NBCUniversal Invests $200M in BuzzFeed

NBCUniversal said it agreed to make a $200 million equity investment in BuzzFeed, the online content company.

The investment follows last week’s $200 million investment in Vox Media, another digital content company. NBCU, a unit of Comcast, is looking to make sure it can reach younger consumers who are spending more time online — and less time with traditional media, including TV.

"BuzzFeed has built an exceptional global company that harmonizes technology, data and superior editorial abilities to create and share content in innovative ways,” Steve Burke, NBCUniversal CEO, said. “They reach a massive, loyal audience and have proven to be among the most creative, popular and influential new media players. We are pleased to be making this investment and for our companies to partner and work together."

As part of the investment, the companies in the coming months will also explore strategic partnerships across both organizations.

“It's a fascinating time for the media industry; social, mobile, digital and broadcast platforms are converging to create new opportunities to connect with global audiences, and we're excited to partner with NBCUniversal to combine our respective strengths to build the future of news and entertainment,” said Jonah Peretti, BuzzFeed’s founder and CEO.

BuzzFeed reaches more than 200 million unique visitors monthly and registers 1.5 billion monthly video views.

Read more at broadcastingcable.com.

Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.