NBCUniversal to Shutter Universal Kids in March
It’s the end of the road for Universal Kids.
NBCUniversal will shutter the kid-centric cable network in early March, an individual with knowledge told TheWrap. The move is expected to take place around March 6, when the channel will begin displaying information for viewers.
Despite shutting down Universal Kids, NBCUniversal continues to prioritize its commitment to family entertainment and kids-focused programming on Peacock, per the individual, reflecting a general industry shift towards streaming, especially when it comes to kids content.
The move to shutter Universal Kids comes as NBCUniversal parent company Comcast prepares to spin-off several of its cable networks into a new standalone, publicly traded company.
Universal Kids was not included in the several cable networks mentioned that would be spun off into the new company, which include MSNBC, CNBC, USA, Oxygen, E!, Syfy and Golf Channel, among others. The entity will also include digital assets Fandango, Rotten Tomatoes, Golf Now and Sports Engin.
As Comcast off-loads its cable assets into the new company, NBCUniversal-owned Peacock, the NBC broadcast channel and cable network Bravo, which is behind the “Real Housewives” franchise and “Vanderpump Rules,” among others, will remain with Comcast.
“When you look at our assets, talented management team and balance sheet strength, we are able to set these businesses up for future growth,” Comcast chairman and CEO Brian Roberts said in a statement. “With significant financial resources from day one, SpinCo will be ideally positioned for success and highly attractive to investors, content creators, distributors and potential partners.”
As kids programming moves to streaming platforms for the most part, viewership for linear kids TV leaders has plummeted, with Disney Channel seeing a 90% drop from 2016 to 2022, while Nickelodeon saw a 86% drop and Cartoon Network fell 85%.
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