wendell 3's Liked Comments
Doing a comprehensive review of Big Media Ownership is a major undertaking and not without some risks and difficulties. That said, some errors I'm aware of:
A&E, the History Channels, Biography and Crime & Investigation are all owned by a 'joint venture' of NBC/U, ABC/Disney and Hearst (the newspaper/castle people).
Hearst also owns 50% of Lifetime, Real Women & LMN.
Sundance Channel WAS a 'joint venture' of CBS, NBC/U and Robert Redford's Sundance Institute, but was recently sold, lock, stock and Redford, to Cablevision.
Cablevision also owns AMC (the Mad Men channel), WE, the Independent Film Channel and lots of local cable companies on the East Coast.
Yes, Hallmark Channel outside the U.S. is owned by NBC/U, but I believe most programming decisions are made by the Crown Media/Hallmark people and NBC is mostly distributing. When you get outside the US, things get confusing with various big players distributing or repackaging other big players' properties and lots of partnerships. I suggest avoiding anything outside the U.S. for clarity's sake.
Glad you mentioned Liberty Media, DirecTV and the Discovery Channel(s). Not as well known but big enough and well positioned to be a player in this game. Also the people behind BBC America (which complicates the International situation further)
One other lesser cable player worth noting is Scripps Networks, which brings us HGTV, Food Network, DIY Network, Fine Living and Great American Country, and until a few days ago, was part a company that owns a bunch of newspapers and local TV stations and syndicates Dilbert and other comics. (I think it split like CBS and Viacom split, but I'm not sure)
And hey, Paramount Pictures should be included in the "owned by Viacom" mix (with Paramount TV now a part of CBS, making the CBS/Viacom 'split' more complicated - or suspicious).
Anyway, again, a good feature on a tough subject.
A&E, the History Channels, Biography and Crime & Investigation are all owned by a 'joint venture' of NBC/U, ABC/Disney and Hearst (the newspaper/castle people).
Hearst also owns 50% of Lifetime, Real Women & LMN.
Sundance Channel WAS a 'joint venture' of CBS, NBC/U and Robert Redford's Sundance Institute, but was recently sold, lock, stock and Redford, to Cablevision.
Cablevision also owns AMC (the Mad Men channel), WE, the Independent Film Channel and lots of local cable companies on the East Coast.
Yes, Hallmark Channel outside the U.S. is owned by NBC/U, but I believe most programming decisions are made by the Crown Media/Hallmark people and NBC is mostly distributing. When you get outside the US, things get confusing with various big players distributing or repackaging other big players' properties and lots of partnerships. I suggest avoiding anything outside the U.S. for clarity's sake.
Glad you mentioned Liberty Media, DirecTV and the Discovery Channel(s). Not as well known but big enough and well positioned to be a player in this game. Also the people behind BBC America (which complicates the International situation further)
One other lesser cable player worth noting is Scripps Networks, which brings us HGTV, Food Network, DIY Network, Fine Living and Great American Country, and until a few days ago, was part a company that owns a bunch of newspapers and local TV stations and syndicates Dilbert and other comics. (I think it split like CBS and Viacom split, but I'm not sure)
And hey, Paramount Pictures should be included in the "owned by Viacom" mix (with Paramount TV now a part of CBS, making the CBS/Viacom 'split' more complicated - or suspicious).
Anyway, again, a good feature on a tough subject.
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I also get annoying on the subjects of Webcomics, old Animated Cartoons, Babylon 5 and regional fast food chains (Jack in the Box is NOT affiliated with Carl's Jr. and the next person to say so gets their arse kicked).
DISCLAIMER: I am an occasional paid contributor to the Entertainment section of MSNBC.com, but the website is managed by the Microsoft half of the joint venture so I am allowed to write snarky things about "Deal or No Deal".