Summer Task 4

When talking about the media, what do we mean by the “Big Six”?

The big six is where a company owns multimedia businesses (media cross ownership). These large scale businesses can include the usage of: broadcast and cable television, radio, newspaper, film, magazine, music, video games and the online social media.

Who are the “Big Six”? And what other companies do they own?

The Walt Disney Studios -

• ABC Television Network
• Cable network ESPN
• Disney Channel
• A&E and Lifetime
• Music
• Video games
• Book publishing companies
• Touchstone production company
• Marvel Entertainment
• Lucasfilm 
• Walt Disney Pictures
• Pixar Animation Studios
• A Cellular service - Disney Mobile
• Disney Interactive Media and Consumer Products
• Theme parks in several countries

Walt Disney Studios also has a longstanding partnership with Hearst Corporation. Hearst Corporation owns additional TV stations, newspapers, magazines, and holds stakes in several Disney television ventures.

21st Century Fox - 

• Fox Broadcasting Company
• Fox News Channel
• Fox Business Network
• Fox Sports 1/2
• Nat Geo Wild 
• National Geographic 
• FX
• FXX
• FX Movie Channel
• Regional Fox Sports Networks
• Wall Street Journaland the New York Post (print publication) 
• Barron's and Smart Money magazine
• HarperCollins (book publisher)
• 20th Century Fox
• Blue Sky Studios
• Fox Searchlight Pictures

Time Warner - 

• CNN
• CW
• HBO
• Cinemax
• Cartoon Network
• HLN
• DC Comics
• Warner Bros
• TBS
• TNT
• truTV
• Turner Classic Movies
• Warner Bros. Pictures
• Castle Rock
• Interactive Entertainment
• New Line Cinema

Viacom -

• MTV
• Nickelodeon
• VH1
• BET
• Comedy Centrall
• Paramount Pictures
• Paramount Home Entertainment

Comcast - 

• NBC Universal
• NBC
• Universal Studios
• Telemundo
• Universal pictures
• Focus features
• 26 television stations in the United States
• Bravo
• CNBC
• The Weather Channel
• MSNBC
• Syfy
• NBCSN
• Golf Channel
• Esquire Network
• E!
• Cloo
• Chiller
• Universal HD
• Comcast SportsNet regional system (Comcast also owns the Philadelphia Flyers)

Comcast Corporation was formerly known as Comcast Holdings. It is an American global mass media conglomerate, being the largest broadcasting and cable television company in the world (considering it's revenue).

CBS corporation - 

• CBS Television Network and CW 
• CBS Sports Network
• Showtime
• Pop
• CBS Television Studios 
• CBS Radio (which has 130 stations) 
• Book publisher Simon & Schuster

Find an example of a major product that each of the “Big Six” have produced within the last year and research key information about these productions.

The Walt Disney Studios - Zootropolis 

Name: Zootropolis

Release date: 4th March 2016 (USA) and 25th March 2016 (UK)
Budget: $150,000,000 (estimated)
Gross profit: $341,268,248
Directed by:  Byron Howard, Rich Moore, Jared Bush
Cast:  Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba
Advertising campaign: Teaser trailers, Behind the scenes videos, Facebook page and posters.

21st Century Fox - 

Name: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children 

Release date: September 29, 2016 (Indonesia)

Budget: $110,000,000 (estimated)
Gross profit: $243 million worldwide
Directed by: Tim Burton

Cast: Eva Green, Asa Butterfield, Chris O'Dowd, Allison Janney, Rupert Everett, Terence Stamp, Ella Purnell, Judi Dench, Samuel L. Jackson

Advertising campaign: Teaser trailers, Youtube advertisement, Facebook page

Time Warner -

Name: Batman™: Return to Arkham game was made available now in North America for PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and Xbox One.

Release date: October 18, 2016

Cost: Retail price of $49.99

Advertising campaign: Youtube advertisements and posters in game stores. Additional online acknowledgements on gaming sites.

Comcast - 

Xfinity remote;
In 2015, Comcast introduced a voice controlled TV remote. The remote allows customers to navigate through tens of thousands of shows and movies on the X1 platform using just their voice. The Xfinity remote uses voice control to allow viewers search for networks, shows and movies; set DVR recordings; get recommendations and navigate Xfinity On Demand.