NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell revealed in a CNBC interview that Peacock added more than 2 million paid subscribers in the third quarter, bringing the total to over 15 million. The recent growth shows the streaming service is recovering from its slowdown at the end of the second quarter when Peacock stalled at 13 million paid subs.
\nShell claimed the boost in subs stemmed from a strong content lineup, including NBC next-day episodes that Peacock reclaimed from Hulu.
\n\u201cIt’s really driven by the content\u2026So all of our content that’s on NBC, Bravo, our other channels for the first time in the next couple of weeks is coming to Peacock where it used to go to Hulu,\u201d Shell said in yesterday’s interview.
\nNBCUniversal announced in August that starting on September 19, Peacock Premium will get next-day access to current seasons of NBC shows the day after they debut on the linear network. Earlier this year, the company also took next-day Bravo shows from Hulu.
\nPaid subscribers can watch the hit franchise \u201cLaw & Order,\u201d as well as \u201cOne Chicago\u201d and other popular shows like \u201cSaturday Night Live,\u201d \u201cReal Housewives,\u201d \u201cTop Chef,\u201d \u201cThe Voice,\u201d \u201cThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,\u201d \u201cLate Night With Seth Meyers\u201d and \u201cAmerica’s Got Talent.\u201d
\nShell also confirmed that Disney is planning to buy Comcast’s 33% stake in Hulu, as has been expected. \u201cIt sounds like [Disney is] going to buy it\u2026It’s a great asset,\u201d he said. \u201cIf it were put on the auction block, it would fetch a high price\u2014it would be a pretty robust auction. We’d want to participate in the auction\u2026 that’s not what we anticipate happening.\u201d
\nThe company will lose a valuable asset once Comcast no longer owns a stake in Hulu. Peacock is behind its competitor Hulu, which has 46.2 million subscribers.
\nExpanding its content library and investing in more original titles appears to be helping the streamer get back on track \u2014 slowly but surely.
\nIn addition to NBC and Bravo content, Peacock is investing in more originals to gain more subscribers. For instance, Peacock is investing in original films as part of its deal with Lionsgate. Also, the streamer recently announced its upcoming first original adult animation series, \u201cIn the Know,\u201d starring \u201cBeavis and Butt-Head\u201d creator Mike Judge and Zach Woods from \u201cSilicon Valley.\u201d<\/p>\n
Peacock invests in its first adult animation series, stars Mike Judge and \u2018Silicon Valley’s’ Zach Woods<\/p>\n