NBCUniversal will operate as an independent company, bringing together the group’s media and entertainment portfolio, including NBC and Telemundo, streaming platform Peacock, Universal Studios, Bravo and Sky.

Comcast has announced plans to separate its media and technology businesses into two independent publicly traded companies, a move designed to accelerate the growth of both businesses and strengthen their ability to invest in increasingly specialized markets.

Going forward, NBCUniversal will operate as a standalone company encompassing the group’s media and entertainment assets, including NBC and Telemundo, streaming platform Peacock, Universal Studios, Bravo, Sky, its television and film studios, as well as its theme parks.

Meanwhile, Comcast will remain focused on its connectivity, infrastructure and technology businesses, including broadband, wireless, networking and enterprise solutions.

The company said the new structure will allow both businesses to pursue independent strategies, allocate capital more efficiently and respond more quickly to changes in their respective markets.

Under the new leadership structure, Mike Cavanagh will become CEO of NBCUniversal once the separation is completed, while Michael Angelakis will serve as CEO of Comcast. Brian Roberts will remain Chairman and continue to play an active role across both organizations.

According to Comcast, shareholders will receive equity stakes in both companies, while Comcast will retain up to a 19.9% ownership stake in NBCUniversal for up to one year following the completion of the transaction.

Comcast Chairman Brian L. Roberts described the separation as “a very exciting day” for the company, saying the transaction will enable each business to adopt a more entrepreneurial approach and unlock new growth opportunities. He highlighted that Mike Cavanagh will lead the new NBCUniversal as an independent company with some of the industry’s most valuable brands and assets, while Michael Angelakis returns to lead Comcast, building on the company’s technological strength, innovation and strong customer base.

Mike Cavanagh said both companies begin this new chapter from positions of strength. He noted that Comcast will continue to strengthen its leadership in connectivity, while NBCUniversal, together with Sky, will have the scale, brands, content and financial resources needed to compete as one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies.

Michael Angelakis said he is excited to return to Comcast and work once again alongside Brian Roberts and the leadership team. He emphasized that the company’s assets, entrepreneurial culture, customer relationships and long history of technological innovation provide a strong foundation to drive growth, invest in new opportunities and create value for customers, employees and shareholders.

The company expects to complete the transaction within the next 12 months, subject to board and regulatory approvals.

The announcement represents one of the year’s most significant corporate moves for the media and entertainment industry, transforming NBCUniversal into an independent company exclusively focused on the creation, distribution and commercialization of content worldwide.

La entrada Comcast to Split Its Media and Technology Businesses Into Two Independent Companies se publicó primero en TTV News.

Rock Studios is a next-generation creative engine, powering brand growth across iconic IP and fandoms.

NBCUniversal unveiled Rock Studios, the evolution of its award-winning in-house creative engine powering the most culturally resonant brand work that connects marketers to the content, creators and moments that matter most.

With a portfolio anchored in the world’s most powerful sports, influential entertainment, and cultural properties, Rock Studios transforms media investment into integrated experiences, pairing unmatched reach with cultural relevance to deliver measurable business impact for brands of all sizes.

“For years, brands were forced to choose between storytelling and performance, but now the winning formula relies on creative that is contextually aligned, culturally relevant, and designed to perform against unrivaled reach,” said Karen Kovacs, President, Advertising & Partnerships, NBCUniversal.

“Rock Studios is built for this new reality. Bringing together iconic IP and talent, cutting-edge creative, data, and technology into a single, unified offering that helps brands of all sizes own moments, leverage our highly passionate fandoms, extend engagement cross platform, and deliver results at every stage of the funnel.”

With its expanded offerings, Rock Studios provides advertisers creative solutions across four core capabilities: Integrated Sponsorships & Experiences, Custom Creative Solutions, Talent & Creators, and Branded Entertainment. Designed to work independently or together, Rock Studios affords brands flexible and bespoke ways to activate across NBCUniversal’s ecosystem.

Through Integrated Sponsorships & Experiences, Rock Studios embeds brands directly into NBCUniversal’s biggest programming, platforms and live events, creating ownable moments inside and around the content audiences already love. These moments can then be extended through cross-platform amplification and retargeting, leveraging NBCUniversal’s advanced technology and real-time measurement capabilities to multiply impact and drive deeper outcomes.

