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NBCUniversal dissolves G4, rebrands it as 'The Esquire Network'
Because nothing quite says "hip brand rejuvenation" like associating your channel with an 80-year-old magazine, NBCUniversal today announced the rebranding and makeover of its G4 television channel into "The Esquire Channel" (as in Esquire magazine). G4 primarily aired video game-centric programming, as well as a vast array of re-runs -- something NBC exec Bonnie Hammer doesn't think was the best idea. "Realistically, guys who are into gaming are not necessarily watching television," Hammer said, directly refuting the 2012 statistic that 49 percent of US households own a gaming console. "Let's create a real brand, define a space, understand who we are programming for." The New York Times reports that The Esquire Channel will be pitched as "an upscale Bravo for men," though it's not exactly clear what that means -- we'll find out on April 22 when the network goes live in 62 million homes. For now, NBC's got demographics its targeting. Specifically, "a more educated, affluent, sophisticated male viewer," says the NYT piece. One thing it won't be? Reality shows with a noun and the word "wars" behind it. "Much of today's programming targets men in a one-dimensional way ... tattoos or pawn shops or storage lockers or axes or hillbillies," Esquire Channel's general manager Adam Stotsky said. It doesn't look like the channel's beyond reality programming altogether, with its first two shows being a cooking competition named Knife Fight and its other being a celebrity-based travel show named The Getaway. Nor is it beyond the aforementioned re-runs, announcing Parks & Recreation and Party Down as headed for syndication on the forthcoming channel. [Photo credit: The New York Times]
Lovefilm signs TV deal with NBC Universal, brings the Office, 30 Rock to British homes
Following Lovefilm's deal with NBC Universal to bring the latter's movie catalogue to the streaming service, the pair have hooked up again to do the same job for the studio's TV productions. Shows such as The Office (US), 30 Rock and Knight Rider will all be available for viewing, whenever your desire for some Corporate Hijinks / Alec Baldwin / talking cars takes hold. We've just checked and the shows are already filtering through -- although you can only catch the first three years of Liz Lemon's adventures so far.
Report: G4 to become the Esquire channel
Cable network G4 will be rebranded as the Esquire channel, acquiring the magazine's name and branding sometime in the early part of next year, The Hollywood Reporter, uhm, reports. The deal has been finalized between G4-owner NBCUniversal and Esquire-owner Hearst Corporation, according to The Hollywood Reporter's sources, and production of new content aimed at a "metrosexual" male audience is said to be underway.While the channel's new content will feature some gaming-oriented material, subjects such as fashion, cooking and travel will also be covered in an attempt to capture a more sophisticated male audience. As X-Play and Attack of the Show have already been cancelled, we doubt any of G4's late gaming content will be resurrected in the channel's new form. We are, however, looking forward to finding out how to recreate Nathan Drake's designer look for an off-the-rack price.
Verizon and NBCUniversal bring TV Everywhere to even more places
Verizon and NBCUniversal has struck a "TV Everywhere" rights agreement so that FiOS customers will be able to watch the media company's entire programming portfolio live and on-demand via multiple platforms. In fact, some of the programming is accessible via the Verizon FiOS Mobile iPad app already, like USA, CNBC, MSNBC and Bravo. The agreement extends to retransmission rights from local NBC and Telemundo stations, future Olympic games and various Comcast SportsNet markets like Philadelphia, Mid Atlantic and New England. Hoping that exclusive movie rental window like the one in the UK will cross the pond? Don't hold your breath, but Verizon FiOS customers shouldn't have long to wait for the NBCUniversal package, which starts early next year.
Sky and NBC Universal extend content deal with exclusive movie rental window
Sky's war against its VOD rivals could be won before a single shot is fired in anger, thanks to the company's practice of signing exclusive contracts with major Hollywood players. Today, it's extended its contract with NBC Universal, giving Sky exclusive distribution rights to the studio's movies and access to Universal Network's TV offerings such as E!, Movies24, SyFy and Universal UK. When new films like Snow White and the Huntsmen, Les Misérables and The Bourne Legacy leave cinemas, Sky Movies (and Now TV) customers will have an exclusive rental window before they're available to everyone else, as well as full access to a back-catalog that contains childhood favorites like Jurassic Park and Back to the Future. As we've mentioned before, such deals are great news if you're a Sky customer, and not if you're not.
