NBC | Project for Excellence in Journalism (PEJ)

March 13, 2006

NBC Universal (GE)--At A Glance

Parent Company:		(GE) NBC Universal
Parent Company Revenue (2004):		$152.4 billion
Network Revenue- NBC (2005)		$3.9 billion
Top Executive		Bob Wright, Chair/CEO, NBC Universal
Parent Company Divisions:	GE Commercial Finance	GE Commercial Finance provides loans, operating leases, financing programs, commercial insurance and reinsurance, and other services.	Capital solutions Corporate financial services Healthcare financial services Insurance Real Estate
GE Consumer Finance	Provider of credit services to consumers, retailers and auto dealers in countries around the world, offering financial products such as private label credit cards, personal loans, bank cards, auto loans and leases, mortgages, corporate travel and purchasing cards, debt consolidation and home equity loans and credit insurance.
GE Healthcare	Medical imaging and information technologies, medical diagnostics, patient monitoring systems, disease research, drug discovery and biopharmaceuticals GE Healthcare offers a broad range of services to improve productivity in healthcare and enable healthcare providers to better diagnose, treat and manage patients with conditions such as cancer, Alzheimer's and cardiovascular diseases.
GE Industrial	Provides a broad range of products and services throughout the world, including appliances, lighting and industrial products; factory automation systems; plastics, silicones and quartz products; security and sensors technology, and equipment financing, management and operating services.	Advanced materials Consumer & Industrial Equipment services Inspection technologies Plastics Security Sensing
GE Infrastructure	Provider of fundamental technologies to developed and developing countries, including aircraft engine, energy, oil and gas, rail and water process technologies and services. Also provides aviation and energy leasing and financing services.
NBC Universal	Media and entertainment company for the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience.	NBC Telemundo Bravo International channels Mun2TV Sci Fi Channel Trio USA NBC Sports NBC News NBC Olympics NBC local stations MSNBC CNBC Universal HD NBC Universal Television NBC Universal Distribution Universal Production Studios Universal Pictures Universal Studio DVD Focus Features Universal Studios Hollywood Universal Studios Orlando Universal Studios Japan

Source: Division descriptions taken from General Electric’s corporate Web site NBC Universal divisions taken from NBC Universal Web site, www.nbcuni.com
* Data from Broadcasting & Cable, Annual Ranking of broadcasting and cable networks

It’s been over two years since NBC and the French company Vivendi Universal merged their holdings into a single media company, NBC Universal (GE holds 80% of it, Vivendi Universal the remainder). At the time, in 2003, NBC was a broadcast network powerhouse with the top morning news program, the top evening news program and a coveted entertainment lineup. Vivendi Universal, on the other hand, reportedly brought $1.7 billion in debt to the relationship. Heading into 2006, however, NBC had lost some of its value. NBC Universal’s third- quarter revenue declined 26%. The once top-rated network now sits in the No. 3 position for prime-time ratings.

The cable division, NBC Universal Cable, reached an on-demand programming deal with Time Warner Cable in late 2005. The agreement, which includes carriage agreements for USA Network, Universal HD, mun2 and Telemundo Puerto Rico, will equip programs on several NBC properties with “Start Over.” As the name implies, Start Over allows viewers to, start programs over once the programs have already begun. Reportedly, the deal “also includes the rights to on demand content from NBC News (Nightly News and Meet the Press) and for the first time, cable…“2 including programs from MSNBC and CNBC.

On December 24, 2005 , however, Microsoft announced its plans to walk away from its joint-venture cable channel, MSNBC, giving full control to NBC while maintaining joint control of MSNBC.com.

In many ways news — along with its strong sports presence derived from the Olympics — seems to be the network’s strongest asset. Its nightly newscast, morning news program and Sunday morning news shows all lead in viewership. For some time now, “Nightly News” and “Today” have earned more advertising revenue than their competition (though that may be shifting in the near future). Those two and “Meet the Press” are audience leaders in their respective spots. In other words, while NBC News is a small part of the overall picture for NBC Universal, it has the undeniable cachet of being the leading force in network news.

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Network TV Ownership

NBC Universal (GE)--At A Glance

Network TV Ownership
2006 Annual Report

Primary links

Network TV Ownership

NBC Universal (GE)--At A Glance

Network TV Ownership 2006 Annual Report

Network TV Ownership
2006 Annual Report