Comcast is a massive media conglomerate that owns content producing assets ranging from Universal Studios to NBC to Telemundo. But CEO Brian Roberts spent a good part of his Q&A session at a Monday investor conference talking about — and demonstrating — how the company’s hit set-top box has made it easier to watch Netflix and YouTube. That’s what TV customers want today, Roberts said, and Comcast is prepared to deliver. “We’ve been using X1 to change your experience and merge streaming and traditional television and on-demand,” he said at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference in San Francisco.
- 2/28/2017
- by Matt Pressberg
- The Wrap
Streaming video services such as DirecTV Now may have “scary implications” for some programmers, who could see some channels left behind, and operators, who might lose subscribers. But they shouldn’t take a big bite out of Comcast, CEO Brian Roberts told investors today at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference. “Our view was that scale matters,” he says. “When we just owned E! and Golf Channel and Comcast SportsNet, it wasn’t enough. Now we have MSNBC…...
- 2/28/2017
- Deadline TV
Comcast CEO Brian Roberts told analysts this morning that the cable giant will launch what he called a “world class” wireless phone business in the first half of this year. Calls will go over WiFi where it’s available, and over Verizon’s networks where it isn’t. It won’t be offered on a stand-alone basis: “We plan to include wireless in our multiproduct bundles in a way that is designed to add value to our customers, improve retention, and ultimately benefit lifetime…...
- 1/26/2017
- Deadline TV
Those Rio Summer Olympics continue to pay off for Brian Roberts and Comcast, which owns NBCUniversal. The umbrella corporation unveiled its third-quarter 2016 financials early Wednesday morning, topping media analysts forecasts at both its top and bottom lines. Wall Street had forecast earnings per share (Eps) of 91 cents on $21.16 billion in revenue, per a Yahoo Finance consensus. Comcast actually reported 92 cents in earnings on $21.32 billion in revenue. As a result, the company has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.275 a share on its common stock, payable on January 25, 2017 to shareholders of record as of the close...
- 10/26/2016
- by Tony Maglio
- The Wrap
Comcast chairman and CEO Brian Roberts on Wednesday declined to comment on At&T's $85.4 billion deal to acquire Time Warner or go into detail on what it means for Comcast and NBCUniversal. Asked about the deal on the cable and entertainment giant's third-quarter earnings conference call and whether he felt Comcast's asset portfolio was complete, he said: “We are not going to discuss the other transaction, the proposed transaction ... We don’t typically comment on other deals.” Without directly commenting on his appetite for further acquisitions after NBCUniversal's recent purchase of DreamWorks Animation, he went on to say:
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- 10/26/2016
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Speaking at Goldman Sachs' Communicopia Conference in New York this morning, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts said certain "pivot points" over the last several years had allowed the No. 1 cable company and NBCUniversal parent to get where it is today "at the intersection of technology and media." He marveled of the recent Rio Olympics on NBC, "We're really proud as a company to have broadcast that." Technologically, he called it "a home run." It was also "the most profitable, as…...
- 9/20/2016
- Deadline TV
Speaking at Goldman Sachs' Communicopia Conference in New York this morning, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts said certain "pivot points" over the last several years had allowed the No. 1 cable company and NBCUniversal parent to get where it is today "at the intersection of technology and media." He marveled of the recent Rio Olympics on NBC, "We're really proud as a company to have broadcast that." Technologically, he called it "a home run." It was also "the most profitable, as…...
