International Media Distribution (IMD) (formerly International Networks), a division of

NBCUniversal NBCUniversal Media, LLC (abbreviated as NBCU and Trade name, doing business as NBCUniversal or Comcast NBCUniversal since 2013) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational mass media and Show business, entertainment conglomerate (comp ...

, is a leading American provider of in-language networks which facilitates the distribution of Asian, European, Middle Eastern and Hispanic channels and

Video On Demand Video on demand (VOD) is a media distribution system that allows users to access videos, television shows and films Digital distribution, digitally on request. These multimedia are accessed without a traditional video playback device and a typica ...

services across all platforms including, cable, satellite and OTT.

History

Originally launched as ''International Channel Networks'' in 1996, the company was owned by

Liberty Media Liberty Media Corporation (commonly referred to as Liberty Media or just Liberty) is an American mass media company founded by John C. Malone in 1991. The company has three divisions, reflecting its ownership stakes in the Formula One Group, S ...

(which was the majority owner with a 90% stake) and JJS II Communications, LLC (which owned the remaining 10% share). They owned and operated ''The International Channel or I-Channel'', which was a basic cable channel that launched in 1990 and featured multilingual, multi-ethnic programming to audiences in the United States. The channel offered programming from Europe, Asia & the Middle East in over 25 languages. In 1998, the company began offering a tier of premium networks featuring various channels from around the world. This tier has since grown and currently consists of over 50 networks. In 2000, they added channels in the Persian, Russian and Japanese languages. Around that time, more cable head-ends were carrying at least The International Channel and some of its premium networks. In July 2004, as part of a larger deal, International Channel Networks was sold to

Comcast Comcast Corporation, formerly known as Comcast Holdings,Before the AT&T Broadband, AT&T merger in 2001, the parent company was Comcast Holdings Corporation. Comcast Holdings Corporation now refers to a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation, not th ...

. In 2005, Comcast re-branded the International Channel as ''

AZN Television AZN Television (formerly called International Channel) was an American cable TV channel which promoted itself as "the network for Asian America". It was run by International Networks, a wholly owned subsidiary of Comcast Corporation. The channe ...

'', a channel catering to Asian Americans and featuring several original programmes. Its non-Asian programming was removed, redirecting viewers to its distributed premium channels. The company was subsequently renamed ''International Networks''. On April 9, 2008, AZN Television ceased operations as Comcast decided to shut down the channel due to distribution and advertising difficulties. On March 10, 2009, Comcast decided to rename the company as ''International Media Distribution''. The re-brand was undertaken to reflect the growth of the company and to emphasize the focus which is now on the distribution of premium international channels from around the world. In 2011, Comcast completed its purchase of

, thereafter IMD was reorganized under the international television distribution arm of NBCUniversal rather than the Comcast Entertainment Group.

Premium Television Networks

Current

International Media Distribution’s portfolio includes over 50 networks from across the world including: Arabic * ART America Chinese * CCTV-4 * CGTN Documentary * CTI-Zhong Tian Channel * Phoenix North America Chinese Channel * Phoenix InfoNews Channel *

Phoenix Hong Kong Channel Phoenix Hong Kong Channel is one of the six channels that Phoenix Television operates. It was launched on 28 March 2011 in order to serve Chinese viewers in Hong Kong, and it is Phoenix Television's first Cantonese language channel that is availab ...

(Cantonese) *CGTN (English) *Jubao ( FAST/ AVOD) *Great Wall (expanded package of mainland Chinese channels) Filipino *

The Filipino Channel The Filipino Channel, commonly known as TFC, is a global subscription television network owned and operated by the Philippine media conglomerate ABS-CBN Corporation. Its programming is composed primarily of imported programs produced and distri ...

(TFC) * Myx TV (English) *

ABS-CBN News Channel The ABS-CBN News Channel, commonly known as ANC, is a 24/7 Philippine pay television news channel. It was launched in 1996 as the first all-news network in English language. The majority of its programs are produced by ABS-CBN News and Curre ...

Cinema One Cinema One (also called C1 and stylized as C1NEMAONE) is a Philippine pay television channel targeted to the Filipino diaspora. It is owned by Creative Programs Inc., a subsidiary of Philippine media conglomerate ABS-CBN Corporation. Its prog ...

