Comcast says it will spin off NBCUniversal | CNN Business

Comcast is positioning itself for the next round of media industry merger and acquisition activity. That’s what industry analysts are saying about the company’s Monday morning announcement about spinning off NBCUniversal. Comcast says it is going to spend the next year separating NBCUniversal and a European media arm, Sky, into a new publicly traded company, separate from Comcast’s broadband distribution business. The new content company – housing the Universal movie studios and theme parks, Peacock streaming service, and brands like NBC, Telemundo and Bravo – will be well positioned for deep-pocketed buyers. Officially, though, Comcast says the breakup is not about deal-making, and asserts that NBCUniversal “will be poised for growth” on its own. Comcast patriarch Brian Roberts said the separation plan “will unlock a more entrepreneurial management approach and open up a multitude of new opportunities for each business.” “This is not about separating what we built together,” he told investors Monday morning, “it’s about positioning two exceptional businesses to move forward with greater focus, agility, and the ability to fully capitalize on the opportunit