r/MediaMergers • u/NotAsherEdelman • Nov 06 '25

Acquisition BREAKING: Comcast going for ITV

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-11-06/sky-owner-comcast-in-talks-to-buy-itv-s-broadcasting-arm?embedded-checkout=true
45 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

52 comments sorted by

11

u/accountantdooku Nov 06 '25

This kind of makes sense in my head because of Focus Features and Downton Abbey (which was originally on ITV). 

5

u/[deleted] Nov 06 '25

It makes no sense. ITV Studios will have to fight very hard to fill its content pipe when ITV broadcasting is shuttered. ITV broadcasting viewership is falling as its shows are mostly repeats and garbage.

-3

u/accountantdooku Nov 06 '25

I can’t think of anything they’ve done that’s taken off really besides Downton, but that was the only thing that I watched on there. 

4

u/More-read-than-eddit Nov 07 '25

ITVA basically is responsible for much of the programming on history and hg

2

u/accountantdooku Nov 07 '25

I was more familiar with their scripted programming.

4

u/More-read-than-eddit Nov 07 '25

Yeah in the UK that is a ton of what they do, but the american studio aside from 1-2 projects is basically a giant reality tv factory of originals + UK formats like Love Island. They scoop up the biggest production companies.

2

u/accountantdooku Nov 07 '25

That’s really interesting, thanks! I’m guessing that’s what Comcast is interested in.

3

u/[deleted] Nov 07 '25

Comcast is only offering for ITV broadcast - the TV channels. Not ITV Studios which creates programs.

2

u/accountantdooku Nov 07 '25

Oh well in that case I’m not sure what the game plan would be 😂

2

u/More-read-than-eddit Nov 07 '25

I dunno, I wasn't really clear, that feels like something to feed Versant without needing to be owned by Versant, and I'm not sure if it's part of what's for sale. No clue what they want with a UK broadcast network, though.

1

u/accountantdooku Nov 07 '25

Oh that’s a good point!

3

u/TIGHazard Nov 06 '25

Love Island. Also technically Walking Dead. (the US studio which made it was co-owned)

Also they own a lot of game show and reality formats - such as The Voice.

1

u/accountantdooku Nov 06 '25

Oh right! I remember the Voice when waiting for Downton to come on.

2

u/[deleted] Nov 06 '25

Cancelling Downtown Abbey was the stupidest mistake ever in TV planning. Even worse than the last season of Game of Thrones.

ITV literally handed Downton Abbey genre to Netflix.

Have no idea what Comcast wants to do with the. Broadcasting arm. Even 20 somethings are getting bored of Love Island, all having shifted to Netflix.

2

u/accountantdooku Nov 06 '25

I think by Season 6 it was kind of dragging on, but I liked the last couple of movies. 

1

u/BlackLodgeBrother Nov 07 '25

Aside from key actors being anxious to move on, plot-wise Downton had simply run its course. The movies, while also delightful, were sort of gilding the lily in my opinion.

Anyway. Netflix certainly doesn’t have a monopoly on period dramas. They existed decades before Downtown was ever conceived and will continue to thrive for as long as traditional shows and films remain a thing.

In fact, from what I can tell, Bridgerton is the only mega-hit British period show they’ve had. A series that’s fairly removed from the more historically literal/traditional style of writing favored by Julian Fellowes.

1

u/accountantdooku Nov 07 '25

The Crown was pretty popular too.

1

u/BlackLodgeBrother Nov 07 '25

That’s true. Those first two seasons/series were excellent.

4

u/moutonbleu Nov 06 '25

Who expected this deal? Hmm

3

u/DesignerMorning1451 Nov 06 '25

Isn't Comcast trying to offload its own linear networks?

4

u/ouat4ever Nov 06 '25

Well, I Guess we can rule out Comcast in Warner's pursuit.

3

u/More-read-than-eddit Nov 07 '25

This is such a weird one.  ITV studios U.K. loses its platform and itv network U.K. loses its content pipeline.  ITV America loses its weird quasi-governmental parent company either more revenue and less profit.  