Rock Studios’ Custom Creative Solutions offers marketers creative inspired by NBCUniversal’s iconic IP and built for performance with scalable, cross-platform solutions that make premium storytelling more accessible to brands of all sizes. With the solutions spanning everything from industry leading ad innovations to cutting edge commerce capabilities, Rock Studios is helping advertisers create, activate and scale high-impact campaign creative without sacrificing creative ambition.

NBCUniversal’s expansive ecosystem is home to some of the most sought-after Talent & Creators in the industry, and Rock Studios provides unprecedented access. The team connects brands with trusted voices audiences are deeply connected to, pairing NBCUniversal talent and creators with white-glove campaign support, scaled distribution and storytelling designed to feel authentic to fandom and culture.

With its Branded Entertainment offering, Rock Studios develops original programming and experiences with audience entertainment at the center. The team builds culture-defining content, live experiences and new IP where brands play a meaningful role in the story rather than simply appearing around it.

La entrada NBCUniversal Unveiled Rock Studios se publicó primero en TTV News.

O’Brien will assume this new role on April 1, while Ken Bettsteller, the current group president, will move into an advisory role.

NBCUniversal Media Group announced today that Gus O’Brien has been promoted to President of International Networks & Direct-to-Consumer.

O’Brien will assume this new role on April 1, while Ken Bettsteller, the current group president, will move into an advisory role, focusing on key international projects for NBCUniversal Media Group. The announcement was made by Matt Strauss, Chairman of NBCUniversal Media Group.

“Our International Networks & Direct-to-Consumer portfolio brings some of our most beloved brands to audiences around the world, including a suite of popular channels, the hybrid linear/non-linear service Universal+, and the reality TV SVOD service Hayu,” Strauss said.

“Gus is a worthy successor to Ken Bettsteller, who has been a key leader at our company for more than two decades, and I’m excited for him to bring his innovative leadership to the group as a whole, working alongside the international management team to further strengthen and support these brands.”

O’Brien assumes this expanded role after serving as Managing Director, Latin America, a position he has held since 2020. Since then, he and his team have managed long-term strategic partnerships in Latin America and Brazil, and led the transition from a cable-centric portfolio to streaming with the launch of Universal+.

In parallel, Hendrik McDermott will expand his current responsibility at the head of Europe, Middle East and Africa Networks & DTC, and of Hayu, which this month celebrates its tenth anniversary, to incorporate all Direct-to-Consumer operations within the group’s international footprint, as Managing Director, International DTC & EMEA, Canada.

La entrada NBCUniversal Appoints Gus O’Brien President of International Networks & DTC se publicó primero en TTV News.

The executive, who comes from WBD, takes on her new role to “help shape the future of streaming”.

Dionne Bermudez has been named VP of Streaming Platforms for Latam at NBCUniversal.

“I’m thrilled to be working with an amazing team to help shape the future of streaming. Big thanks to everyone who’s been part of my journey so far. Here’s to the next chapter”, she said on a social media post.

Bermudez has extensive experience in the audiovisual industry in Latin America, with over two decades working with Warner Bros Discovery. She was VP of Digital Distribution for HBO Latam, and more recently, she was named WBD’s VP of Product Strategy for Latam.

La entrada Dionne Bermudez, New VP of Streaming Platforms, LatAm, at NBCUniversal se publicó primero en TTV News.

Telemundo Studios is gearing up for a busy year in original production and new development. Pons also highlighted that another returning franchise is Sin Senos Hay Paraíso, and the upcoming premiere of Lobo, morir matando, an original production arriving with high expectations.

Produced by Luis Cabrera and Ana Paula Carreira, from Miami

Telemundo Studios announced that El Señor de los Cielos will return in 2026 with a tenth season, aiming to honor the fandom of the longest-running Spanish-language series in the market. Production will begin in two months, and it stands as the main highlight from NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises as the company prepares for a year packed with original productions and a strong focus on IP development.

This was shared by Javier Pons, CCO of NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises and Head of Telemundo Studios, in an interview with ttvnews. “We’re doubling down on moving forward. Original IP is the foundation of our growth. The big news for 2026 is the return of El Señor de los Cielos. We’re bringing Rafa Amaya back, returning to the Telemundo screen after a two-year break,” he said.

