NBCUniversal Media Group Chairman Matt Strauss shared the company's strategic transformation and the growth of its streaming services on the Decoder podcast. Following the separation of some cable channels under the Comcast umbrella into Versant, it was announced that the entire NBCUniversal business will proceed as a new independent company. By gathering its broadcasting networks, news, sports, and Peacock units under a single structure, the company aims to take a distinct position in market competition.
Strauss states that they have combined production teams and platform management with a "content first, platform second" approach. Accordingly, traditional broadcasting networks like NBC function as a main force feeding digital streaming rather than being relics of the past. The simultaneous distribution of special events and sports competitions across streaming services and traditional television channels is considered a strategic move that increases the number of viewers on both sides.
Arguing that digital platforms should focus on engagement and time spent on screen rather than solely on subscriber numbers, the company management announced that Peacock achieved profitability for the second consecutive time in the third quarter with 261 million dollars in EBITDA. Rebuilding the bundle systems of traditional cable broadcasting in the digital world through partnerships with services like YouTube Premium is seen as an important step to ensure the sustainability of growth in the industry.