissioner Adam Silver.  “These partners will distribute our content across a wide range of platforms and help transform the fan experience over the next decade.”

“We look forward to building upon our incredible legacy of innovation and growth with our longstanding partners at the NBA,” said ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro.  “The NBA is a vibrant, ascendant league and through this premium collection of rights, including every NBA Finals on our platforms, we will continue to evolve together while successfully navigating the global digital transition and delivering the highest quality coverage for fans.”

“We are proud to once again partner with the NBA and WNBA, two iconic brands and the home of the best basketball in the world,” said Mike Cavanagh, president of Comcast Corporation.  “We look forward to presenting our best-in-class coverage of both leagues with our innovative programming and distribution plan across NBC and Peacock to entertain fans and help grow the game.”

“We are honored that the NBA has entrusted Prime Video to deliver its one-of-a-kind action and excitement to viewers around the world,” said Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios.  “We look forward to continuing to innovate and evolve live sports coverage for our customers, and are fully committed to building an incredible video experience for millions of NBA fans starting in 2025.”

The agreements for each of the companies break down as follows: 

• Disney (ABC/ESPN) will distribute a total of 80 NBA regular-season games per season, including more than 20 games on ABC (generally on Saturday nights with NBA Saturday Primetime and on Sunday afternoons with NBA Sunday Showcase) and up to 60 games on ESPN (generally on Wednesday nights and, on occasion, Friday nights).  ABC/ESPN will continue to telecast all five NBA games on Christmas Day and provide exclusive national coverage of the final day of the regular season. During the playoffs, ABC/ESPN will telecast approximately 18 games in the first two rounds each year and one of the two Conference Finals series in 10 of the 11 years of the agreement.  ABC will remain the exclusive home of the NBA Finals, which it has broadcast since 2003. All NBA games and events on ABC/ESPN will be available on ESPN’s forthcoming direct-to-consumer service.  ABC/ESPN will continue to telecast the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, NBA Draft, NBA Draft Lottery and half of all NBA Summer League games.  ABC/ESPN platforms will also continue to distribute a package of WNBA and NBA G League regular-season and postseason games. Disney will distribute NBA games on ESPN-branded assets in several international markets, including Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, Oceania and the Netherlands, and via Disney+ in select markets in Asia and Europe. By the end of this renewal, the NBA’s partnership with ABC/ESPN will reach 34 years.
• NBCUniversal. NBCU (NBC/Peacock) will distribute up to 100 NBA regular-season games per season – with more than half of the games airing on NBC (on Sunday and Tuesday nights).  NBCU will telecast the league’s opening night doubleheader on NBC each year and at least two games on MLK Day on NBC and/or Peacock each season. Peacock will stream a doubleheader each Monday night of the season.  Every Tuesday night, NBC will telecast two games across certain NBC affiliate broadcast stations in different regions of the country.  The first game will start at 8 p.m. ET and be available on NBC across affiliate stations in the Eastern and Central time zones.  The second game will start at 8 p.m. PT and be available on NBC affiliate stations across the Pacific and Mountain time zones.  All Tuesday games will be available on Peacock nationally and certain stations may choose to televise both games. NBC will become the home of NBA All-Star, including Rising Stars, State Farm All-Star Saturday Night, featuring AT&T Slam Dunk, Starry 3-Point Contest and Kia Skills Challenge, and the All-Star Game.  In the playoffs, NBC and/or Peacock will telecast approximately 28 games in the first two rounds of the playoffs, with at least half of those games airing on NBC.  NBC will also telecast one of the two Conference Finals series in six of the 11 years on a rotating basis with Amazon, beginning with the 2025-26 season. As part of the partnership, NBCU will distribute NBA games in several European markets through Sky Sports as well as in the Caribbean and sub-Saharan Africa.  Additionally, NBCU will distribute WNBA games and be the home of all USA Basketball Senior Men’s and Women’s National Team games. Xfinity will become the Official TV Service of the NBA, WNBA and USA Basketball.  The partnership includes collaboration on marketing and storytelling opportunities, virtual signage during game telecasts and activations at marquee NBA, WNBA and USA Basketball events.
• Amazon. Amazon will distribute 66 NBA regular-season games on Prime Video each season, including Thursday night doubleheaders beginning in January, Friday evening doubleheaders, select Saturday afternoon games, at least one game on Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving), and the Quarterfinals and Semifinals in the Knockout Round of the Emirates NBA Cup.  In addition, Prime Video will stream the Championship Game of the Emirates NBA Cup. Prime Video will also distribute all six SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament games.  In the playoffs, Prime Video will stream approximately one-third of the first and second rounds each year.  Additionally, Prime Video will stream one of the two Conference Finals series in six of the 11 years on a rotating basis with NBCU, beginning with the 2026-27 NBA season. Amazon will distribute NBA games globally as part of Prime Video, with an expanded package of games in select territories, including Mexico, Brazil, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom and Ireland.  This expanded package includes a minimum of 20 additional primetime regular season games each year, a Conference Finals series each year, and the NBA Finals in six of the 11 years.  Prime Video will also become the NBA’s strategic partner and third-party global destination of NBA League Pass – the league’s live NBA game subscription service, with expanded distribution rights for NBA League Pass in the U.S. and internationally.  Additionally, as part of the agreement, Prime Video will stream half of all NBA Summer League games as well as a package of WNBA and NBA G League regular-season and postseason games.

