International Media Distribution

American media company

International Media Distribution

Company type| Subsidiary
Industry|

* Ethnic media
* Broadcasting

Founded| 1996; 29 years ago (1996)
Headquarters|

Centennial, Colorado

United States

Services|

* Broadcasting
* Marketing

Parent| NBCUniversal Media Group
Website| imediadistribution.com

International Media Distribution (IMD) (formerly International Networks), a division of NBCUniversal, is a leading American provider of in-language networks which facilitates the distribution of Asian, European, Middle Eastern and Hispanic channels and Video On Demand services across all platforms including, cable, satellite and OTT.

## History

[edit]

Originally launched as International Channel Networks in 1996, the company was owned by Liberty Media (which was the majority owner with a 90% stake) and JJS II Communications, LLC (which owned the remaining 10% share).[1] They owned and operated The International Channel or I-Channel, which was a basic cable channel that launched in 1990[2] and featured multilingual, multi-ethnic programming to audiences in the United States. The channel offered programming from Europe, Asia & the Middle East in over 25 languages. In 1998, the company began offering a tier of premium networks featuring various channels from around the world. This tier has since grown and currently consists of over 50 networks. In 2000, they added channels in the Persian, Russian and Japanese languages. Around that time, more cable head-ends were carrying at least The International Channel and some of its premium networks.[3]

International Channel Networks logo

In July 2004, as part of a larger deal, International Channel Networks was sold to Comcast. In 2005, Comcast re-branded the International Channel as AZN Television, a channel catering to Asian Americans and featuring several original programmes. Its non-Asian programming was removed, redirecting viewers to its distributed premium channels.[4] The company was subsequently renamed International Networks.

On April 9, 2008, AZN Television ceased operations as Comcast decided to shut down the channel due to distribution and advertising difficulties.[5]

On March 10, 2009, Comcast decided to rename the company as International Media Distribution. The re-brand was undertaken to reflect the growth of the company and to emphasize the focus which is now on the distribution of premium international channels from around the world.[6] In 2011, Comcast completed its purchase of NBCUniversal,[7] thereafter IMD was reorganized under the international television distribution arm of NBCUniversal rather than the Comcast Entertainment Group.

## Premium Television Networks

[edit]

### Current

[edit]

International Media Distribution’s portfolio includes over 50 networks from across the world including:

Arabic

* ART America

Chinese

* CCTV-4
* CGTN Documentary
* CTI-Zhong Tian Channel
* Phoenix North America Chinese Channel
* Phoenix InfoNews Channel
* Phoenix Hong Kong Channel (Cantonese)
* CGTN (English)
* Jubao (FAST/AVOD)
* Great Wall (expanded package of mainland Chinese channels)[8]

Filipino

* The Filipino Channel (TFC)
* Myx TV (English)
* ABS-CBN News Channel
* Cinema One
* Filipino On Demand (SVOD)
* Aliwko (FAST/AVOD)

French

* TV5MONDE
* TV5MONDE Cinema On Demand
* Tivi5MONDE
* TV5MONDE Info
* TV5MONDE Style

German

* DW Deutsch+

Greek

* ANT1 Satellite

Italian

* Mediaset Italia

Korean (Television Korea)

* TVK
* TVK2
* TVK-Pop On Demand

Polish

* TVP Polonia

Russian

* Channel One Russia
* Dom Kino Premium
* TeleCafe
* RTN
* RTN+
* THT

South Asian

* ABP News
* Eros Now (Subscription VOD)
* TV Asia
* Aapka Colors
* Colors Rishtey
* MTV India
* Colors Cineplex
* Colors Tamil
* Colors Kannada
* Colors Bangla
* Colors Marathi
* News 18
* Desi Play TV (FAST/AVOD)
* TV Asia Comedy (FAST/AVOD)
* Life OK (FAST/AVOD)

Spanish

* Cinema Dinamita
* Picardia Nacional (SVOD)
* PX Sports
* VePlus
* Novelísima (FAST/AVOD; from Grupo Cisneros)
* Pelimex (FAST/AVOD; from Frontera Films)

Vietnamese

* SBTN

Formerly distributed

* Scandinavian Channel (defunct)
* Rang-A-Rang (Persian)
* National Iranian Television (Persian)
* Lifestyle Network
* TV Japan

