NBCUniversal, which has already assessed its stake in the flagging pay-TV business, plans to shutter cable network Universal Kids.
The move, set to take effect March 6, comes as NBCU prepares to spin off most of its cable networks into a new, publicly traded company led by Mark Lazarus, a longtime top executive. This deal is expected to close by the end of 2025. Bravo is the marquee player and is expected to remain in the company’s flagship fold alongside NBC, Telemundo and the local station portfolio.
“NBCUniversal remains committed to family entertainment, including the award-winning Illumination and Dreamworks Animation brands, as well as kids-focused programming on Peacock,” a company spokesperson told Deadline in a statement.
Universal Kids was created from the network formerly known as Sprout. This joint venture with PBS Kids was a competitor during the pre-YouTube era when Nickelodeon, Disney and Time Warner were its competitors for young viewers and cable families. In the current environment of streaming interruptions, dwindling viewership and pay-TV advertising, the returns on Universal Kids’ continued investment are becoming more uncertain.
As a brand, Universal Kids has remained important to NBCU and parent company Comcast, which broke ground last year on the Universal Kids Resort theme park in Frisco, Texas. The company also positioned Universal Kids as a synergistic home for DreamWorks Animation programming following Comcast’s acquisition of DWA in 2016.
Along with YouTube, whose kids-focused arm has gained significant viewership traction, major subscription video-on-demand services like Apple TV+, Prime Video and Netflix have made strong moves in the kids and animation sectors. The precarious state of the market was clearly evident last month, when Warner Bros.’ HBO rejected the deal. Discovery and Max renew long-term deal with Warner Bros. Sesame Street. The decision left the 51-year-old children’s television corporation without television or streaming at home to fund the production of new episodes.