The executive recalled that the franchise had a spin-off, which served as a kind of transition period, and now Amaya returns as an executive producer. “It’s a way to honor that huge fandom. We have to remember that El Señor de los Cielos is currently the longest-running Spanish-language series in the market. We’ll start production in a couple of months.”

Telemundo Studios is preparing for a busy year in original production and new developments. Pons noted that another returning franchise is Sin Senos Hay Paraíso. “It’s a co-production with Disney that we’re doing with our partners at TIS in Colombia. We have the original cast, and we’ll see if the audience’s wish for Catalina Santana and El Titi to finally reunite comes true.”

Lobo among the key premieres

In three to four weeks, the company will premiere Lobo, morir matando, an original production. “We’re very happy with this project. It’s the next one to premiere, and it’s still shooting, with the final weeks in Mexico. It’s an adaptation of a novel by a hugely successful Mexican author. It stars a wonderful young girl who’s going to captivate the audience,” Pons said.

It’s the story of a lone wolf who becomes the leader of the pack, the story of a solitary person disillusioned with love. It’s a fast-paced story in which a young girl hides a secret. “It’s 80 episodes that we’ll air in primetime starting in February. We hope it’s equally successful on both Telemundo and Peacock, which will be the first release windows,” Pons added.

Productions in the pipeline

Pons said they are also shooting a medical drama this year, filmed at Telemundo facilities as an original production. “It will be a drama set in a hospital emergency room in the United States, but in an area with a strong Hispanic presence. We want to address not only medical issues, but above all the lives of young doctors.”

“We’re developing a legal drama for 2027–28, and there are more projects on the way. Conspiração Filmes announced yesterday our partnership to adapt one of their very successful Brazilian series. In Brazil it was called Uno contra todos, and we’re developing an adaptation,” he noted.

Telemundo at the movies

The executive mentioned that their first experience was Las Tías, which aired on Halloween on Telemundo with great success. “That was really the first original movie we produced in-house. This year we’ve expanded a bit, entering into a co-production with Cinépolis and Mediapro.”

He also announced Atrápelo quien pueda, a film starring Jaime Camil, which will be released in theaters and on Telemundo. “And we expect it to travel well, because it’s a great romantic comedy, with Jaime delivering a wonderful performance, along with the rest of the cast. It’s an example of the kind of bets Telemundo Studios is making. The film is currently in post-production and will hit theaters in about two or three months,” Pons explained.

Mi Vida Ideal is also an original film that will be shot at Telemundo Center studios in Miami. “It’s a holiday season film, a Christmas, feel-good movie. It will be for the Telemundo screen and platforms. It’s confirmed, and we have a couple more that we’re negotiating to shoot this year and early next year.”

Microdramas and new trends

The executive spoke about productions with VIP 2000. “At the end of the year, we produced four short miniseries, short-form dramas with biblical themes, which I believe are universal. In the end, they’re love stories, based on love stories from the Bible. I think it’s a format we need to be in because of our background and our DNA. We created this type of content that other microdrama platforms are now booming with, and we needed to be there,” he said.

For Pons, attracting new audiences is a priority. “I think mobile platforms give us the opportunity to reach younger audiences who will connect with our products and projects. It’s about responding to a market need and reality.”

They are also presenting a documentary special called Giant Awareness: The Awakening of a Giant, which tells the story of the growth of soccer in the United States and specifically the evolution of the national team. It is currently in production and will premiere ahead of the World Cup.

Multiformat growth and partnerships

“There’s growth across multiple formats: microdramas, films, documentaries, and we can’t forget our unit in Argentina, Underground. Netflix will premiere the second season of En el Barro in February. We launched the first season last August, and it was top 10 globally for several weeks, not just in Argentina. We’re also premiering Amor Animal with Amazon, a young adult thriller. And soon we’ll be able to announce another release on Disney, which we’re very excited about and which will generate a lot of buzz,” Pons highlighted.

New hires and reality development

Finally, Pons spoke about the addition of Adrián Santucho to the team. “He brings a strong background and experience, both from working at a network and especially as an independent producer in different territories. He’s going to bring a lot of freshness and strengthen the reality, primetime, and specials teams, which until now have been led by Cisco Suárez, whom I want to acknowledge. He retired on December 31.”