PARIS—As the U.S. media rights holder NBCUniversal prepares to offer the most expansive programming in Olympic history, with 7,000 hours of coverage, including 1,500 hours on linear TV, a new report from S&P says that expectations are high for the Paris Summer Olympics, the first post-pandemic Games, with both organizers and media outlets expecting revenue increases. 

The report argues that Olympic broadcasting revenue growth should accelerate post-pandemic under the International Olympic Committee's current contract with NBCUniversal. Since 2004, global broadcasting revenue from the Summer Olympics has increased 108%. 

The U.S. contract with NBCU drives a majority of broadcast revenue for the IOC, with over a billion dollars coming from the Americas for each Olympics since 2016. Asia and Europe historically come in second or third, with valuations improving when a country in the region hosts an event, the report from S&P Global Market Intelligence’s Kagan found.  

The researchers also wrote that the agreement between the IOC and NBCU averages about $1.3 billion per Olympics from 2022 through 2032, with the domestic rights fee for the 2032 Games reaching nearly $1.6 billion.

According to a recent Consumer Insights survey by Kagan, 28% of US online adults said they typically view the Summer Olympics. This is roughly on par with that of the NBA (27%) and just behind viewing for the MLB (32%).  

NBCU expects ad sales for the Paris Games to set new records, driven in part by its programmatic technology, the report noted. 

In another key finding, the report found that in the US, the domestic rights fees have steadily increased for both the Summer and Winter Games since the late 90s. The growth rate of the domestic rights fee for the Winter Games has outpaced that of the Summer Games since the 1998 Nagano Olympics in Japan.

The compound annual growth rate for the Winter Games over that period is 14.9% versus 10.5% for the Summer Games. Looking at the most recent Olympics, the US rights fees for each season increased 2.7% under the IOC's current agreement with NBCUniversal, which runs through 2032, S&P Global Market Intelligence’s Kagan found.

PARIS—Among the many firsts set to happen during the Olympic Games Paris 2024 will be a commercial free hour during NBCUniversal's live coverage of the Opening Ceremony on Friday, July 26th on NBC and Peacock. 

Other firsts in this year’s coverage include a record amount of 4K, HDR coverage, the use of NextGen TV broadcasts by a few Gray Television stations to deliver 4K HDR and immersive sound and the extensive use of AI technologies. 

The commercial-free hour, which begins at 1:30 p.m. ET on July 26, is being sponsored by six Team USA sponsors: The Coca-Cola Company, Delta, Lilly, Toyota Motor Corporation, Visa, and Xfinity.

Brand logos for each sponsor will have a presence onscreen and will rotate throughout the hour in 10-minute increments.

“We are proud to partner with these six Team USA partners to bring fans the first-ever commercial-free hour of coverage for an Opening Ceremony,” said Dan Lovinger, president, Olympic & Paralympic Partnerships, NBCUniversal. “The Opening Ceremony will be packed with emotion and evoke a profound sense of unity for everyone watching. Running commercial-free will help to amplify this grand spectacle.”  

"At The Coca-Cola Company, we believe in the real magic that can happen when the world comes together, so being a part of this spectacular presentation of the Opening Ceremony on NBC is a tremendous opportunity to celebrate and share those unifying and inspiring moments,” said Robin Triplett, vice president integrated marketing at Coca-Cola North America. “We’re proud of our 96-year long relationship with the Olympic Movement and look forward to bringing our portfolio of brands to fans throughout the Olympic Games Paris 2024.”

