Universal Networks International, formerly NBC Universal Global Networks, is a part of NBCUniversal.
When NBC Universal was formed, it owned entertainment television channels in Europe and Latin America. They were mostly a few international versions of the Sci Fi Channel, three action and suspense series channels in Europe, the Italian Studio Universal channel and the Latin American version of the USA Network.
In 2007 NBC Universal acquired Sparrowhawk Media Group, which at the time was a British private equity-backed media company managing a collection of digital television channels, and integrated it into NBC Universal Global Networks.[1][2] The purchase more than doubled the number of internaional channels in NBC Universal's portfolio. Sparrowhawk's crown jewel was an international network of drama channels available on most continents under the Hallmark Channel brand, but also a few new channels such as Diva TV and Movies 24.
On October 5, 2009, it was announced that the venture would be renamed Universal Networks International and focus its attention on five channel brands, all with "Universal" in their name:[3]
Altogether, the company broadcast about 70 different channels by 2009.[4]
The overhaul started in late 2009 and progressed during 2010. Most of the international Sci Fi channels were rebranded as Syfy Universal. The Hallmark Channel brand was also phased out in most markets during 2010. Typically, it was replaced by the Universal Channel brand in markets where that brand wasn't available before. In many markets where Universal Channel was already present, Hallmark Channel was replaced by either Studio Universal, Diva Universal or 13th Street Universal.
Following the merger of NBCUniversal and Comcast, the following channels are also operated and distributed by NBCUniversal:
This is an incomplete list of channels broadcast by Universal Networks International.
NBC Universal owned the free-to-air broadcaster Das Vierte until 2008.
On the January 26, 2009, Sci Fi became the first of the NBC Universal Global Network channels to begin broadcasting in High Definition within the UK. It will provide a simulcast of the Sci Fi Channel exclusively on Sky+HD channel 214, and will air UK HD premieres such as Eli Stone and Flash Gordon.
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