NBCUniversal’s Peacock is officially coming to YouTube.
All of the streaming service’s content, including NBC Sports’ NFL and NBA portfolio, Universal movies like the Minions series, and original content from Peacock and Bravo like the Real Housewives series and Love Island USA, will be included in YouTube Premium subscriptions in the U.S. starting early next year.
googleYouTube Premium is a subscription version of the streaming platform that offers ad-free videos and the ability to download most videos depending on your subscription tier. The service offers a variety of plans starting at $8.99 per month. Peacock Premium currently costs $10.99 per month.
“The first principle for us was: Will this accelerate Peacock’s long-term growth? And the answer to that is yes,” NBCUniversal Media Group Chairman Matt Strauss said in an interview. “Peacock will be one of the largest streamers in the country. This will significantly expand our reach.”
parent company comcastshares rose more than 3% in midday trading.
The deal between NBCUniversal and YouTube came about after Comcast co-CEO Brian Roberts reached out to YouTube CEO Neil Mohan about nine months ago, according to people familiar with the matter. The two companies began brainstorming about such a partnership after a meeting between executives at Google’s offices, the person added.
This partnership comes at a time of rapid change in the industry. traditional media companies such as NBCUniversal; warner bros discovery and disney As technology platforms like YouTube and TikTok increase their share of viewing time, they pursue business initiatives to increase revenue and profitability.
As business models change as consumers move away from pay-TV bundles in favor of streaming, media companies are also reshaping themselves. paramount skydance We have agreed to acquire WBD. fox company reached an agreement to acquire Roku; and Comcast is preparing to spin off NBCUniversal next year.
Streaming services have announced increased bundles to attract more subscribers, but this partnership goes a step further, as Peacock’s content will be live within YouTube or brought into the platform, so viewers won’t have to leave YouTube to access it.
Peacock already has deals with other streaming and technology platforms. apple and Amazon.
During an earnings call with investors last week, Comcast co-CEO Mike Kavanaugh said that while other media companies are going down the so-called “walled garden” path with content, NBCUniversal “continues to explore opportunities to partner, bundle and showcase other people’s (intellectual property)” across its theme parks and media platforms.
NBCUniversal’s announcement that it will be spun out of Comcast has raised hopes for more mergers and acquisitions in the industry, but Cavanagh and others are throwing cold water on that idea and focusing instead on potential partnerships and bundles.
partnership benefits
NBCUniversal and YouTube have reached an agreement to include Peacock in YouTube Premium.
Provided by: NBCUniversal
YouTube has long been considered the dominant force in the streaming world, as it accounts for the majority of viewing time, as shown in Nielsen’s monthly “The Gauge” report.
So-called creator-made videos, which attract millions of viewers on YouTube, are becoming increasingly attractive to media companies like NBCUniversal seeking reliable and engaged viewers. The category was also featured in this year’s Upfront annual advertising presentation.
With the new partnership, you’ll be able to discover Peacock’s content alongside content, clips and highlights from these creators.
According to YouTube’s subscription page, it has over 125 million premium members worldwide.
NBCUniversal reported last week that Peacock had 48 million paid subscribers as of June 30, marking the first time the streaming platform reached profitability in a recent quarter.
During an earnings call with Comcast investors, Cavanagh, who will become CEO of NBCUniversal after the separation, said he expects Peacock to remain profitable on an annual basis, with some fluctuations from quarter to quarter.
Live sports have the largest audience on both streaming and linear TV. YouTube is increasingly acquiring rights to live sports. Since last year’s first live broadcast in NFL history, the NFL has been in talks with non-traditional media companies such as YouTube and Netflix.
YouTube has become a platform for both sports leagues and media companies to host highlights and other gaming-related content to attract younger viewers. NBCUniversal’s sports-heavy streaming portfolio could complement that effort.
As part of YouTube and NBCUniversal’s partnership, NBC Sports will be the production partner for select live sports on YouTube, including last year’s NFL games.
The partnership announced Monday also extends the multi-year distribution agreement with YouTube TV, the streaming-only TV bundle operated by NBCUniversal and YouTube, as well as the distribution of YouTube, YouTube TV and Premium on Comcast’s Xfinity-branded cable TV and Xumo platforms.
It will also strengthen the advertising partnership and capabilities between the two companies, allowing NBCUniversal to monetize advertising for Peacock content on YouTube’s platform. Advertising has become a key driver of streaming growth across media companies.