Barnes & Noble bolstering Nook Video catalogue, bringing UltraViolet to the HD and HD+
Barnes & Noble is seriously beefing up its Nook ecosystem by striking deals with studios and other providers to bring a ton of new video content to its HD and HD+ tablets. Debuting alongside the slates, expected to start shipping in the US this week, thousands of SD and HD movies and TV shows from the likes of NBCUniversal, 20th Century Fox and others will be available for your consumption. Brits will get the same opportunity a little later, coinciding with the local release of the tablets closer to the holiday season. B&N won't force you to buy its hardware to enjoy the expanded catalogue, as it'll be releasing free Nook Video apps in the future to access the content from all platforms. What's more, you'll also be able to view UltraViolet video on the HD and HD+, meaning you can watch all that previously purchased content right from the get-go. This is certainly a huge bonus for consumers that have a big UV library, and coupled with all the new content, we wouldn't be surprised if Nook sales start stealing a little heat from the Fire.
Zeebox second screen TV companion app crosses over to the US, with a boost from Comcast and HBO
While it seems like every network is rolling out its own personal second screen app for tablets and / or phones, over in the UK Zeebox has been trying to corner the experience across channels and providers with its app. Available as an app for iOS and Android and also on the web, it brings a customized TV guide, live chat, social network sharing and remote control features to the TV experience, and now it's come to the US. Other than the typical second screen experience, its main hook is an "OpenBox" API and tags that allow content providers to customize the experience for their viewers... and then sell them stuff like video on-demand or related merchandise. On this side of the Atlantic Zeebox has secured backing from Comcast / NBC Universal, giving it financial and promotional support as well as covering more than 30 networks right away. It also means it can eventually act as a remote control for Comcast users, which may be an advantage over competition like Miso, GetGlue and IntoNow, and can flex its muscles paired with hundreds of shows like The Voice, Notre Dame football and HBO content like True Blood. Out of the box, the app's social ties and careful metering may be a programmer's dream as it monitors who is watching what live, but we'll have to see more of the second screen content come to life if it's going to catch on socially. A customizable guide (yes, you can hide or reorder channels at will) is a nice touch and so is being able to see what your friends are viewing with Facebook Open Graph and Twitter hooks -- but only if they're actually using it. If you want to check it out, the free apps are linked below and the full press release follows after the break.
Amazon and NBCUniversal expand Prime Instant Video deal, let you stream Parks and Rec in one place
Amazon and NBCUniversal Cable & New Media Distribution today announced a deal that will expand the mega-retailer's streaming selection by hundreds of episodes, including the likes of Parks and Recreation, Parenthood, Friday Night Lights, Heroes and Battlestar Galactica. Prime users will be able to check out older seasons of those shows on their computers, iPads, Xbox 360s, PlayStation 3s and, of course, Kindle Fires. Non-Prime subscribers can also try out Prime Instant Video's 22,000 movies and TV shows for one month, gratis. More information and lots of excited quotes about the deal can be found after the break.
Microsoft and NBC reportedly calling it splitsville on the web, MSNBC.com to get friend-zoned
Microsoft and NBC have had what you might call a complicated relationship. They've been separated in the TV space ever since MSNBC became a solely NBC-owned entity in 2005, but the online fling has carried on to this day. If Daily Beast's tipsters are right, however, NBC may get a little less ambiguous with its relationship status and kick Microsoft to the curb. The now Comcast-owned NBCUniversal is supposedly irked at having to share equal control over the MSNBC website and wants to send Microsoft packing, buying out Redmond's 50 percent stake. While the existing management would stay, MSNBC's online staff would quit Microsoft's campus and hop over to an NBCNews.com domain to reflect their newfound independence. An NBC representative wouldn't confirm that an agreement had been signed, but did say talks had taken place -- certainly much more of a response than most rumors get. With a signed deal rumored in a matter of "days," there won't be long to wait before we learn whether or not Microsoft gets dumped once and for all.
Lovefilm signs multi-year digital deal with NBCUniversal, looks Kick Ass
LoveFilm is living by its name, and snapping up more movie content for its online service. The latest signing? NBCUniversal. So, if you're a paid up member, this means you'll now get exclusive access to the latest Universal Pictures flicks during the second "pay window" (i.e. once the subscription movie channels have had their time with them.) So if you were hovering over the streaming only option, or undecided on which service to go for, maybe this will help you along with that decision?