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "International Channel Networks". Archived from the original on 2003-04-03. Retrieved March 14, 2018. "International Channel Networks is the trade name of International Cable Channels Partnership, Ltd. (a company 90% owned by Liberty Media Corporation [NYSE: L and LMC.B] and 10% owned by JJS II Communications, LLC)."
2. ^ "IC - About IC". International Channel. Archived from the original on 2000-08-16. Retrieved March 14, 2018. "The company programs and distributes a basic cable television channel, International Channel. This service provides programming from around the world in more than 20 Asian, European and Middle Eastern languages. Programming includes news, sports, movies, music and general entertainment programs. International Channel is available to more than 8 million cable television subscribers in the United States. The channel launched in 1990."
3. ^ "TV Talks to Immigrant Markets". Los Angeles Times. January 15, 2001. Archived from the original on April 11, 2025.
4. ^ "Renamed Channel Aims at 'AZN' Appeal". NextTV.
5. ^ Comcast Pulls Plug on AZN, Broadcasting & Cable, January 28, 2008
6. ^ International Networks Is Now International Media Distribution, International Media Distribution, March 10, 2009
7. ^ "Comcast completes NBC Universal merger". Reuters. 2011-01-29. Retrieved 2020-05-27.
8. ^ "About Us". China TV Corporation.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

NBCUniversal

A division of Comcast

Predecessors|

* MCA Inc.
* PolyGram
* RCA
* Seagram Company Ltd.
* Vivendi Universal

Executives|

* Dick Ebersol
* Bonnie Hammer
* Donna Langley
* Steve Burke
* Pearlena Igbokwe
* Noah Oppenheim
* Cesar Conde

Studio Group|

| Universal Filmed
Entertainment Group|

* Universal Pictures
* Back Lot Music
* DreamWorks Animation
* Focus Features
* Illumination
* Illumination Studios Paris
* NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan
* United International Pictures*
* Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
* Universal Animation Studios
* Working Title Films
* Amblin Partners
* Amblin Entertainment
* DreamWorks Pictures

|

Universal
Studio Group|

* Universal Television
* Universal Content Productions
* Universal International Studios
* Carnival Films
* Matchbox Pictures
* DreamWorks Animation Television
* DreamWorks Classics
* Big Idea Entertainment
* Bullwinkle Studios*
* Harvey Entertainment

Destinations
& Experiences Group|

| United States|

* Universal Studios Hollywood
* CityWalk
* Universal Orlando
* Universal Studios Florida
* Islands of Adventure
* CityWalk
* Epic Universe
* Universal Kids Resort
* Universal Horror Unleashed

|

International|

* Universal Studios Japan
* Universal Studios Singapore
* Universal Beijing Resort
* Universal Studios Beijing
* Universal Studios Delhi (planned)
* Universal Studios Great Britain (planned)

Media Group|

| Television networks|

* NBC
* Bravo
* E!
* Syfy
* USA Network
* Oxygen

|

Streaming|

* Hayu
* Peacock
* PictureBox Films
* Fandango Media (70%)
* Fandango at Home

NBC
Sports Group|

* NBC Olympics
* NBC Sports Ventures
* Alli
* Golf Channel
* NBC Sports Digital
* GolfNow
* NBC Sports
* part owner
* MLB Network
* NHL Network
* Regional Networks
* Bay Area (45%)
* Boston
* California
* Philadelphia
* SNY (8%)

International
Networks|

* v
* t
* e

NBCUniversal International Networks

A division of NBCUniversal

Asia|

* DreamWorks Channel
* Golf Channel (Indonesia)
* Studio Universal (Philippines)

Australia & New Zealand|

* Bravo
* New Zealand
* Australia
* Universal TV
* Australia
* New Zealand

Europe, Middle East and Africa|

* 13th Street
* France
* Germany
* Spain
* Poland
* DreamWorks
* Diva
* E!
* Golf Channel
* Movies 24
* Syfy
* France
* Germany
* Poland
* Balkans
* Portugal
* Spain
* Studio Universal
* Telemundo Africa
* Universal TV Germany

Latin America & Brazil|

* Universal TV
* E!
* Golf Channel
* Studio Universal
* USA Network
* Telemundo Internacional
* DreamWorks Channel
* Universal+ (outside of Brazil)