NBCUniversal and its parent company Comcast have brought in around $1.2 billion in advertising for the games, a record according to Next TV. 

The Opening Ceremony is expected to be a spectacular event. Unlike previous Opening Ceremonies featuring athletes in a stadium, the Opening Ceremony for the Paris Olympics will be held on the River Seine and will feature a four-mile-long flotilla of nearly 90 boats that will carry thousands of athletes from more than 200 countries. Award winning director Thomas Jolly is the Artistic Director for the Opening Ceremony.

Coverage will be hosted by NBC Olympics primetime host Mike Tirico alongside Emmy Award-winning talk show host and Grammy Award-winning artist Kelly Clarkson and Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback and two-time Super Bowl champion Peyton Manning. Additionally, NBC Sports’ Maria Taylor will be featured on the Team USA boat, while TODAY Show hosts Savannah Guthrieand Hoda Kotb cover the ceremony on a bridge along the route. Opening Ceremony reporters include Melissa Stark and Andrea Joyce, who will report from the red carpet.

NEW YORK—In a last ditch effort to retain rights to air NBA games, Warner Bros. Discovery’s TNT Sports has issued a statement saying it has submitted paperwork to match an existing offer for NBA media rights. 

WBD has long argued that its current NBA contract allows it to retain rights if it provides a matching offer for a package of games.

The NBA has already negotiated rights deals believed to be worth around $76 billion for an 11 year period following the upcoming 2024-25 season. Those agreements include a $2.6 billion a year deal with ESPN, a $2.5 billion package with NBCUniversal and a $1.8 billion a season agreement for Amazon to stream a package of games. TNT Sports and its predecessor Turner Sports have aired NBA games since 1984 but its current deal expires at the end of the 2024-25 season. 

WBD's management was severely criticized by TNT commentator Charles Barkley for its failure to negotiate a new deal. “These people I work with, they screwed this thing up, clearly; and we have zero idea what's gonna happen,” Barkley said in May.  The company had $43.1 billion in debt at the end of Q1 2024 and has been struggling to reduce costs. 

“"We have reviewed the offers and matched one of them," a statement from TNT Sports said. "This will allow fans to keep enjoying our unparalleled coverage, including the best live game productions in the industry and our iconic studio shows and talent, while building on our proven 40-year commitment for many more years. Our matching paperwork was submitted to the league today. We look forward to the NBA executing our new contract." 

TNT Sports did not say which offer it matched but published reports indicate that it was matching Amazon’s $1.8 billion package.

Since the Amazon package is for streaming games and TNT Sports would obviously like to continue to air games on both its cable networks and the MAX streaming services, it is not clear how the NBA will respond or if the controversy will now move into the courts.     

NEW YORK—Google, Team USA and NBCUniversal have announced a sponsorship agreement naming Google as the Official Search AI Partner of Team USA. 

The agreement, which marks the first time the technology company has entered into a partnership with Team USA, means that Google search and other AI-powered features will be used to highlight athlete stories and enhance NBCU’s Olympic Games coverage

"We are thrilled to announce Team USA's partnership with Google," said Sarah Hirshland, CEO, U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee. “This collaboration is more than just a sponsorship; it’s a powerful alliance that brings together the best of technology and sports. By working with Google and NBCUniversal, we are ensuring that our athletes' stories are told in the most dynamic and engaging ways possible. This partnership will inspire millions and amplify the incredible efforts of Team USA as they compete on the world stage."

Along with its partnership with Team USA, Google said it will be working with NBCUniversal to bring athlete stories and the competitions of the Paris Games to life by seamlessly integrating sponsored content formats – including ways to search and explore the Olympic & Paralympic Games with Google Search and related AI features – within NBCUniversal’s extensive coverage. NBCUniversal’s content will leverage Google’s suite of consumer apps products, including Search, Maps and Gemini, and other features. These include: 