Engadget Giveaway: win a Sony 40-inch 1080p HDTV, courtesy of The Grey on Blu-ray and DVD
It's movie time, folks. The bad news is that you have to bring your own popcorn. The good news, on the other hand, is that the feature film and the TV are on us! Thanks to the folks at Universal Studios Home Entertainment, there's a 40-inch 1080p HDTV up for grabs. The occasion is the studio's release of The Grey, starring Liam Neeson, on Blu-ray this coming Tuesday May 15th. If you're the lucky winner, however, you won't even have to venture out to stores to pick up a copy of your own -- one will come included with the TV! Unfortunately, there's one additional restriction this time around: only US residents are able to enter. But if you qualify, head below and leave a comment, and good luck!
NBC News grows a digital publishing arm, plans 30 titles for 2012
Because you can never have your fingers in too many media pies, the powers that be at NBC News are now extending their reach into the eReader space. Under the company's newly minted NBC Publishing imprint, coverage related to current events, docs and bios, in addition to content culled from other NBC Universal divisions, will get a second life as either digital singles (think: longer than an article, shorter than a few chapters) or straight-up eBooks, with about 30 titles slated for this year. The venture, spearheaded by GM Michael Fabiano, will also reportedly serve as a platform for indie authors that rely heavily upon NBC's own archives for sourcing in their work. So, will this brave, new embrace of a 21st century business model manage to wean news junkies off that 24/7 cable drip and back into the Peacock's greedy eager arms? Hard to say until that first title hits virtual stands next month. But when it does, here's to hoping it's more Brian Williams: A Man Mad About Lana Del Rey, than Telemundo: Inside the Telenovela. Just sayin'.
Hulu may not sell after all, bidding drama continues
Hulu has been dressed in its Sunday best for some time now hoping to attract potential buyers -- but according to Reuters, a slew of speed bumps have slowed down the process and may even kill all hopes of selling the service. According to sources, the first bump in the road can be attributed to Hulu's owners -- News Corp., Disney, NBC Universal and Providence Equity Partners -- who may not all be on the same page when it comes to selling the service. Without a unified front, it's been hard for the company to find an acceptable offer from the likes of Google, Amazon, DirecTV and Dish Network, who have all talked about bidding between $500 million to $2 billion. As the service awaits a new round of bids next week, it's been said that the major players involved have (unsurprisingly) agreed to reject any lowball offers. Despite a growing numbers of subscribers, it's entirely uncertain whether anyone will step in to clean up the company's hot mess -- we're sure the drama would make for a perfect Hulu Plus exclusive, though.
New Netflix, NBCUniversal deal announced; extra $6 a month buys some old eps of The Event
In case you were wondering what the updated rates are buying, Netflix's first step in making its case for your $7.99 a month in streaming fees appears to be a renewal of its content deal with NBCUniversal. The new deal secures availability of previous seasons of popular shows including 30 Rock, The Office, Psych and other selections we've gotten used to seeing on the service for the next couple of years. There is one notable loss however, as the LA Times points out an arrangement that brought new episodes of Saturday Night Live to the service the day after they aired has come to an end. Rumors had swirled that Netflix could revive The Event after its cancellation by NBC, but while existing episodes will be available there's nothing mentioned about putting it next to the streamer's own House of Cards. Given Comcast (and now NBCU) leader Brian Robert's reference to Netflix as the rerun TV and Netflix CEO Reed Hastings' embracing of the term this deal isn't surprising, but our only question is whether it is enough to keep current subscribers around.
Potential Hulu deal with Disney increases ads, value to prospective buyers
Now that Hulu's owners have apparently decided the best thing to do is sell it to someone else, long arrangements for content are needed to bring the highest price. Bloomberg is reporting that after cutting a deal with Fox a few days ago Hulu has now tentatively reached a deal with another of its owners, Disney. While both arrangements could keep the TV shows flowing, they also reportedly include provisions to increase the number of ads shown on the service. That would also put it in position to reach a similar agreement with Comcast-owned NBCUniversal, because of the media giant's FCC promise to reach similar agreements as its competitors for online content. A change of ownership and including more ad breaks could turn off viewers, but really what else are they going to do, go back to watching Saturday Night Live on TV?
