Comcast taking production services worldwide

Comcast is shopping its content-making skills to international broadcasters for the first time in an effort to better use the resources of its two US-based production units. Comcast Entertainment Studios now falls under the remit of Kevin Maclellan who was upped to president of Comcast’s international arm, CIMG, earlier this year.

Speaking at the MIP TV programming market in Cannes, Maclellan told Informa Telecoms & Media that CES does not want to be a producer for hire, just offering studio space and expertise, but wants to make entertainment content for US and international broadcasters.

In the US it has recently made Now and Then, a series of specials about child stars, for broadcast network ABC and Miss America: Behind the Scenes for Discovery-owned cable net TLC. A gameshow fronted by Jerry Springer, Baggage, is also in production for US cable net GSN.

“We produce 1100 hours of programming a year and have the second-largest post production house in LA,” Maclellan said. “We thought this is a cost centre, why not try and make it a profit centre.”

CES is also using its deep library of entertainment content to make new shows. It is currently making a 4x30mins series following the main actors in the Twilight movie franchise, which will be turned around for early June to coincide with the launch of the new Twilight movie.