• Explain the Games with Google: NBCUniversal has created “Explain the Games,” which will showcase Google Search’s AI Overviews and be used by NBCUniversal’s award-winning production team and commentators during daytime and primetime coverage across all of NBCUniversal’s Olympic linear networks and Peacock. NBCUniversal commentators will demonstrate how AI Overviews in Google Search can help viewers explore and understand their questions about the Olympic and Paralympic Games in a single search, like the importance of lane assignments in swimming. Explain the Games will extend to NBCUniversal’s social media accounts, further amplifying its reach while anticipating Olympic and Paralympic enthusiasts’ most pressing questions. 
• Try it with Google Gemini: During NBCUniversal’s coverage of the Paris Games, viewers will be able to follow Leslie Jones, Chief Superfan Commentator, as she follows the Olympic Games with the help of Gemini, Google’s creative collaborator and AI Assistant. Jones will use Gemini to come up with custom moves or learn a new sport, while entertaining and sharing knowledge with fans across NBCU’s networks and Peacock.
• One Day in Paris: Paris sets the stage for this year's Olympic and Paralympic Games, with iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and Stade Roland Garros serving as breathtaking venues for competitions. Through this partnership, five Olympians and Paralympians will be featured in social videos and late-night promos as they explore the host city based on their individual interests, aided by Google Lens, Circle to Search, Immersive View in Google Maps and Gemini, highlighting their AI-powered features. 
• Enhanced 3D Broadcasts: NBCUniversal’s Paris 2024 audience will see immersive views of iconic Olympic venues in Paris, like Versailles, Stade Roland Garros and the Aquatics Centre provided by Google Maps Platform’s Photorealistic 3D Tiles, which enables viewers to see locations around the world in 3D.

“We are very excited to be partnering with Google to deliver innovative, highly engaging elements that will enhance the coverage of the Paris Games for our audiences and make every viewer feel as though they are on the ground in Paris,” said Dan Lovinger, president of Olympic & Paralympic Partnerships, NBCUniversal. “This one-of-a-kind partnership demonstrates the endless possibilities when you combine innovative technology with premium content to enhance the viewing experience for fans of all ages.”

Our partnership with Team USA and NBCUniversal during the Olympic & Paralympic Games provides an incredible stage to showcase how Google’s helpful everyday products like Google Search and Google Maps, and newer innovations like Gemini, are using AI to help fans explore, learn and connect with the Games,” said Marvin Chow, vice president of marketing, Google.

NEW YORK—NBCUniversal has released its detailed plans for coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics on its various networks and digital platforms, with NBC and Peacock leading the coverage and NBC airing more live coverage than any previous Olympics.

Key highlights of the coverage include more live coverage on the NBC broadcast network than any previous Olympics, three hours of coverage in prime time on NBC and streaming coverage of all sports and events on NBCU’s streaming service Peacock.  

In addition parent company Comcast will be offering simulcast 4K feed of the coverage on the USA Network to Xfinity subscribers and NBCU will be providing a record amount of Spanish-language coverage. 

Other key highlights include:

