NBCUniversal Asserts Its Dominance Over Digital Video Players

Holds 'biggest upfront that has ever existed'

First things first: NBCUniversal did indeed follow through with its repeated promises to pull off its first combined upfront presentation—rolling together two broadcast networks, 15 cable networks and all of its digital properties—in under two hours. When the confetti cannons went off to bring the Radio City Music Hall event to a close, the entire presentation clocked in at an hour and 53 minutes.

By that measure, the upfront event was success. It was also a dizzying blur of sizzle reels and celebs that made one NBCU network indistinguishable from the next, which was part of the reason the company brought all of its properties together to create "the biggest upfront that has ever existed," said Steve Burke, NBCUniversal's president and CEO, making a rare appearance on an upfront stage.

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