- 9/20/2016
- Deadline
Comcast chairman and CEO Brian Roberts at an investor conference on Tuesday lauded NBCUniversal for exceeding all his performance expectations and touted the cable giant's integration of Netflix via an app on its set-top boxes. Appearing at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia Conference in New York in a session that was webcast, he demoed the Netflix service on a Comcast TV screen to show how the integration, which Comcast is rolling out in a beta testing phase to users of its X1 interactive TV platform this week, works. He highlighted easy searching of content options available on Comcast and Netflix,
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- 9/19/2016
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NBCUniversal has extended the employment agreement of CEO Steve Burke through Aug. 31, 2020, owner Comcast said Thursday in a regulatory filing. It lauded "Burke’s continuing outstanding work in improving NBCUniversal’s businesses and results." Burke has served as NBCU CEO since January 2011 upon the closing of Comcast and General Electric’s deal that merged the assets of NBCUniversal with Comcast’s programming assets. He previously served as COO of Comcast and is known as a trusted partner of Comcast chairman and CEO Brian Roberts. "To incent him to continue to make decisions that build long-term value for NBCUniversal, the
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- 7/28/2016
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Brian Roberts will keep his Comcast corner office for at least one more year. The parent company of NBCUniversal has extended the chairman and chief executive officer’s employment agreement through June 30, 2017. The seemingly short 12-month deal is normal fare for Roberts and Comcast — he’s signed the same extension each of the most recent couple of years. Comcast’s NBCU recently purchased Jeffrey Katzenberg‘s DreamWorks Animation for $3.8 billion. Should the deal go through the requisite regulatory oversight — which is expected to happen later this year — Dwa will become part of the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, which includes Universal Pictures,...
- 7/1/2016
- by Tony Maglio
- The Wrap
Lorne Michaels is ready to get away from it all.
Not permanently, of course. Michaels has never been more powerful in television, as he oversees NBC’s late night crown jewels and produces buzzy comedies like IFC’s “Portlandia.” But after overseeing six episodes of NBC’s “Maya and Marty,” which came straight off the “Saturday Night Live” finale, he’s ready to take a two-week vacation. Then it’s back to scouting for new “Saturday Night Live” talent and prepping for the show’s 42nd season.
But before he hit the road, Michaels talked with IndieWire about the state of his ever-growing empire, which is gearing up to take on a historic election season.
Among the highlights: “Saturday Night Live” will likely produce several live primetime “Weekend Update” editions during the lead-up to the November election, just as it did in 2008 and 2012. Also: Michaels agrees that NBC’s “The Apprentice...
Not permanently, of course. Michaels has never been more powerful in television, as he oversees NBC’s late night crown jewels and produces buzzy comedies like IFC’s “Portlandia.” But after overseeing six episodes of NBC’s “Maya and Marty,” which came straight off the “Saturday Night Live” finale, he’s ready to take a two-week vacation. Then it’s back to scouting for new “Saturday Night Live” talent and prepping for the show’s 42nd season.
But before he hit the road, Michaels talked with IndieWire about the state of his ever-growing empire, which is gearing up to take on a historic election season.
Among the highlights: “Saturday Night Live” will likely produce several live primetime “Weekend Update” editions during the lead-up to the November election, just as it did in 2008 and 2012. Also: Michaels agrees that NBC’s “The Apprentice...
- 6/25/2016
- by Michael Schneider
- Indiewire
DreamWorks Animation employees have been reassured by executives that the company will keep making movies at the DreamWorks headquarters in Glendale, California. NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke and Comcast CEO Brian Roberts issued the promise to staff during a town hall meeting Wednesday, following last week’s announcement that Comcast’s NBCUniversal will be buying the animation company for $3.8 billion. DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg made opening remarks to the 1,500 employees gathered at the Glendale campus, after which Roberts revealed: “This came together really fast, but has been in our hearts for a long time. Also Read: Will $3.8 Billion DreamWorks Animation Deal Kickstart More Hollywood Consolidation?...
- 5/5/2016
- by Debbie Emery
- The Wrap
A week after Comcast’s $3.8 billion acquisition of DreamWorks Animation, Dwa CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg this morning held an employee town hall meeting at the studio’s Glendale, California HQ with Comcast CEO Brian Roberts, Comcast Evp and NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke, and NBCU Vice Chairman Ron Meyer in attendance. Intended to give the rank and file a face to face with the new bosses, the meeting also served as a chance to allay employee concerns about the purchase. The…...
