Could Peacock have to share with a new streaming sibling? According to a report by Business Insider, it just might, but Peacock could have America to itself.
The report says NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell recently discussed the potential for a Universal-branded subscription service, under the rationale that while Peacock is a recognizable brand in America, it’s not as familiar worldwide. Apparently, the name “Universal Stream” was thrown around in discussions, focusing more on the latter half of the company’s name, using its reputation as an esteemed film production company to sell its service to a global audience.
With a Universal-branded streaming service, NBCUniversal believes they can compete with Netflix, Amazon, Disney, and WarnerMedia’s HBO Max worldwide.
Of course, starting another streaming service would cost money, money which would have been otherwise spent on bolstering Peacock’s content library or its controversial user interface. But Business Insider lists some ways NBCU could generate revenue for this new service — and it starts with its own content.
Comcast’s content deal with Hulu ends in 2024, while its Universal Pictures deal with HBO ends in 2023. While licensing fees from these other services are nice, they guarantee that viewers can get NBCUniversal’s most prized content elsewhere. Armed with exclusive rights to “Modern Family,” “Keeping up with the Kardashians,” “The Real Housewives,” and the entire slate of Universal Pictures properties like “Jurassic World” and “Fast and the Furious,” this new Universal streaming service, and Peacock by proxy, could be a titan in the industry.
This could all just be speculative while NBCUniversal attempts to merge with another media house. Last month, company leadership floated the idea of NBCU teaming up with WarnerMedia to go after Disney and the other giants in the streaming space.
Until then, Peacock is aggressively trying to sign up new subscribers. In honor of its recent acquisition of the WWE Network, Peacock is offering 50 percent off the service for the first four months:
How to Get 50% Off Peacock
- Click here to activate the offer
- Click “Get Peacock Premium”
- Add Your Email & Password
- Enter Payment Information and “Pay Now”