NBCUniversal’s late-comer streaming service Peacock is debuting with far less fanfare than was planned. After a soft-launch period for some Comcast subscribers, the media company had prepared a splashy national launch in July ahead of the Olympics, followed by live streams of the opening and closing ceremonies and a steady stream of original shows. All that is off; in fact, NBCU has even said it might move up the rollout altogether.
The muted debut is a reflection of reset expectations for Peacock. Like all networks, Peacock has delayed the debut of the majority of its original shows until 2021. The good news: Peacock will have good growth comparisons in 2021 — and the bet NBCU is placing on the service is a long-term one.
“It’ll actually set them up for a good second year,” said Adam Simon, SVP and executive director of strategy at the IPG Media Lab.
Next year, the Summer Olympics should return, the bulk of NBCU’s original shows will return and it will retake exclusive rights to “The Office.”
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