- 5/5/2016
- Deadline
Comcast CEO Brian Roberts is betting big — to the tune of $3.8 billion — that purchasing DreamWorks Animation will deliver strategic benefits throughout NBCUniversal. In China, the deal's potential upsides and uncertainties are especially pronounced. DreamWorks Animation's outgoing CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg was among the first in Hollywood to read the tea leaves, planting his flag in the surging Chinese entertainment market back in 2012. Shortly after Dwa's Kung Fu Panda 2 smashed local box office records in 2011, Katzenberg partnered with a consortium of state-backed companies to launch Oriental DreamWorks, a joint venture animation studio based in Shanghai.
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- 4/29/2016
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The most powerful executive in Hollywood lives in Philadelphia, it seems. Comcast CEO Brian Roberts strengthened that case today by agreeing to pay $3.8 billion to add DreamWorks Animation to his NBCUniversal operation — which is attached to the nation’s largest collection of cable TV and broadband systems. What does that mean for the companies? Comcast and Dwa are still working out details after a whirlwind negotiation that became more urgent Tuesday night when word of…...
- 4/28/2016
- Deadline TV
The most powerful executive in Hollywood lives in Philadelphia, it seems. Comcast CEO Brian Roberts strengthened that case today by agreeing to pay $3.8 billion to add DreamWorks Animation to his NBCUniversal operation — which is attached to the nation’s largest collection of cable TV and broadband systems. What does that mean for the companies? Comcast and Dwa are still working out details after a whirlwind negotiation that became more urgent Tuesday night when word of…...
- 4/28/2016
- Deadline
Comcast executives refused to comment Wednesday on reports of a potential DreamWorks Animation purchase. Kicking off the company’s first-quarter 2016 conference call, Investor Relations Svp Jason Armstrong welcomed participants with this statement: “Because of the FCC’s anti-collusion rules to the Broadcast Incentive Auction, we can not discuss or answer any questions related to the auction or spectrum today. Nor will we be commenting about recent rumors or speculation about any M&A transaction.” Really, it was the latter issue that people wanted to hear about this morning — one that Chairman and CEO Brian Roberts dodged masterfully during the media analyst question-and-answer period.
- 4/27/2016
- by Tony Maglio
- The Wrap
Comcast only had a so-so year in 2015, especially as federal officials forced it to withdraw its bid for Time Warner Cable. But CEO Brian Roberts and other top execs shouldn’t have any complaints. Roberts’ compensation rose 10% to $36.2 million, according to the company proxy just filed at the SEC. The package includes $2.9 million in salary, $5.4 million in stock awards, $5.4 million in option awards, $9.8 million in non-equity incentive compensation, $8.7 million change…...
- 4/8/2016
- Deadline
Comcast only had a so-so year in 2015, especially as federal officials forced it to withdraw its bid for Time Warner Cable. But CEO Brian Roberts and other top execs shouldn’t have any complaints. Roberts’ compensation rose 10% to $36.2 million, according to the company proxy just filed at the SEC. The package includes $2.9 million in salary, $5.4 million in stock awards, $5.4 million in option awards, $9.8 million in non-equity incentive compensation, $8.7 million change…...
- 4/8/2016
- Deadline TV
Comcast saw strong sales in the fiscal fourth quarter of 2015 — with particularly nice increases from NBCUniversal’s Filmed Entertainment and Theme Park Segments — topping Wall Street’s top line expectations. Unfortunately, the parent company and major cable provider fell a bit shy as a whole when it came to actual earnings, despite growing profit year over year. The Brian Roberts-led Comcast clocked $19.2 billion in sales for Q4, which translates to $0.79 per share in earnings. Wall Street had forecast Earnings Per Share (Eps) of $0.82 on $18.77 billion in revenue, per Yahoo Finance. The Eps consensus estimate over at Zacks...