NBC Universal wins Olympic broadcasts through 2020, promises all events live starting in 2014
We've got some bad news if you're not a fan of how NBC covers the Olympics because the IOC just announced NBC Universal has won the rights to broadcast the Games through 2020 with a $4.38 billion bid, winning over rivals ABC/ESPN and Fox. ESPN and Disney had been very upfront about their desire to broadcast the games and mentioned more than once they would provide all the events live the way we prefer to see them. The good news is that according to NBC Sports Group Chairman Mark Lazarus, every event will be aired live on TV or over the internet -- starting in 2014. While Comcast and NBC try to turn things around from the 2010 Games that it lost money broadcasting, we'll probably have to suffer through tape delay one more time for the London Games next summer.
NBC Sports Group locks up NHL broadcasts for 10 years, plans to rename Versus
While we enjoy the NHL Playoffs, the NBC Sports Group (which now includes Versus thanks to the whole merger with Comcast) has announced a 10-year TV deal (rumored to be worth around $2 billion) with the league that keeps NBC and Versus as the exclusive broadcast homes for pro hockey. Beyond just broadcast, the deal also covers digital rights across "all platforms and devices" and includes provisions for more special event games, check the press release after the break for more details. Broadcasting & Cable mentions chairman Dick Ebersol said on a conference call Versus is also due for a rebranding now that the merger is completed, so expect a new channel with the letters "NBC" in it -- lets all hope this works out better than "Syfy" -- sometime soon.
Time Warner Cable's app adds new live TV channels to watch on your iPad
Disputes with Fox, Viacom and Discovery caused Time Warner to pull 11 of the 32 original channels from its live TV streaming TWCable TV app yesterday, but as promised it has brought in some new ones to replace them. Among the 17 channels added are several networks from the ABC/Disney group including ABC Family, Disney, Disney XD and ESPNnews, plus NBC Universal selections like MSNBC, Syfy and USA as well as the curious addition of Fox News. We're still not convinced watching TV on our tablet is a more useful development than using it as a remote/couch companion but until those features arrive or the app gets sued out of existence, that's what this one does. Check the full list of new channels after the break or on the TWCable Untangled blog. Update: There's no word from Time Warner, but Multichannel News reports five more new channels have been added this afternoon - Bloomberg TV, PBS Kids Sprout, Hallmark Movie Channel, Current TV and TruTV. Turner also stated TBS will join them once the app supports MLB blackout restrictions, which is also the reason why other ESPN stations aren't included yet.
Comcast CEO talks about the merger, 'cool new devices' like the iPad and why he doesn't fear Netflix
Now that the world has had a few weeks to get used to the new Comcast/NBC collabo (but not that ugly purple logo), CEO Brian Roberts talked to the Wall Street Journal about plans for the future, including his claim that Netflix is actually a good thing for his company. Roberts referred to Netflix as the new version of reruns, and explained his view that it raises the value of NBCUniversal's content while reiterating statements made earlier about lower-than-expected subscriber losses being tied more to the economy than anything else. Beyond the soft jabs, he discounted the possibility that Comcast might launch its own internet video service for non-cable subscribers, pushing the vision of adding internet video streaming options for existing customers and explaining how they'd "be able to use the devices that are cool and new, that they typically purchased themselves, to now control and interact with the device they also love, which is a brand new high def 3-D TV." Of course, it doesn't look like we're closer to choosing our own UI for browsing content, but with nicely designed apps for tablets, phones and connected TVs maybe the platform for future innovation he references has something for us to look forward to after all -- we'd consider new cable boxes that don't suck to be a good start.
Comcast's NBC Universal takeover becomes official tonight
By the stroke of midnight tonight, it will be officially done, Comcast will have taken control of NBC Universal, paying general electric $6.5 billion and tossing its own cable channels into the new NBCUniversal joint venture. It's been a long ride, from the first rumor, to an agreement, to a review period by the government that stretched over all of last year. Just a few months ago it was tough to imagine Versus and Syfy sharing a home and yet, here we are. Here's a quick recap of some of the milestones along the way, although exactly how this will impact the future of video via broadcast, cable and internet remains to be seen. Update: It's done, the official press release follows after the break. 10/1/09 - Comcast denies possible purchase of NBC, claims it can only offer a window 12/1/09 - Comcast deal to buy NBC is done, will be announced Thursday 12/3/09 - Comcast takes control of NBC, promises not to crush Hulu 03/12/10 - NBC-Comcast deal comes under Justice Department, FCC scrutiny 12/25/10 - FCC proposes rules for NBC-Comcast deal 01/18/11 - FCC approves Comcast's purchase of NBC (Update: Justice Department too, it's done)