Editing Comcast (section)

==== Sky Group ====
{{main|Sky Group}}
Through Sky, Comcast offers any first-party and third-party television programming which using the [[satellite television|satellite distribution]] system to its customers and subscribers across several countries in Europe, such as the [[United Kingdom]], [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]], [[Germany]], [[Austria]], [[Switzerland]], and [[Italy]]. It is Europe's largest media company and [[Pay television|pay-TV]] broadcaster by revenue ({{as of|2018|lc=y|post=),}}<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/283553/leading-european-pay-tv-operators-by-revenue/ |title=Leading European pay TV operators by revenue 2018 |website=Statista|access-date=2018-11-01 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> with 23&nbsp;million subscribers and more than 31,000 employees as of 2019.<ref name="Key facts and figures">{{cite web |url=https://assets.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltdc2476c7b6b194dd/blt2e85744d661a8f04/5b643b4a7eac3e673d5e661a/download |title=Sky at a glance |format=PDF |publisher=Sky |access-date=2018-11-01 |df=dmy-all |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181104010423/https://assets.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltdc2476c7b6b194dd/blt2e85744d661a8f04/5b643b4a7eac3e673d5e661a/download |archive-date=4 November 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="News Corp. slows BSkyB bid">{{cite web|url= https://ottawacitizen.com/news/World+News+Corp+slows+BSkyB/3669128/story.html|title= News Corp. slows BSkyB bid|date= 14 October 2010|work= [[Ottawa Citizen]]}}{{dead link|date=May 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

Until November 2018, Sky was owned by 21st Century Fox through a 39.14% controlling stake;<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/09/world/europe/09murdoch.html |title= Phone Scandal Poses Defining Test for a Murdoch Son |access-date= 10 July 2011 |work= The New York Times |date= 8 July 2011 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110709111704/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/09/world/europe/09murdoch.html |archive-date= 9 July 2011 |url-status= live}}</ref> on 9 December 2016, following a previous attempt under [[News Corporation (1980–2013)|News Corporation]] that was affected by the [[News International phone hacking scandal]], 21st Century Fox announced that it had agreed to buy the remainder of Sky, pending government approval. However, after a bidding war that included Disney (which was, in turn, acquiring most of 21st Century Fox assets), Comcast acquired the entirety of Sky in 2018 for £17.28 per-share.

In 2020, NBCUniversal and Sky Group began preparations to launch an international news channel called NBC Sky World News.<ref name="varietyjan2020">{{cite web |last1=Steinberg |first1=Brian |title=NBC Sky World News Plots Summer Launch |url=https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/nbc-sky-world-news-summer-launch-comcast-1203476712/ |website=Variety |access-date=4 August 2020 |language=en |date=23 January 2020}}</ref><ref name="pressgaz">{{cite web |last1=Tobitt |first1=Charlotte |title=Sky and NBC team up for new global news channel under owner Comcast |url=https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/sky-and-nbc-team-up-for-new-global-news-channel-under-owner-comcast/ |website=Press Gazette |access-date=4 August 2020 |date=23 January 2020}}</ref> The service was also planned for it to be available on [[Peacock (streaming service)|Peacock]] in the [[United States]]. Plans for the launch – initially scheduled for summer 2020<ref name="tvbeuropelaunch">{{cite web |title=NBC Sky World News to land this summer |url=https://www.tvbeurope.com/tvbeverywhere/nbc-sky-world-news-to-land-this-summer |website=TVBEurope |access-date=4 August 2020 |date=23 January 2020}}</ref> – were put on hold due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom]].<ref name="varietyapr2020">{{cite web |last1=Steinberg |first1=Brian |title=NBCUniversal Delays Launch of NBC Sky World News |url=https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/sky-world-news-nbcuniversal-delay-andy-lack-1234569192/ |website=Variety |access-date=4 August 2020 |language=en |date=2 April 2020}}</ref> and in August, the proposed service was scrapped, resulting in layoffs of 60 employees.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-08-06|title=Cancellation of NBC Sky World News plan leaves 60 out of job|url=http://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/aug/06/cancellation-nbc-sky-world-news-60-out-work|access-date=2020-08-19|website=the Guardian|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Kanter |first1=Jake |title=Comcast Abandons Plan To Launch International News Channel NBC Sky World News |url=https://deadline.com/2020/08/comcast-shelves-nbc-sky-world-news-1203005882/ |website=Deadline |access-date=19 August 2020 |language=en |date=6 August 2020}}</ref> NBC subsequently allowed its free streaming service [[NBC News Now]] to be seen internationally, and is available globally on YouTube and on Sky TV and [[Virgin Media]] in the UK.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Atkinson |first1=Claire |title=NBC News unveils 'Signal,' its streaming network for cable-cutters |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/all/nbc-news-unveils-signal-its-streaming-network-cable-cutters-n923986 |access-date=July 3, 2019 |work=NBC News |date=October 24, 2019 |language=en}}</ref>