- 2/3/2016
- by Tony Maglio
- The Wrap
Cable giant Comcast on Wednesday reported improved fourth-quarter and full-year financials for its entertainment arm NBCUniversal. The entertainment company, led by CEO Steve Burke, reported higher operating cash flow, the profitability metric that the company uses, and revenue than in the year-ago period, driven by growth in its film and theme park units. Both divisions also posted record full-year operating cash flow, as expected. In moves that Comcast chairman and CEO Brian Roberts said were "underscoring our confidence in our company," Comcast increased its dividend by 10 percent to $1.10 per share on an
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- 2/3/2016
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NBC stations are “likely to participate” in the FCC’s airwave auction — taking spectrum now used by TV outlets and selling it to wireless broadband providers — Comcast CEO Brian Roberts told analysts this morning. The FCC recently released its opening bid prices for the spectrum. Chairman Tom Wheeler called it “a watershed moment” leading up to a December 18 deadline for stations to decide whether they want to sell some of their airwave capacity. This is one of the…...
- 10/27/2015
- Deadline TV
An Illinois congressman is taking his campaign to have Donald Trump removed as host of “Saturday Night Live” to the House of Representatives. Democrat Luis Gutierrez sent a letter addressed to Brian Roberts, president and CEO of Comcast, and Stephen Burke, president and CEO of NBCUniversal on Tuesday, imploring them to “disinvite” the Republican candidate from the NBC sketch show. “Having Donald Trump as a guest on every news and entertainment program is one thing, but allowing him to host ‘Saturday Night Live’ is another,” he wrote. “It is a level of endorsement that says to America that every hateful and.
- 10/21/2015
- by Reid Nakamura
- The Wrap
On the floor of the House of Representatives tomorrow morning, Illinois Rep. Luis Gutierrez plans to give a speech in which he blasts NBC’s plans to have Donald Trump host Saturday Night Live. Today, Gutierrez, a Democrat, sent a letter to NBCU CEO Steve Burke and parent Comcast’s CEO Brian Roberts, urging them to jettison plans to let Trump host the November 7 edition of the late-night show. He warned a Trump hosting gig “would be a huge corporate blunder.” The hosting…...
- 10/20/2015
- Deadline TV
Friday night's State Dinner with President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House drew a who's who list of Hollywood and Silicon Valley execs -- after a day of private meetings between Obama and Xi where they discussed both industries' concerns regarding cyber attacks and piracy issues. Attendees included: Disney chief Bob Iger, DreamWorks Animation's Jeffrey Katzenberg, Legendary Pictures' Thomas Tull, Netflix’s Reed Hastings and Ted Sarandos, Disney's John Lasseter, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg with his pregnant wife Priscilla Chan, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Microsoft CEO Satya Narayana Nadella, Oracle's Larry Ellison, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts, Salesforce.com founder Marc Benioff,
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- 9/25/2015
- by Tina Daunt
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Vanity Fair is out with its “Powers That Be” list and Taylor Swift took home the top spot thanks to her meteoric rise in the music world and subsequent victory over Apple. Swift made “giant companies like Apple conform to her will,” Vanity Fair wrote. Her place atop the list is impressive considering the magazine typically recognizes power players from the business and media world. Disney chief Bob Iger ranked second; News Corp’s top brass trio of James, Lachlan and Rupert Murdoch placed third; Comcast’s Brian Roberts and Steve Burke came in fourth and HBO chief executive officer Richard Plepler rounded out the.
