Is it possible that Comcast/NBCUniversal is selling its stake in a group of cable TV Networks in order to buy Clear Channel Radio and Entertainment? Scarey and chilling or a wonderful breath of fresh air for radio? Any inside information out there? Dave? What's up?
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Interesting combination from Hades? Or Heaven? Both?
- Thread starter RadioStarOne
- Start date
Somebody else asked the question on another board, I'm just asking if it's possible that this is what Comcast/NBCUniversal might have in mind from the proceeds from a sale. That's all there is too it. So....................Well?
"More likely to battle with John Malone and Liberty Media for Sirius XM if radio was their interest."
This seems just as highly unlikely as a buyout of Clear Channel! So what else is there? Or do they just want the cash in the bank for petty cash change? One thing is for certain something is up, but is it going to be big news when it breaks?
This seems just as highly unlikely as a buyout of Clear Channel! So what else is there? Or do they just want the cash in the bank for petty cash change? One thing is for certain something is up, but is it going to be big news when it breaks?
"They'd love to sell the NBC O&Os."
So why don't they? Don't answer, I already know the reasons.
So why don't they? Don't answer, I already know the reasons.
RadioStarOne said:
Same reason Disney hasn't sold the ABC TV O&Os: It could prematurely hurt the TV network. But at some point, licensed channels become expendable. That's the problem with a licensed and regulated system competing against an owned and less regulated system like cable that also has two revenue streams. In Comcast's world, NBC is a dog because it only makes money from advertising. The big money is in cable, phone, and internet service. Broadcasting is a poor stepchild.
If you read the regular rantings of Gerry Del Colliano, you'll know that CC+E are doing everything they can to attract the attention of Comcast/NBC. Apparently Bob Pitman is very keen to get these two married.... So say's Gerry...
Lee Anderson said:
Bob needs to come up with something Comcast wants that they can't get on their own. The debt to value ratio is just prohibitive. The banks are afraid. Why would a profitable company want to buy that much debt?
Comcast is even cheaper than CC. If they came in, they'd fire a lot more people, and shut down any station not pulling its weight. That could be half of the company.
TheBigA said:
Based on Gerry's conspiricy theories, this is why CC+E is slimming down staff, and filling schedules with network/voicetrack/syndicated material on a fair slab of it small/medium market stations.
TheBigA said:
I imagine the model they (CC+E) are looking for is similar to that of the TV networks. Basic theory being that you can go from town to town, and basically get the same programs, with a few top shelf talents spread across both radio and TV to create cross promotion opportunities (Yet another of Gerry's theories). Gerry thinks that the Ryan Seacrest-NBC deal is a warm-up to an even bigger act.
Lee Anderson said:
Comcast hasn't bought any more TV stations since buying NBC. They don't have to. The affiliates run NBC's spots, and the affiliates pay for running the stations. Comcast just collects the money. That's the model they like. If Comcast wants to use that model in radio, they would just buy Premiere. But I still see no advantage to them buying radio at all.
TheBigA said:
I beg to differ. I imagine going forward, the biggest asset after radio stations that CC+E will have, is iHeartradio. It is a ready made content generator/provider, powered by CC+E stations. Add to this the product Cumulus and other players (com & non-com alike) are adding to it, iHeartradio stands to be a major asset. Comcast with its internet/data service, could then own a lot of content (CC+E O&O), with access/rights to everything else that companies like Cumulus etc offer. Comcast can then argue that they truly have a Pandora alternative.
Lee Anderson said:
If Comcast wants online radio, they could buy Pandora for a lot less money and a whole lot less operating expense than CC. iheartradio is a very expensive way to do online radio. It only makes sense because CC owns all those radio stations. But I still go back to what I said earlier, that if radio is their interest, Sirius is a lot better fit for what they do than CC.
CNBC is saying in the last few minutes that the battle for control of Sirius/XM is heating up! The Big A Maybe just might be hitting the nail on the head.
It's EXACTLY what radio needs. ANOTHER massive bloodbath.
Personally, as a long term thing, I don't see much sense in Comcast buying Clear Channel. There's mobile platforms that are gaining serious traction beyond conventional radio and in 10-20 years could very well render traditional radio to the landfill.
Such a buyout could even speed up that transition, but then they're stuck with all these old radio transmitters, towers and empty spectrums.
They would do better just to buy AT&T. Because mobile is here to stay.
Personally, as a long term thing, I don't see much sense in Comcast buying Clear Channel. There's mobile platforms that are gaining serious traction beyond conventional radio and in 10-20 years could very well render traditional radio to the landfill.
Such a buyout could even speed up that transition, but then they're stuck with all these old radio transmitters, towers and empty spectrums.
They would do better just to buy AT&T. Because mobile is here to stay.
Comcast and Clear Channel have someone in common....Ryan Seacrest. Not that he has anything to do with any merger, but there has been some cooperation between the two companies regarding his new Today show gig. Plus he does produce content for both entities.
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