• NBC and Peacock will present live coverage of the Opening Ceremony on Friday, July 26, beginning at Noon ET. Telemundo will provide Spanish-language coverage beginning at 1 p.m. ET. Primetime coverage will begin at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT on NBC and Peacock.
• Record amounts of live coverage of basketball, gymnastics, swimming and other sports will be available. 
• Primetime in Paris: NBCUniversal is re-imagining its Olympic primetime coverage for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and renaming its signature show, Primetime in Paris, which will deliver enhanced storytelling and bring viewers closer to the Olympics than ever before every single night on NBC and Peacock.
• Peacock will be the U.S. streaming home of the 2024 Paris Olympics, providing fans with the most-comprehensive Olympic destination in U.S. media history. In a Summer Games first, the service will stream every sport and event, including all 329 medal events, and will feature full-event replays; all NBC programming; curated video clips; virtual channels; original programming; and more.
• Peacock’s viewing experience for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 will introduce industry-first interactive features that help fans navigate more than 5,000 hours of live coverage throughout the Games, including all 329 medal events. 
• Peacock Live Actions: a new interactive tool that lets fans choose their own viewing journey during live and primetime coverage, and follow the events they are most interested in watching. 
• Peacock Discovery Multiview: With up to 40 live events happening simultaneously, Peacock Discovery Multiview will offer an industry-first, enhanced four-view experience that helps users navigate to the most important events, with real-time on-screen descriptions from NBCU’s Olympic experts informing viewers about what is at stake, such as a medal event, an elimination risk or a first-time Olympian. 
• Olympic Hub: Peacock will provide fans with an intuitive, easy-to-navigate Olympics destination that will allow every kind of fan – both avid and casual – to view the Olympic Games in the way that best fits their interests or timetable, including a spotlight of the biggest live events prominently displayed at the top of the screen when fans enter the Olympics hub, browse by sport and search by athlete features, an interactive schedule, medal standings, catch up with key plays, and more. 
• Olympic Highlights with Kevin Hart and Kenan Thompson: Commentary series hosted by comedians Kevin Hart and Kenan Thompson, bringing their signature hilarious insights to recap the 2024 Olympics’ best and most unexpected moments throughout the Games.
• Watch with Alex Cooper: Alex Cooper, the multi-hyphenate creator, host, and executive producer of Call Her Daddy, will be at the Paris Olympic Games this summer to host Watch with Alex Cooper, a series of live interactive watch parties streaming on Peacock.
• Gold Zone: The whip-around show will stream for the first time live on Peacock during NBCUniversal’s coverage of the Olympic Games Paris 2024. With hosts Scott Hanson, Andrew Siciliano, Matt Iseman and Akbar Gbajabiamila, Gold Zone will stream live on Peacock from 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET each day from July 27-Aug. 10. With up to 40 events happening simultaneously during the Paris Olympic Games, Gold Zone will present viewers with the best and most compelling moments happening at any time. Gold Zone’s daily offering will provide viewers with the most comprehensive and all-encompassing live whip-around coverage of any Olympic Games to date.
• Your Daily Olympic Recap on Peacock: Peacock is harnessing A.I. technology to present “Your Daily Olympic Recap on Peacock,” a first-of-its-kind, personalized experience complementing NBCUniversal’s comprehensive coverage of the Olympic Games Paris 2024. 
• USA Network, E!, CNBC, and GOLF Channel will present live action and programming throughout the Olympics, featuring qualifying and medal rounds.
• USA Network will be the primary home for U.S. team sports and longform content such as swimming heats, track and field, soccer, basketball and 3x3 basketball, beach volleyball, rugby, cycling, volleyball, water polo, and more.
• CNBC will feature boxing, cycling, rugby, skateboarding, and more. On July 27, CNBC will present live coverage of the first gold medal event of the 2024 Paris Olympics with the shooting mixed team air rifle final at 5 a.m. ET. 
• E! will feature coverage of track & field, gymnastics, canoeing, diving, equestrian, artistic swimming, breaking, fencing, water polo, and more. 
• GOLF Channel will show the live golf competitions throughout the Paris Olympics from Le Golf National in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines. The Team USA men’s team features World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, defending gold medalist Xander Schauffele, Wyndham Clark and Tokyo Olympian Collin Morikawa in Paris. The women’s team consists of World No. 1 and Tokyo gold medalist Nelly Korda, World No. 2 Lilia Vu, and World No. 9 Rose Zhang. Men’s coverage tees off on GOLF Channel on Aug. 1 at 3 a.m. ET, with the women beginning on Aug. 7 at 3 a.m. ET.
• Marking 20 years of Olympic coverage on Telemundo, the exclusive Spanish-language home of the Olympic Games in the U.S., the network will present the most extensive Olympic coverage in Spanish-language media history with more programming hours than ever before across Telemundo, Universo and Peacock. Telemundo and Universo will present more than 315 hours of live competitions and daily recap specials. On most days, the network will offer at least 6 hours of daytime coverage of the Summer Games and up to 12 hours of programming on soccer days. In addition, Telemundo will present a two-hour recap show highlighting the best Olympic stories of the day, every weekday at 12 a.m. ET beginning Friday, July 26 through Sunday, August 11.
• For the first time, the network will offer coverage of the Opening Ceremony live on Telemundo on July 26 starting at 1 p.m. ET. 
• Peacock will livestream all Telemundo and Universo programming, offering the most extensive Spanish-language streaming experience for the Olympics in U.S. media history. In addition to the live events, Peacock will feature full-event replays and exclusive short-form content in Spanish curated for Hispanic audiences around the most relevant events, athletes, and countries competing in Paris. 
• Telemundo will be the Home of Fútbol Olímpico, the soccer destination to watch every match, every team, every goal from both Men’s and Women’s tournaments live en español starting two days before the Opening Ceremony on July 24 through August 11 across Telemundo, Universo and Peacock.
• NBC Sports Digital will stream more than 5,000 hours of the Paris Olympics across its TV Everywhere platforms, via authentication, including NBCOlympics.com (desktop), NBC.com (desktop), the NBC Sports App, the NBC App and all other NBCU Apps (e.g., Telemundo, USA, and Bravo), which are available across mobile, tablet and connected TVs. The comprehensive offering features live competition across all 39 sports and all 329 medal events, plus simulstreaming of all linear coverage and the digital Gold Zone whip-around show.
• NBCOlympics.com, NBC.com, and the NBC Sports app will once again feature full-event replays of all event streams, plus extensive video highlights.
• IMAX: The NBC television network will extend its live coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony to IMAX locations nationwide on Friday, July 26 — the first time ever the global event will be presented live in IMAX.
• AMC: The NBC television network will extend its daily live daytime coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics to AMC Theatres as a ticketed event throughout the United States from July 27-August 11.
• NBCUniversal’s coverage of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 will be more accessible to viewers of all abilities than ever before, providing the opportunity to enjoy the excitement of the Olympic through enhanced closed captioning, expanded audio description, and improved digital content accessibility.
• My New Favorite Olympian: NBCUniversal Local’s NBC-owned stations and NBC Sports Regional Networks present a new season of the award-winning multiplatform podcast My New Favorite Olympian profiling Team USA’s most-inspiring athletes leading up to Paris 2024. The seven-part audio and video series, which began June 12, is led by 12-time Olympic medalist swimmer Natalie Coughlin and Zena Keita, an NBC Sports Bay Area reporter, host and analyst.
• Comcast will offer the highest-possible picture quality on a 24/7 simulcast of USA Network in 4K UHD and an X1 Olympics experience unlike any other. Xfinity’s Olympics destination blends every minute of coverage airing across NBCUniversal’s cable and broadcast networks and streaming on Peacock into one simple experience.
• As previously announced, NBCUniversal and Roku revealed the NBC Olympic Zone on Roku, a new destination on the Roku Home Screen Menu to help users easily access and explore Peacock’s comprehensive coverage of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 this summer.