- 9/8/2015
- by Jordan Chariton
- The Wrap
Cable giant Comcast on Thursday reported second-quarter financials, including improved profitability figures for its entertainment arm NBCUniversal, driven by the box-office success of Jurassic World, Pitch Perfect 2 and Furious 7 as well as strength in theme parks. The entertainment company, led by CEO Steve Burke, recorded second-quarter revenue of $7.2 billion and operating cash flow, the profitability metric it uses, of $1.7 billion, and Comcast CEO Brian Roberts raved about the unit during a conference call with analysts on Thursday. Roberts boasted that Universal Pictures has already set an annual record this year, surpassing its
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- 7/22/2015
- by Georg Szalai, Paul Bond
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Cable giant Comcast said early Monday that it plans to launch a streaming TV service dubbed Stream. It will let its Xfinity broadband customers, for $15 a month in addition to their Internet bill, watch about a dozen networks via laptops and mobile devices, including the major broadcast networks and HBO. It will also offer on-demand content and a cloud-based DVR. Importantly, the focus on Xfinity customers means that the service will not be available to people who don't live in areas serviced by Comcast. Read More Comcast CEO Brian Roberts Talks Up Cloud Technology and Voice Remotes
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- 7/13/2015
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Ralph Roberts, the founder of Comcast, father of chairman and CEO Brian Roberts and pioneer of U.S. cable television, has died at age 95, the company said Friday. Roberts died of natural causes Thursday night in Comcast's hometown of Philadelphia, the company said. He was the company's CEO and chairman and had the title of chairman emeritus in recent years. His son became president in 1990 and CEO in 2002, adding the chairman title in 2004. He continued to grow the company, including via acquisitions, and made it the largest U.S. cable operator. The son also acquired NBCUniversal,
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- 6/19/2015
- by George Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
This story first appeared in the May 15 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe. On a May 4 earnings call, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts touted "the turnaround" at former ratings doormat NBC, saying "we have sustained the momentum." But the lack of any new hits has taken the gloss off of NBC's No. 1 status for the 2014-15 season. And one year after wrapping the traditional broadcast calendar as the uncontested champ among adults 18-to-49 for the first time in a decade, there's a chance NBC could tie CBS
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- 5/6/2015
- by Michael O'Connell
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The proposed $45 billion merger between Time Warner and Comcast was one of last year's biggest deals. Following FCC pushback and inquiries made by the Justice Department, Comcast has now pulled the plug on the pact in anticipation of the inevitable legal process that could have been a death sentence for the merger anyway. According to NPR, the Justice Department and FCC "were concerned about having such a huge player in broadband." Both cable providers create a lot of their own content, including Comcast-absorbed NBC Universal, and increased demand for a la carte services like HBO Now shows that consumers don't want to pay for pricey, overstuffed cable packages just to get their high speed internet. Read More: Why You Should Worry About the Comcast-Time Warner Deal "We structured this deal so that if the government didn’t agree, we could walk away," said Comcast CEO Brian Roberts Friday. The deal's collapse,...
- 4/24/2015
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Thompson on Hollywood
Comcast officially ended its $45 billion bid to take over Time Warner Cable, CEO Brian Roberts announced Friday. “Today, we move on,” Roberts said. “Of course, we would have liked to bring our great products to new cities, but we structured this deal so that if the government didn’t agree, we could walk away. “Comcast NBCUniversal is a unique company with strong momentum. Throughout this entire process, our employees have kept their eye on the ball and we have had fantastic operating results. I want to thank them and the employees of Time Warner Cable for their tireless efforts. I couldn’t be.