*Filipino On Demand (SVOD) *Aliwko (FAST/AVOD) French *

TV5MONDE TV5Monde (), formerly known as TV5, is a French public television network, broadcasting several channels of French-language programming. It is an approved participant member of the European Broadcasting Union. The network is available across ...

* TV5MONDE Cinema On Demand * Tivi5MONDE *TV5MONDE Info * TV5MONDE Style German * DW Deutsch+ Greek * ANT1 Satellite Italian * Mediaset Italia Korean ( Television Korea) *TVK *TVK2 *TVK-Pop On Demand Polish *

TVP Polonia TVP Polonia (formerly known as TV Polonia) is the international channel of the Telewizja Polska (TVP). The channel is co-funded by the Telewizja Polska, TVP and the Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, Ministry for Foreign ...

Russian *

Channel One Russia Channel One ( rus, Первый канал, r=Pervý kanal, p=ˈpʲervɨj kɐˈnal, t=First Channel) is a Russian Television in Russia, federal television channel. Its headquarters are located at Ostankino Technical Center near the Ostankino To ...

*Dom Kino Premium *TeleCafe * RTN * RTN+ * THT South Asian *

ABP News ABP News is an Indian Hindi-language free-to-air television news channel owned by ABP Group. Initially launched as Star News in 1998, it was later acquired by the ABP Group (ABP). It won the Best Hindi News Channel award in the 21st editi ...

Eros Now Eros Now is an Indian subscription-based over-the-top, video on-demand entertainment and media platform, launched in 2012. It is owned and controlled by Eros Digital, the Indian digital media management arm of the Indian-American multinationa ...

(Subscription VOD) * TV Asia * Aapka Colors * Colors Rishtey *

MTV India MTV is an Indian pay television channel specialising in music, reality and youth culture programming. It was launched in 1996 as the Indian version of the original American network and is owned by JioStar, under a license agreement with Par ...

Colors Cineplex Colors Cineplex is a group of Indian Hindi-language 24/7 movie channels, owned and operated by Disney Star, JioStar, a joint venture between Viacom18 and Disney India. The flagship channel, also named Colors Cineplex, primarily broadcasts Bolly ...

Colors Tamil Colors Tamil is an Indian Tamil language general entertainment pay television channel owned by JioStar, a joint venture between Viacom18 and Disney India on 19 February 2018. The channel's headquarters is in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It primarily te ...

Colors Kannada Colors Kannada (previously known as ETV Kannada), is an Indian Kannada language general entertainment channel, owned by JioStar, a joint venture between Viacom18 and Disney India. It primarily telecasts programs such as serials, reality sho ...

Colors Bangla Colors Bangla (previously known as ETV Bangla) is an Indian general entertainment pay television channel broadcasting in Bengali language owned by JioStar, a joint venture between Viacom18 and Disney India. It primarily telecasts programs su ...

Colors Marathi Colors Marathi (previously known as ETV Marathi) is an Indian Marathi language general entertainment channel owned by JioStar, a joint venture between Viacom18 and Disney India. It primarily telecasts programs such as serials, reality shows and ...

News 18 Network18 Media & Investments Limited, (d/b/a Network18 Group) is an Indian media conglomerate owned by the Reliance Industries, headed by Mukesh Ambani. Rahul Joshi is the managing director, chief executive officer and group editor-in-chief, a ...

* Desi Play TV (FAST/AVOD) * TV Asia Comedy (FAST/AVOD) *

Life OK Life OK was an Indian pay television channel owned by Star India. It was launched on 18 December 2011 replacing Star One. It also started airing in the United States on 1 March 2012, and in the United Kingdom and Ireland on 28 May of that s ...

(FAST/AVOD) Spanish
Cinema Dinamita
* Picardia Nacional (SVOD)
PX Sports
* VePlus * Novelísima (FAST/AVOD; from Grupo Cisneros) * Pelimex (FAST/AVOD; from Frontera Films) Vietnamese * SBTN Formerly distributed * Scandinavian Channel (defunct) *Rang-A-Rang (Persian) *National Iranian Television (Persian) * Lifestyle Network *

TV Japan TV Japan (テレビジャパン) was a 24-hour Japanese-language television channel geared towards the Japanese diaspora in the United States and Canada. It was the North American carrier of the NHK World Premium service. The channel was owne ...

References

External links

* {{NBC Universal IMD Mass media companies established in 1996 1996 establishments in Colorado Television networks in the United States Companies based in Centennial, Colorado 2004 mergers and acquisitions