NBCUniversal
US media company; its photo bank credits Chrisley Knows Best promotional images
- Entries
- 9
- On the record
- 2
- Stories
- 1
- Latest entry
- Apr 2026
The record
NBCUniversal owns the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, local stations, cable channels such as CNBC, MSNBC, Bravo, Oxygen and USA Network, Universal Pictures and a theme park business, as the Federal Communications Commission described it in 2011. At that time General Electric held 80 percent and Vivendi 20 percent. Comcast took control on January 28, 2011 with a 51 percent stake, paying GE $6.2 billion in cash, and bought GE's remaining 49 percent for about $16.7 billion in March 2013.
The 2011 deal cleared only with conditions. The Justice Department and five states sued to block the joint venture and settled the same day, requiring the companies to license programming to online competitors and follow anti-retaliation and open internet rules; the FCC approved it with its own conditions over one commissioner's dissent. In January 2020 the European Commission fined NBCUniversal and other Comcast companies 14.3 million euros for restricting cross-border sales of licensed merchandise, after the company acknowledged the infringement.
In April 2023 Comcast fired NBCUniversal chief executive Jeff Shell with cause, telling the SEC that an outside investigation had found evidence corroborating a complaint of inappropriate conduct, including allegations of sexual harassment, toward a female employee. At the start of 2026 Comcast completed the separation of a group of cable networks and digital platforms into Versant Media Group, an independent public company.
Roles and honours on the record
- as of 2011 Owner of the NBC and Telemundo networks, 26 broadcast stations, cable channels including CNBC, MSNBC, Bravo, Oxygen and USA Network, Universal Pictures and an international theme park business source
- until 2011 80 percent owned by General Electric, 20 percent by Vivendi source
- 2011-2013 Joint venture controlled 51 percent by Comcast and 49 percent by GE, renamed NBCUniversal Media, LLC source
- 2013- Controlled by Comcast after it acquired GE's 49 percent interest source
Every entry, newest first
- Reported
Deadline reported the Chrisley shows canceled and noted no official word from NBCUniversal. Todd and Julie Chrisley convicted of bank fraud, then pardoned
Stories in this file
The record, entry by entry
- 2011-01-18 Filed The Justice Department and five state attorneys general sued in federal court in Washington to block the Comcast-NBCU joint venture and filed a proposed settlement the same day, requiring the companies to license programming to online distributors and comply with anti-retaliation and open internet provisions. U.S. Department of Justice press release
- 2011-01-18 Official The FCC adopted its order approving the transfer of NBCU's licenses to the joint venture subject to conditions, released January 20, 2011, with Commissioner Copps dissenting. FCC Memorandum Opinion and Order, FCC 11-4, MB Docket No. 10-56
- 2011-01-28 Official Comcast closed the transaction, taking 51 percent of NBCUniversal Holdings with GE keeping 49 percent, and paid GE $6.2 billion in cash. Comcast's Stephen B. Burke became chief executive. Comcast Corporation, Form 8-K
- 2013-03-19 Official Comcast completed its purchase of GE's 49 percent interest in NBCUniversal Holdings for about $16.7 billion. Comcast Corporation, Form 8-K
- 2020-01-30 Admitted The European Commission fined NBCUniversal and other Comcast companies 14,327,000 euros for restricting licensees from selling Minions, Jurassic World and other film merchandise across the EEA from January 1, 2013 to September 25, 2019. The fine was cut by 30 percent because NBCUniversal acknowledged the infringement and cooperated. European Commission press release IP/20/157
- 2023-04-23 Official Comcast terminated NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell's employment with cause after outside counsel investigating a complaint of inappropriate conduct with a female employee, including allegations of sexual harassment, found evidence that corroborated the allegations. Comcast Corporation, Form 8-K
- 2026-01-02 Official Comcast completed the separation of Versant Media Group, a portfolio of cable television networks and digital platforms, distributing all Versant shares to Comcast stockholders and retaining no ownership interest. Comcast Corporation, Form 8-K
- 2026-04 Reported A New York judge dismissed Sean Combs's $100 million defamation suit against NBCUniversal over the documentary The Making of a Bad Boy under the state's anti-SLAPP law, and in October 2026 ordered him to pay $478,000 of the company's legal fees, Billboard reported. Billboard report, October 2026
Documents
- FCC Memorandum Opinion and Order approving Comcast-GE-NBCU transaction, FCC 11-4 (Jan. 2011)
- Justice Department release on the Comcast-NBCU settlement (Jan. 18, 2011)
- Comcast Form 8-K on closing the NBCUniversal transaction (Jan. 31, 2011)
- Comcast Form 8-K on acquiring GE's 49 percent interest (Mar. 2013)
- European Commission press release IP/20/157, fine on NBCUniversal (Jan. 30, 2020)
- Comcast Form 8-K on termination of Jeff Shell (Apr. 24, 2023)
- Comcast Form 8-K on completion of the Versant separation (Jan. 5, 2026)