- 4/24/2015
- by Jordan Chariton
- The Wrap
Comcast made it official on Friday morning, formally withdrawing its plans to acquire Time Warner Cable in a $45 billion deal. News of the decision had emerged late Thursday when Bloomberg News reported about it. Comcast and Time Warner Cable representatives had declined to comment on Thursday, but on Friday confirmed the decision to abandon the combination. Read More FCC Chair: End of Comcast-Time Warner Cable Deal "Is in the Best Interests of Consumers" "Today, we move on," Comcast chairman and CEO Brian Roberts said. "Of course, we would have liked to bring our great products to
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- 4/24/2015
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NBCUniversal president Steve Burke is making more than his boss, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts. Burke's overall compensation rose to nearly $34 million last year, up from $31 million in 2013. He benefited from more than a million dollars more in stock and options awards. His salary was up slightly to $2.65 million as well. As for Roberts, Comcast's chief earned nearly $33 million in 2014, up from $31.4 million the previous year. The increased pay, revealed in a securities filing on Friday, reflects a bump in the value of his pension and deferred compensation. His salary remained relatively
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- 4/10/2015
- by Eriq Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Investors will find encouraging and discouraging numbers in the latest earnings report. But they’re really waiting for a conference call with execs this morning where they’ll be listening for any signal that Comcast doubts that federal officials will approve its acquisition of Time Warner Cable. In a statement with the earnings release, CEO Brian Roberts says that he still looks forward to approval. The boost in the dividend to $1 a share each year, plus the increase in…...
- 2/24/2015
- Deadline
Investors will find encouraging and discouraging numbers in the latest earnings report. But they’re really waiting for a conference call with execs this morning where they’ll be listening for any signal that Comcast doubts that federal officials will approve its acquisition of Time Warner Cable. In a statement with the earnings release, CEO Brian Roberts says that he still looks forward to approval. The boost in the dividend to $1 a share each year, plus the increase in…...
- 2/24/2015
- Deadline TV
Universal Pictures announced on November 17 the official launch of a China office in Beijing to be led by Jo Yan.
The nascent slate is expected to kick off in 2015 with Angelina Jolie’s Unbroken and will be followed by Fast & Furious 7 in April, summer releases Jurassic World and Despicable Me 2 spin-off Minions (July) and year-end release Everest.
Comcast chairman and CEO Brian Roberts (pictured second left), chairman of Universal Filmed Entertainment Jeff Shell (pictured second right), president of distribution for Universal Pictures International (Upi) Duncan Clark (pictured far left) and Upi’s newly appointed evp and managing director of China Yan (pictured far right) attended an opening ceremony.
Until now Universal films previously opened in China via a sub-distribution deal with Edko Films. Hits include Fast & Furious 6 on $66.5m and Despicable Me 2 on $53m.
“China is the world’s second-largest film market and if the current growth rate continues, it could be...
The nascent slate is expected to kick off in 2015 with Angelina Jolie’s Unbroken and will be followed by Fast & Furious 7 in April, summer releases Jurassic World and Despicable Me 2 spin-off Minions (July) and year-end release Everest.
Comcast chairman and CEO Brian Roberts (pictured second left), chairman of Universal Filmed Entertainment Jeff Shell (pictured second right), president of distribution for Universal Pictures International (Upi) Duncan Clark (pictured far left) and Upi’s newly appointed evp and managing director of China Yan (pictured far right) attended an opening ceremony.
Until now Universal films previously opened in China via a sub-distribution deal with Edko Films. Hits include Fast & Furious 6 on $66.5m and Despicable Me 2 on $53m.
“China is the world’s second-largest film market and if the current growth rate continues, it could be...
- 11/17/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Signaling a concerted push into China, Universal Pictures and Comcast brass gathered at an opening ceremony for the studio’s new Beijing office today. On hand were representatives from the Chinese film industry as well as Comcast Chairman and CEO, Brian Roberts; Chairman of Universal Filmed Entertainment, Jeff Shell; President of Distribution for Universal Pictures International, Duncan Clark; and the newly appointed Evp and Managing Director of China for Upi, Jo Yan.
Universal says the establishment of Upi China, which was originally mooted one year ago, is proof of the studio’s commitment to investment in the region. Universal has plans to build a 300-acre theme park in Beijing and is ramping up its local television and consumer products business as well as content production partnerships and acquisitions. Due for release later this week in China is kung-fu action pic Rise Of The Legend which Upi is co-producing with Edko Films and Irresistible Films.