STAMFORD, Conn.—NBCUniversal has laid out its plans for making the Olympic Games Paris 2024 more accessible to more viewers than ever before with enhanced closed captioning, expanded audio description, and improved digital content accessibility.

Closed captioning, which provides text of the coverage audio for viewers who are Deaf or hard of hearing, will be available for all Olympic events airing across NBCU’s broadcast and cable networks. NBCUniversal will also provide closed captioning for all digital live streams with commentary across Peacock, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.

In addition, it will be providing more audio description services – interspersing broadcast audio with skilled voices describing Olympic scenes and context – for viewers who are blind or visually impaired for the Paris Olympics than any previous Games. 

All coverage on NBC, including daytime, primetime, and late night, and the Gold Zone whip-around show on Peacock, will feature audio description provided by Descriptive Video Works. In a first for a U.S. broadcaster, audio description services for NBC coverage will be provided in stereo, enhancing the quality of sound for viewers, the company reported. 

Additionally, improved web content accessibility, including keyboard navigation, color contrast and support for screen readers, will be available on NBCOlympics.com, NBC.com, the NBC Sports app, and Peacock. Livestreams and replays which offer audio description will have English audio description as a language choice within the players on these digital platforms. To easily find all events with audio description, click here.

“We’re excited to provide all viewers with more accessibility to our Olympics coverage than ever before,” said Gary Zenkel, president, NBC Olympics. “With the goal of enabling all viewers to enjoy the unprecedented excitement of the Olympic Games in Paris, we’re proud to provide closed captioning on all live coverage and the most audio description ever.”

All of this audio description and closed captioning will be available to Comcast Xfinity customers who experience the Games on the Xfinity X1 platform, including on the live Olympic Games coverage delivered in 4K, on Xfinity Stream, and on Xfinity Flex.

“For over a decade, Comcast NBCUniversal has been committed to connecting people to moments that matter,” said Tom Wlodkowski, vice president of accessibility at Comcast. “NBCUniversal’s accessible coverage for this year’s Olympic Games is an important part of our mission. As a consumer of Olympics programming with audio description, I could not be more excited to share in the joy that these Paris Summer Games will bring.”

WASHINGTON, D.C.—After several years of rolling out NextGen TV, aka ATSC 3.0 broadcasts to more than 75% of American homes, stations are increasingly adding new features to those services with new interactive features and greatly improved quality for video and audio. 

