NBCU Broadcast Ups Ad Growth, But Cable Revs Hold Steady

NBCUniversal had high-single-digit percentage broadcast advertising growth versus a decline in its cable network advertising in the fourth quarter.

The Comcast Corp. company had a 3.1% rise in advertising revenue for its broadcasting network and stations. Adding in higher retransmission fees, NBC’s broadcasting business revenue had an overall 4.8% gain during the period to $2.335 billion.

NBC’s cable network ad revenue sank 5.6% in advertising, but climbed 4.6% in its distribution revenue. All that gave cable virtually the same revenue results versus the same period a year before -- $2.327 million in fourth quarter 2014 versus $2.324 million in the fourth quarter of 2013.

NBCUniversal film business sank 10.6% to $1.448 million, with theme parks rocketing up nearly 30% to $735 million.

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Film was down due to unfavorable comparisons a year ago, when in the fourth quarter there was strong revenue from the home entertainment sales of “Despicable Me 2.” Theme parks had higher guest attendance and spending coming mostly from its Orlando, Florida park’s “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.”

NBC company revenues were 2.3% higher to $6.615 billion.

Comcast witnessed a slight increase in its video customers -- 6,000 -- during the fourth quarter. But it was down for the year as a whole, ending with 22.383 million. High-speed/broadband subscribers grew to 21.962 for the year. Voice customers also increased to hit 11.193 million, from 10.723 million.

Comcast’s local cable advertising revenues soared 18.9% during the fourth quarter to $717 million, due to higher political advertising.

For the 2014 year, Comcast grew 11.4% to $2.4 billion in local cable advertising. Cable group business revenue was up 6.1% to $11.3 billion.

Overall, Comcast Corp. revenue grew 4.8% to $17.7 billion in the fourth quarter, with net income rising 1% to $1.996 billion.

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