Universal says the establishment of Upi China, which was originally mooted one year ago, is proof of the studio’s commitment to investment in the region. Universal has plans to build a 300-acre theme park in Beijing and is ramping up its local television and consumer products business as well as content production partnerships and acquisitions. Due for release later this week in China is kung-fu action pic Rise Of The Legend which Upi is co-producing with Edko Films and Irresistible Films.
- 11/17/2014
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline
Comcast chairman and CEO Brian Roberts on Thursday touted NBCUniversal's financial performance during the third quarter and its "great progress" so far in 2014, lauding the work of NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke and his team. And the two executives on the cable giant's earnings conference call answered questions on coming online-only video services from big TV players, saying they don't expect them to really upset and challenge the existing pay TV eco-system, but Burke also warning of the risks involved, particularly HBO's risk of hurting its existing business. In a reference to recent news from HBO and CBS
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- 10/23/2014
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Time Warner Cable shareholders on Thursday approved the planned $45 billion takeover of the company by Comcast and so-called "golden parachute" payments to top executives. The second-largest U.S. cable company, led by chairman and CEO Rob Marcus, held a special shareholder meeting on the deal in New York. Afterwards, it issued a statement saying that more than 99 percent of the votes cast were in support of the proposed acquisition by Comcast. Read more Comcast Accuses Time Warner Cable Deal Opponents of "Extortion" The deal must still be approved by regulators. Comcast CEO Brian Roberts has said
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- 10/9/2014
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Comcast shareholders on Wednesday approved the planned $45 billion acquisition of Time Warner Cable. The cable giant, led by chairman and CEO Brian Roberts, held a special shareholder meeting on the deal in Philadelphia, where its headquarters is based, on Wednesday. Afterwards, it issued a statement saying that more than 99 percent of Comcast shareholders voting supported Comcast's proposal to issue stock in the proposed Tw Cable deal. Read more Comcast Accuses Time Warner Cable Deal Opponents of "Extortion" Roberts has said he was "cautiously optimistic" that regulators would allow the acquisition of the second-largest U.S. cable
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- 10/8/2014
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
On Wednesday, Comcast, led by chairman and CEO Brian Roberts, sharply criticized Netflix, Discovery Communications, Dish Network and other companies that have opposed its planned $45 billion takeover of Time Warner Cable, speaking of attempted "extortion." The largest U.S. cable company made the comments in a response to comments filed by critics of the deal. "In our reply comments, we specifically and comprehensively address claims that have been made by organizations purporting to represent the public interest, programmers, competitors and others," Comcast executive vp David Cohen said in a blog post on Wednesday. "Many of these commenters have
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- 9/24/2014
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Comcast CEO Brian Roberts on Tuesday said he was "cautiously optimistic" that his company's proposed acquisition of Time Warner Cable would get the regulatory approval needed so that the transaction could close next year. Shareholders for both companies will vote on the proposal in October, and some consumer groups have objected to the combination. Roberts, though, has maintained that customer service and product offerings will improve if Time Warner is allowed to merge with Comcast. The $45 billion deal announced in February involves an asset swap and about 4 million Comcast-Time Warner Cable customers heading to Charter Communications. "All
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- 9/16/2014
- by Paul Bond
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Haim Saban, the multibillionaire media mogul who is chairman of Univision Communications, said he isn't surprised by Rupert Murdoch's attempt to acquire Time Warner because CEO Jeffrey Bewkes has been grooming the company for a takeover. Speaking on Bloomberg TV Tuesday, Saban said Bewkes has "trimmed the company to the point where he's prepared it for a takeover" and that, in doing so, he may eventually prove himself to be more clever than competing chief executives like Murdoch at 21st Century Fox, Bob Iger at Walt Disney and Brian Roberts at Comcast. "You have companies like Comcast acquiring assets like
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- 7/29/2014
- by Paul Bond
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Cable giant Comcast on Tuesday reported improved second-quarter financials for its entertainment arm NBCUniversal. The entertainment company, led by CEO Steve Burke, reported higher operating cash flow and revenue than in the same period last year amid improved profitability in all business units. Photos: 25 of the Most Anticipated Films of 2014 Among the company's operations, its broadcast TV unit reported better results thanks to stronger ratings, while the film unit posted higher operating cash flow despite lower revenue. Comcast, led by chairman and CEO Brian Roberts, earlier this year agreed to acquire Time Warner Cable in a $45
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- 7/22/2014
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Brian Roberts is getting another year at Comcast. Again. The Pennsylvania-based cable giant announced in filings to the SEC that Roberts, the 55-year-old son of the company's founder, had his contract extended to June 30, 2015. See video: John Oliver Compares Comcast to a Drug Cartel, Says Net Neutrality Should Be Called ‘Preventing Cable Company F-ckery’ He has been working on single year contracts since ascending to the Chairman and CEO position in 2005, which has given him a decade's worth of lavish compensation — $31.4 million in salaries, options and other perks last year — and a major voting control in the...