The Pearl TV consortium of major U.S. broadcast station groups is now reporting that since the NAB Show in April, the number of broadcasters using NextGen TV broadcasts to deliver high dynamic range (HDR) video has jumped and that HDR is now available in 57 TV markets covering more than 70 million homes. 

In addition a large group of stations has begun offering interactive capabilities with the flexible RUN3TV broadcast web platform.

“High Dynamic Range is now a reality in 57 TV markets, with HDR now available to more than 70 million viewers across the country,” said Anne Schelle, managing director of Pearl TV, a consortium of TV station groups that has overseen many of the voluntary market launches of the new NextGen TV technology.   “Since the first local broadcast of a high-stakes sports event with the Kentucky Derby last month, even more NextGen TV stations have upgraded to offer High Dynamic Range.  Louisville viewers got an eyeful and an earful with the rich pageantry of the Derby that brought Dolby Vision High Dynamic Range and the Dolby Atmos audio system to those watching WAVE-TV at home.  Viewership of NextGen TV at WAVE doubled during Derby week, and we expect improved picture and sound to drive similar interest in future sporting events.  That’s why HDR, in all its flavors, is so very important to viewers and to stations,” 

Pearl has started promoting the benefits of HDR to consumers, through both explanatory sections of the WatchNextGenTV.com website and also with in-market TV promotion where broadcasts have started with enhanced services.  

(To learn more about HDR, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos, visit the www.watchnextgentv.com consumer website.)

RUN3TV, the interactive broadcast application platform, is also winning supporters.  Sinclair Broadcast Group recently added more than 60 station apps to the RUN3TV platform with the added ability to provide enhanced emergency alerting, as the broadcast app platform works toward deployment in some 200 stations by year end.

Pearl TV reported that for broadcasters, RUN3TV is a game-changer, making it easy to integrate essential and advanced features across various platforms, while also allowing for the customization of unique services and content. This platform enhances broadcasters’ ability to gather detailed viewership data, offering insights that help tailor content directly to viewer preferences. With RUN3TV, broadcasters can provide seamless access to applications like ”start over” functionality and advanced emergency alerts.  RUN3TV also significantly improves content discovery and viewer engagement.

Built on the RUN3TV broadcast application platform, NBCUniversal is now delivering enhanced digital features on its NBC- and Telemundo-owned stations across the nation currently broadcasting in ATSC 3.0. The personalized and customizable experiences include hyper-local weather data, content features such as program restart, as well as access to on-demand clips, full episodes, and alternate programming, and integrated public safety alerts. The innovation, which launched April 15, takes advantage of one of the key benefits of NextGen TV – the ability to marry linear broadcast service with broadband connections.  The application launches automatically when a viewer tunes to the NBC or Telemundo station, and was created in partnership with Fincons, Ease Live (an Evertz company), and RUN3TV. 

More NextGen TV products are also becoming available. In the runup to annual meeting of the Advanced Television Systems Committee in Washington, D.C. on June 13 and 14, TCL has started shipping its first TV products enabled with NextGen TV reception.  TCL’s NextGen TV  lineup joins four other manufacturers of TV receivers expected to sell millions of NextGen TV sets this year. By year end, five affordable upgrade accessory devices are expected to be available, adding even more units to expected sales of NextGen TV products.

“Each day, consumers are buying and unpacking more than 12,000 NextGen TV products – from accessory devices to NextGen TV sets, plus accessory add-ons like new TV antenna options.  The addition of better quality pictures and sound and interactive applications ushers in a new era for local stations, all powered by ATSC 3.0 and NextGen TV,” Schelle said.

NBCUniversal has announced that its FAST channel TNBC will be rebranding to NBC Comedy Vault on June 1 and that the free streaming service will officially launch on Amazon Freevee, The Roku Channel and Xumo Play.

NBCU also announced that audiences of the newly branded NBC Comedy Vault will be able to celebrate Pride Month with the debut of Seasons 1-8 of NBC’s original and critically acclaimed, “Will & Grace.” Seasons 1-8 ran from 1998 – 2005

Other iconic family comedies like “Charles in Charge,” “Coach,” and “Major Dad” will be made available in July in daytime programming with continued primetime takeovers featuring “Will & Grace”, the streaming service reported. 