“We’re going to launch two new reality shows. To start with, Operación Triunfo is a hugely successful music talent format. It was produced in Argentina, it was a hit in Spain for 24 years, and we’re bringing music back to the screen. That’s also important for us in terms of attracting new audiences,” he concluded.

La entrada Javier Pons, Telemundo Studios: “El Señor de los Cielos is Back in 2026” se publicó primero en TTV News.

It incorporates over 290 hours of premium non-scripted content, including Abused by Mum: The Ruby Franke Scandal (ITN Productions), I Cut Off His Penis: The Truth Behind The Headlines (Grain Media), and seasons four to seven of Love Island USA (ITV America and GroupM Motion Entertainment).

ITV Studios today announces a significant, high-volume deal with NBCUniversal International Networks & DTC Latin America, which will see Peacock’s no.1 streaming original, Love Island USA and Love Island Games (ITV America and GroupM Motion Entertainment), and ITV’s Love Island All Stars (ITV Studios and GroupM Motion Entertainment) land in Latin America for the first time.

Rob Kaplan, SVP of US & Latam, and Catalina Ramirez, VP of US & Latam at ITV Studios Global Partnerships brokered this landmark deal. It incorporates over 290 hours of premium non-scripted content, including Abused by Mum: The Ruby Franke Scandal (ITN Productions), I Cut Off His Penis: The Truth Behind The Headlines (Grain Media), and seasons four to seven of Love Island USA (ITV America and GroupM Motion Entertainment).

Rob Kaplan, SVP US & Latam at ITV Studios Global Partnerships said, “This collaboration with NBCUniversal marks an exciting milestone for ITV Studios. We are thrilled to bring the global cultural phenomenon that is Love Island to Latin American audiences alongside powerful documentaries, reflecting both the reach of our brands and the strength of this partnership.”

The recent seventh series of Love Island USA was a huge ratings success and stands as Peacock’s most-watched original season of all time. During its six-week run, series seven gathered over 18.4 billion minutes streamed on Peacock, further solidifying its massive cultural impact.

Abused by Mum: The Ruby Franke Scandal examines in harrowing detail how Ruby Franke went from picture-perfect, all-American mum to child abuser. She amassed millions of followers on social media, also becoming a millionaire with her husband Kevin whilst documenting the lives of their six children. But, behind their perfect façade was a nightmare waiting to be uncovered.

I Cut Off His Penis: The Truth Behind The Headlines, follows the story of Lorena Bobbitt, who chopped off her husband’s penis 30 years ago. The world’s media was gripped, and the Bobbitts’ story became the ultimate cautionary gender tale. But Lorena wasn’t the first – or last – woman to commit the act of penicide. Exploring cases around the world, this revelatory documentary goes behind the headlines to hear the extraordinary personal testimonies of those touched by this very specific act of violence and asks why it is committed. Is it just spiteful revenge – or long-awaited retribution?

La entrada ITV Studios Signs Major Deal With NBCU Latin America for Unscripted Content se publicó primero en TTV News.

Telemundo delivers unprecedented growth in all platforms driven by substantial gains across YouTube, FAST channels, Telemundo App, DMVPD services, and Peacock.

Telemundo is closing 2024 as the leading Spanish-language media company cementing its dominance across genres and dayparts in linear television, coupled with record-breaking digital and social media performance. Fueled by its diverse content library and multiplatform offering, including reality TV shows, scripted dramas, specials, news, and sports, Telemundo continues to deliver on its promise to create content for Latinos.

“Telemundo is wrapping up a great year, fueled by our original scripted and reality hits, engaging live specials, unprecedented news coverage in a consequential election year and the most comprehensive coverage of the Paris Olympics and. Our mission is to serve, inform and entertain the Latino community wherever they consume video and audiences are responding as we close 2024 as the leading Spanish-language network across linear and digital platforms,” said Luis Fernandez, Chairman NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises.

“Thanks to our investments and talented team of professionals, Telemundo is a go-to destination for Latinos in today’s evolving media landscape. We are doubling down on producing and distributing relevant content across all platforms to continue to strengthen the connection with our audiences and further grow our viewership with a great pipeline for next year.”