Canada
(licensed)|

* Bravo
* E!
* Oxygen
* USA Network

Defunct|

* 13th Street Netherlands and Flanders
* 13th Street Australia
* Diva TV
* Diva Universal Italy
* Diva Asia
* E! Asia
* E! Australia and New Zealand
* Hallmark Channel International
* Hallmark Channel Benelux & Scandinavia
* KidsCo
* Sci Fi Romania
* Steel
* Style Network Australia
* Syfy Netherlands and Flanders
* Syfy Russia
* Syfy Asia
* Syfy Australia
* Syfy Latin America
* Universal Channel Greece
* Universal Channel Poland
* Universal Channel Turkey
* Universal Channel Japan
* Universal Channel Asia
* Universal TV UK & Ireland

Other assets|

* Distribution
* Domestic
* International

Telemundo Enterprises|

* Telemundo
* Puerto Rico Studios
* Telemundo Studios
* Universo
* Telemundo Deportesw/NBC Sports Group
* Noticias Telemundo

Local Group
O&Os|

| NBC Owned
TV Stations|

* KNBC
* KNSD
* KNTV
* KXAS-TV
* WBTS-CD
* WCAU
* WMAQ-TV
* WNBC
* WRC-TV
* WTVJ
* WVIT
* K15CU-D
* KTEL-TV
* Other properties
* Cozi TV
* NBC LX
* NBC LX Home
* NECN

|

Telemundo
Station Group|

* KASA-TV/KTEL-CD/KUPT
* KBLR
* KCSO
* KDEN-TV
* KHRR
* KNSO
* KSTS
* KTAZ
* KTDO
* KTLM
* KTMD
* KTMW
* KUAN
* KVDA
* KVEA
* KXTX-TV
* WKAQ-TV
* WNEU
* WNJU
* WRDM-CD/WDMR-LP
* WRIW-CD
* WRMD-CD
* WRTD-CD
* WSCV
* WSNS-TV
* WTMO-CD
* WWSI
* WWDT-CD
* WYCN-LD
* WZTD-LD
* WZDC-CD
* Other properties: TeleXitos

Other units|

* Affiliate relations
* NBC
* Telemundo
* EMKA, Ltd.
* International Media Distribution

News Group|

| Main divisions|

* NBC News
* NBCNews.com
* NBC Out
* MSNBC

|

CNBC global channels|

* CNBC
* Africa (licensee)
* Asia
* Brazil (licensee)
* Europe
* World

CNBC Europe branches|

* Class CNBC (20%)
* CNBC-e
* Africa (licensee)
* Arabia

CNBC Asia branches|

* CNBC TV18
* CNBC Awaaz
* CNBC Indonesia
* JKN-CNBC
* Nikkei CNBC

Former/defunct
properties|

* 13th Street (Australia)
* A&E Networks (A&E)*
* Canal+ Group
* Castle Films
* Chapman Entertainment
* Chiller
* Chiller Films
* CIC Video
* Cloo
* Comcast Network
* Craftsy
* Diva
* Diva Universal (Italy)
* E! (Asia)
* Entertainment Rights
* Esquire Network
* Fearnet
* Filmation
* FilmDistrict
* G4
* Good Machine
* Gramercy Pictures
* Hallmark Channel (international)
* ITC Entertainment
* Interscope Communications
* Miss Universe*
* Multimedia Entertainment
* NBBC
* NBCSN
* NBC Sports (Chicago (25%)
* Northwest)
* NBC Weather Plus
* October Films
* Olympic Channel
* Pacific Data Images
* Peacock Productions
* PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
* Propaganda Films
* Savoy Pictures
* SBS CNBC
* Shift
* Seeso
* Spencer Gifts
* Style Network (Australia)
* Syfy (Asia)
* Syfy (Australia)
* Tell-Tale Productions
* The Entertainment Channel*
* Total Television
* UPA
* Universal Channel (Asia)
* Universal Channel (Greece)
* Universal Channel (Japan)
* Universal Channel (Poland)
* Universal Kids
* Universal TV (UK and Ireland)
* Universal Interactive
* Universal Music Group
* Universal Channel (Turkey)
* Vivendi Universal Games
* Walter Lantz Productions
* Western Publishing
* Gold Key Comics
* Whitman Publishing
* Golden Books Family Entertainment
* Golden Book Video
* Woodland Animations
* ZGS Communications

Related|

* History of NBC
* History of NBC Sports
* Report on Chain Broadcasting (1941)
* National Broadcasting Co. v. United States (1943)

* Denotes joint ventures
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