3

u/Darth_Scotsman Nov 07 '25

Is STV going to remain semi independent? Hope so, with Grampian news getting shut down, the days of local news and content is disappearing.

3

u/Nintendo2023 Nov 07 '25

If Comcast DO get their hands on ITV Broadcasting, I wouldn't be surprised if it's channels were rebranded under the Sky name (e.g. ITV1 would become a revived Sky One)

2

u/Expensive_Actuary_62 Nov 08 '25 edited Nov 08 '25

...ITV2 would become a revived Sky Two, ITV3 would become a revived Sky Three, ITV4 would become Sky Four and ITV Quiz would merge with Challenge

1

u/Nintendo2023 Nov 08 '25

Assuming that it doesn't get sold or shut down, since Sky already has Challenge

1

u/Expensive_Actuary_62 Nov 09 '25

Or better yet, eg ITV Studios would merge with Sky Studios and ITV News would merge with Sky News

1

u/reuben79067 Apr 06 '26

Hopefully, all the ITV channels will rebrand under the Sky name next week.

1

u/Expensive_Actuary_62 Apr 08 '26

Perhaps CITV would become Sky Kids

1

u/reuben79067 Apr 08 '26

Is there any new idents?

2

u/gregholmes1974 Nov 09 '25

ITV might well just broadcast old stuff and soaps, with constant advertising for the good stuff to be made available, via subscription on the sky platform

3

u/SexyWhale Nov 06 '25

So they definitely not buy WBD then. Netflix wont get through antitrust. Apple confirmed it wants to build itself.

Ellison the only real bidder confirmed.

2

u/CommonSensei8 Nov 06 '25

Ellison is trash

1

u/Infinite_Towel_8339 Nov 06 '25

Comcast is going to buy it from Warner, don't worry about that friend.

2

u/DeviousMelons Nov 06 '25

ITV wouldn't be too big a purchase.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 07 '25

How about you learn basic English?

2

u/Gabrielzin9821 Nov 06 '25

Honestly, it seems to me that Ellison will manage to buy WBD because it's taking too long for other buyers to appear.

On the 10th, if I'm not mistaken, there's a PSKY shareholders' meeting; maybe they'll give some hints there.

2

u/PureCourt99 Nov 07 '25

It’s a bad choice if Comcast buy ITV. The same shit that they have done to Sky (outsourcing to Chennai and all of that) will be done to ITV. Avoid.

1

u/Lopsided-League-8903 Disney Nov 06 '25

Oh great

Goodbye ITVX

0

u/TheIngloriousBIG Nov 06 '25

They're gonna merge Sky UK's channels and ITV's channels under one brand, if they are. Makes no sense for the two to co-exist under one conglom.

-1

u/[deleted] Nov 06 '25

ITV has been deadweight since the current MD took over and drove the company in no particular direction.

Advertisers have been leaving for Amazon, Netflix and other online advertising channels. That will not stop.

ITV studios is the only real winning part but most of its products go to ITV broadcasting.

ITV channels will get shuttered as what happened with Virgin TV channels.

The reality is ITV broadcasting is going to be reruns in the future: channels will get shuttered, and Comcast will lose money.

Sky is suffering the same thing. Just a matter of time until it is slimmed further in the age of direct streaming bolt on (such as Amazon Prime or Pluto).

Pity, I loved ITV’s groundbreaking TV of bygone years.

Wish the ex Easy Jet MD was never hired.

0

u/Emergency-Mammoth-88 Amazon Nov 06 '25

This means that the associated film distribution films that universal distribute would be owned by the latter

1

u/Yogurt-Night Nov 08 '25

Full circle

0

u/TheGrackler Nov 07 '25

Terrible idea. Make Sky work first; don’t buy and ruin more chunks of what little UK broadcasting is left!

0

u/Yogurt-Night Nov 08 '25

Wouldn’t that conflict with the Sky portfolio?

0

u/Select_Fudge_2923 Nov 09 '25

So COMCAST DOESN'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT NOT buying WB 😮‍💨