Telemundo ranked as the #1 Spanish-language broadcast network in Monday-Sunday primetime among total viewers (962,000) with its slate of regularly scheduled programming, delivering 13% year-over-year audience growth, while its Spanish-language competition declined. In digital, Telemundo achieved unprecedented success in 2024, breaking records with 434 million total hours consumed (26.6 billion video minutes)—an impressive +21% year-over-year growth. Digital growth in hours watched is driven by substantial gains across key platforms, including YouTube (+29%), FAST channels (+110%), and DMVPD services (+19%). Below are this year’s highlights:

Entertainment

Scripted Programming:

Season 9 of El Señor de los Cielos (ESDLC) marked the 7th consecutive season ranked as the #1 Spanish-language TV program in its timeslot among adults 18-49 averaging 379,000 viewers, outperforming regularly scheduled programs on other Spanish-language TV competitors. Following the conclusion of ESDLC, El Conde premiered in the weekday 10 PM timeslot and continued Telemundo’s winning streak by ranking as the #1 Spanish-language TV program in the hour among adults 18-49 averaging 289,000 viewers during its full run.

Unscripted Programming:

Telemundo was home to the most-watched primetime reality series on Spanish-language TV in 2024 with the top four programs ranked by total viewers: La Casa de los Famosos Season 4 (1.34M), Exatlon Season 8 (1.17M), La Isla (941K), and Top Chef Season 3 (931K).

La Casa de los Famosos and Exatlon led viewership on Telemundo and its app, with significant growth in YouTube views and engagement, particularly for La Casa de los Famosos.

Daytime Programming:

Hoy Dia is the only broadcast morning news program, regardless of language, with audience growth among total viewers vs. 2023, up +24% (283,000 vs. 229,000).

Telemundo ranks as the #1 Spanish-Language television network in weekday afternoons from 1-5 PM among total viewers (513,000), averaging more viewers than the competition in 2024 with its daytime slate of regularly scheduled programming. Telemundo’s total viewers daytime audience grew +8% year-over-year as En Casa con Telemundo (+11%), Mesa Caliente (+1%), and Al Rojo Vivo (+4%) all attracted more viewers in 2024.

Live Specials:

2024 Billboard Mujeres Latinas en la Música on Sunday, June 9, averaged 897,000 total viewers and 192,000 adults 18-49, ranking #1 on Spanish-language TV in its 9-11 PM timeslot. The show also generated 61 million engagements, marking a +541% increase compared to 2023.

2024 Latin Billboard Music Awards averaged 741,000 total viewers and 225,000 adults 18-49, ranking as the #1 Spanish-language TV program in Total Day on Sunday, October 20. The award show achieved 111.6 million engagements, marking a 36% increase from 2023, the highest engagement for a Premios Billboard event ever.

Telemundo had the #1 Spanish-language TV primetime entertainment special this year with Miss Universe averaging 2.1M Total Viewers. The 73rd Edition set a record with 242.9 million engagements, a 96% increase from last year—highest engagement for an entertainment special in Telemundo’s history.

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade on Thursday, November 28, averaged 632,000 total viewers and 171,000 adults 18-49, ranking #1 on Spanish-language TV in its 8:30 AM-12 PM timeslot.

News

Noticias Telemundo is the only 6:30 PM broadcast evening news program, regardless of language, with audience growth among total viewers vs. 2023, up +8% (957,000 vs. 887,000).

Telemundo ranked #1 on Spanish-language TV during Noticias election coverage of both presidential debates and party conventions among total viewers.

Noticias Telemundo also showed up strong during this election day, where the 6:30 PM news hour had unprecedented engagement via the Telemundo App – and captured over 50 million engagements – a 198% increase from 2020 – making it the highest engagement for a Presidential election in Telemundo’s history.

Additionally, Telemundo is the only Spanish-language network with total viewers growth for afternoon and late night newscasts. Mediodía viewership grew +17% (450,000 vs. 383,000) compared to 2023 while En la Noche is up +11% (431K vs. 389K).

