Top Qs
Timeline
Chat
Perspective

International Media Distribution

American media company From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

International Media Distribution
Remove ads

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.

Quick Facts Company type, Industry ...
Remove ads

History

Summarize
Perspective

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]

Thumb
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.

Remove ads

Premium Television Networks

Summarize
Perspective

Current

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

Arabic

Chinese

Filipino

French

German

Greek

Italian

Korean (Television Korea)

  • TVK
  • TVK2
  • TVK-Pop On Demand

Polish

Russian

South Asian

Spanish

Vietnamese

Formerly distributed

Remove ads

References

External links

Loading related searches...

Wikiwand - on

Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.

Remove ads
Remove ads