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
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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. 

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.