- 7/1/2014
- by Jordan Zakarin
- The Wrap
Comcast Corp. said Tuesday that it has agreed with chairman and CEO Brian Roberts to extend his employment contract by another year. While other industry top executives typically get multi-year contracts, Roberts and the company have announced one-year extensions ever since his 2005 employment pact was signed. Roberts controls a big voting stake in Comcast, and his father, Ralph, founded the company, meaning the short-term extensions aren't seen as any sign that he may leave his posts anytime soon. A Comcast spokesman confirmed that the extension was nothing unusual. Roberts turned 55 on Saturday. He
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- 7/1/2014
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
London – BSkyB has hired investment banks Morgan Stanley and Barclays to help the U.K. pay TV giant evaluate a possible acquisition of Sky Deutschland in Germany and Sky Italia in Italy, sources confirmed Monday. Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox would retain its 39 percent in BSkyB, but expects to get $11.5 billion for its ownership in the two other firms, the Sunday Times, part of Murdoch's News Corp, reiterated. Photos: Sun Valley Scene: Rupert Murdoch, Brian Roberts, Brian Grazer Arrive at Allen & Co. Retreat The pan-European pay TV giant would reach roughly 20 million homes.
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- 6/16/2014
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A sad day for the cable industry. The former Time Warner Cable CEO, and a cable pioneer, died this morning from cancer at age 65. His successor, Rob Marcus, just released this statement: “Glenn left us with a legacy of innovation, integrity and inclusion. We were guided for many years by his strong belief that a company must be willing to reinvent itself to be successful; his commitment to saying what you mean and doing what you say; and his conviction that a richly diverse workforce – diverse in ethnicity, culture, beliefs, perspectives, experiences and lifestyles – is necessary to best serve our diverse customers and communities. He will long be remembered for his thoughtful and steady leadership through rapidly changing times in the communications field.” Comcast CEO Brian Roberts calls Britt “an incredible leader, visionary, and for decades he was a wonderful friend and mentor. He was a key part of our...
- 6/11/2014
- by DAVID LIEBERMAN, Financial Editor
- Deadline TV
Well, presumably, that little $45.2 billion merger with Time Warner Cable might also occupy some corporate attention, but Comcast CEO Brian Roberts said his company will focus on rolling out its prized X1 entertainment delivery platform and related Xfinity service. “Our priority this year is rolling out X1,” Roberts told attendees at the Code Conference today in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. “It’s a game-changer, and the reason it’s such a game-changer is that we’re taking the guts of what we do and putting it in the cloud. The stinking cable box is the wrong platform. The moment we leave that box in your household, it begins to become obsolete.” Related: Comcast’s Brian Roberts: It Was “Now or Never” on Time Warner Cable Deal The X1 platform delivers all the Comcast-provided TV shows, movies and other content not just to a TV but also to customers’ cell phones and tablets.
- 5/28/2014
- by DAVID BLOOM
- Deadline TV
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