NEW YORK—NBCUniversal and Roku are teaming up to offer the “NBC Olympic Zone” on Roku, a new destination on the Roku Home Screen Menu. The dedicated channel will help subscribers of NBC’s Peacock streaming service access and explore more than 5,000 hours of NBC’s coverage of the Olympic Games Paris 2024, July 26-Aug. 11.

Subscribers will be able to browse through curated content rows of live and upcoming programming, discover events by sport type, click through event recaps, and so much more. The NBC Olympic Zone on Roku will also feature a dedicated replay row, clips, and highlight reels that take users directly to Peacock’s immersive viewing experience.

“Creating partnerships like the NBC Olympic Zone on Roku, which emphasize tentpole content in the user experience on our partner platforms, has proven to provide deeper engagement,” said Matt Schnaars, President, NBCUniversal Content Distribution. “NBCUniversal’s coverage of the Paris Olympics will be the can’t-miss event of 2024, and this partnership displays the type of experience we can create with partners like Roku to drive users into Peacock.”

“Our users are going to have an amazing summer with the NBC Olympic Zone on Roku, directing them to Peacock and all the highlights, replays, and live competition coming straight from Paris,” said Tedd Cittadine, Vice President of Content Partnerships, Roku. “This is a unique, exciting opportunity for us, streamers, and sponsors looking to align their brands with this global powerhouse sports moment.”

Roku users can visit the NBC Olympic Zone on Roku to:

• Discover live and upcoming events, allowing fans to quickly find and stream the NBC primetime show and individual sports, highlights, and replays
• Stay up to date with the Medal Count Module, where fans can keep track of medal standings of countries competing in Paris
• Watch pre-Olympics coverage including recaps and highlights, U.S. Olympic Trials, and more streaming live on Peacock
• Engage with athlete profiles and Olympic-related content

Peacock will also debut two new features coming to the platform: Peacock Live Actions and Peacock Discovery Multiview to help fans discover and engage with the Olympics and other live programming.

STAMFORD, Conn. and NEW YORK—The NBC television network has announced that it will extend its live coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony to IMAX locations nationwide on Friday, July 26. 

The plan to air the live coverage of the Opening Ceremony will be the first time that the global event has been be presented live in IMAX theaters. 

As part of the Opening Ceremony, the organizers are turning one of the world's most famous waterways, the River Seine, into the world's biggest theatrical stage, NBC explained. 

Instead of walking into a stadium, a four-mile-long flotilla of nearly 100 boats will carry thousands of athletes from more than 200 countries past hundreds of thousands of spectators seated on the banks of the Seine. The river parade will follow the course of the Seine past the iconic sites of Paris, from Austerlitz Bridge, beside the Jardin des Plantes, crossing through central Paris and finishing in front of the Trocadéro, where the final elements of the show and ceremony will take place, NBC reported. 

IMAX will present NBC's live coverage of this summer's Opening Ceremony to more than 150 IMAX locations throughout the United States.

"We look forward to providing our Opening Ceremony coverage to audiences at IMAX locations across the country, sharing in this historic moment as the world regathers to witness the spectacular beginning of 16 days of athletic greatness against the backdrop of one of the most beautiful cities in the world," said Gary Zenkel, president, NBC Olympics.

"We are excited to extend NBC's coverage of the Opening Ceremony to IMAX theatres across the U.S., allowing fans to gather and watch the highly-anticipated and awe-inspiring start to the Paris Olympic Games this July," said Rich Gelfond, CEO of IMAX.

On March 29, an NBCUniversal promotional trailer for its coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics will begin to run in IMAX theaters nationwide. Tickets will be available for purchase at local IMAX locations and on Fandango this summer. 

This will be the third time Paris has hosted the Olympics (1900 and 1924), tying London for the most as a Summer Games host. Los Angeles (1932, 1984) will tie those two cities in 2028 when it hosts the first Summer Games in the U.S. in 32 years.

NBCUniversal previously announced that the NBC broadcast network and streaming service Peacock will be the company's primary platforms for its coverage of the Olympic Games Paris 2024, scheduled for July 26-Aug. 11, 2024. Click here for more programming information and here for information about the Paralympics, which will take place Aug. 28-Sept. 8.

NBCUniversal owns the U.S. media rights to the Olympic Games through 2032, which are scheduled for Paris (2024), Milan Cortina (2026), Los Angeles (2028) and Brisbane (2032). The host city for the 2030 Olympic Winter Games has not yet been chosen.