Sports

Paris Olympics: This summer, the Paris Olympics reached 16 million cross-platform viewers with 3.9 billion minutes of content consumed across Telemundo, Universo, Peacock, and Telemundo digital streaming platforms, up +51% vs. Tokyo. Paris ranked as the most-streamed Olympics in Telemundo history, surpassing Tokyo with more than +600% growth in digital minutes and over +400% increase in social views and actions.

Premier League: Telemundo delivered its most-watched Premier League game in network history with the March 10 match featuring Liverpool and Manchester City averaging 566K total viewers. Telemundo’s total viewers Premier League audience increased +8% compared to 2023 (256,000 vs. 236,000).

El Súper Clásico (Chivas vs. América): Telemundo’s El Súper Clásico (Chivas vs. América) on March 16 ranked as Spanish-language TV’s #1 Liga MX regular season game in 2024 with 1.3 million total viewers and 658,000 adults 18-49. The match propelled Telemundo to rank as the #1 Spanish-language TV network in the Liga MX Clausura 2024 season in both demos.

US Soccer: USA Men’s Soccer on Telemundo outperformed English-language coverage (TNT/TBS/TRUTV) by +21% among total viewers in 2024.

Digital

Telemundo App:

Record Year: Reached 78.8 million total hours, a +8% increase vs. 2023.

FEP Viewership: Full episode consumption hit 75 million hours, up +15% vs prior year.

Record Months & Quarters: Top six months and two highest-performing quarters driven by ESDLC, Vuelve a Mi, El Conde, and Sin Senos Sí Hay Paraíso.

Connected TV Growth: Connected devices saw +19% growth, now 66% of all hours watched.

Telemundo.com:

24/7 Livestream Success: La Casa de los Famosos Season 4 livestreams generated 5.7 million hours and 22.5 million starts.

Peacock:

Record Streaming Year: 75 million hours, a +9% increase vs. 2023.

VOD Highs: Generated 68.4 million VOD hours (+12% YoY)

FAST Channels:

Reached the biggest year for Spanish-language FAST channel viewership on record with 29.2 million hours in 2024, up +111% vs. 2023.

Noticias Telemundo Ahora: Launched in May 2024, amassed 3.2 million hours, delivering record highs during October and November’s during the presidential election coverage.

YouTube:

Telemundo outperformed Univision by more than double the subscribers and +61% more views on YouTube. Telemundo reached 65 million subscribers and 1.2 billion video views in 2024 year-to-date.
Telemundo channels generated 992 million video views (+13% YoY) and 154 million hours consumed (+29% YoY) in 2024, fueled by growth in livestream consumption and top channels.

ComScore Social:

Telemundo Owned Accounts generated a record high 7 billion social views (+141% YoY), more than doubling its viewership compared to 2023 across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

La entrada Telemundo Wraps Up 2024 as the Leading Spanish-language Media on Linear and Digital Platforms se publicó primero en TTV News.

TTVNews celebrates its first 20 years by inviting friends and industry colleagues to share their personal experiences over the past two decades. Albertina Marfil, Director of Format Sales and Production for Latin America at NBCUniversal, answers, “Where were you 20 years ago?”

This 2024 marks the 20th anniversary of TTVNews, a big reason to celebrate for the group, which is consolidating itself as one of the go-to media platforms in the audiovisual industry in Latin America.

And to mark the occasion, we’ve invited friends and colleagues to share their experiences, challenges, and lessons learned over the last 20 years in this industry.

This time, Albertina Marfil, Director of Format Sales and Production for Latin America at NBCUniversal, answers, “Where were you 20 years ago?”

Where were you 20 years ago?

Twenty years ago, I wasn’t working in television. I had just arrived in London from Buenos Aires. I worked as a weekend waitress and took a theater and clown course. I also taught Spanish classes for foreigners, English classes for foreigners, and interpreted and subtitled; I did everything to survive. A few years later, working as a waitress, I met a girl who worked in television, and she was the one who gave me my first job; a coincidence, that was my story.

What was your first industry event?

The first event I attended was with Cineflix. It was an opportunity because one of the bosses had left. She was my boss, and now we are very close friends. The top of the company was going, and there was an opportunity to bring someone to help him, and that’s how I got to Mipcom. It was fantastic, a good moment for me. I couldn’t believe it. I was happy.

La entrada TTV 20 Years: Albertina Marfil se publicó primero en TTV News.