Comcast 2010 Annual Report Download - page 12

Table of Contents
Programming Segment
As of December 31, 2010, our Programming segment consisted primarily of our consolidated national cable programming
networks. The businesses in our Programming segment were contributed to NBCUniversal at the close of the NBCUniversal
transaction on January 28, 2011. The table below presents a summary of our consolidated national cable programming networks.
Programming Network
Approximate
U.S. Subscribers at
December 31, 2010
(in millions) Description of Programming
E!
98
Entertainment and pop culture
Golf Channel
83
Golf competition and golf entertainment
VERSUS
75
Sports and leisure
Style
66
Lifestyle
G4
59
Gamer lifestyle
(a)
Subscriber data based on The Nielsen Company’s January 2011 report, which covers that period from December 15, 2010 through December 21, 2010.
Comcast 2010 Annual Report on Form 10-K
8
(a)
Revenue from our programming networks is primarily
generated from monthly per subscriber license fees paid by
multichannel video providers that have typically entered into
multiyear contracts to distribute our programming networks,
the sale of advertising and the licensing of our programming
internationally. To obtain long-term contracts with distributors,
we may make cash payments, provide an initial period in
which license fee payments are waived or do both. Our
programming networks assist distributors with ongoing
marketing and promotional activities to acquire and retain
customers. Although we believe prospects of continued
carriage and marketing of our programming networks by
larger distributors are generally good, the loss of one or more
of such distributors could have a material adverse effect on
our programming networks.
Our programming networks often produce their own
television programs and broadcasts of live events. This often
requires us to acquire the rights to the content that is used in
such productions (such as rights to screenplays or sporting
events). In other cases, our programming networks license
the cable telecast rights to television programs produced by
third parties.
Other Businesses
Our other business interests include Comcast Interactive
Media and Comcast Spectacor. Comcast Interactive Media
develops and operates our Internet businesses focused on
entertainment, information and communication, including
Comcast.net, Xfinity TV, Plaxo, DailyCandy and Fandango.
DailyCandy and Fandango were contributed to NBCUniversal
at the close of the NBCUniversal transaction on January 28,
2011. Comcast Spectacor owns two professional sports
teams, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Philadelphia Flyers,
and a large, multipurpose arena in Philadelphia, the Wells
Fargo Center, and provides facilities management and food
services for sporting events, concerts and other events.
We own noncontrolling interests in certain networks and
content providers, including iN DEMAND (54%), Music
Choice (12%) and Pittsburgh Cable News Channel (30%).
We also own noncontrolling interests in FEARnet (31%), PBS
KIDS Sprout (40%), TV One (34%), Houston Regional Sports
Network, L.P. (23%), and SportsNet New York (8%), which
were all contributed to NBCUniversal at the close of the
NBCUniversal transaction on January 28, 2011. In addition,
we have noncontrolling interests in wireless
-related
companies, including Clearwire Communications LLC
(9%) and SpectrumCo, LLC (64%).