There’s been a lot of consolidation in the media industry in recent years, leaving just a few giant media companies that dominate the industry. Just six companies accounted for 90% of all media consumption in 2011, according to some estimates. The media landscape remains just as concentrated today. The companies have changed, but six industry giants still account for almost all of U.S. media.
Big six listed
The big six media companies right now
1. Comcast
1. Comcast
Comcast is a sprawling media and telecommunications business. It owns the largest pay-TV and home internet service provider in the U.S. (Xfinity) and the largest pay-TV provider in Europe (Sky). It houses several broadcast and cable networks and several live-action and animated film studios.
Additionally, it operates the Peacock subscription video-on-demand service and a sports entertainment company, Comcast Spectacor, that concentrates on the Philadelphia market. There are also four Universal Studios theme parks around the world under Comcast's purview.
Comcast's vertical integration of production and distribution gives it an impressively strong position in the media industry.
2. Walt Disney
2. Walt Disney
Walt Disney is home to some of the best-known characters and brands around the world. It owns Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm, among other film studios. Its TV properties include the ABC broadcast network, ESPN, and several other cable networks. It's quickly become a leader in streaming with Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, and Star. The company also operates 14 theme parks, cruise lines, and resorts.
Disney's unique intellectual property and brands allow it to create hit after hit at the movie theaters and command premium prices for its streaming content.
3. Warner Bros. Discovery
3. Warner Bros. Discovery
Warner Bros. Discovery is the result of the merger between WarnerMedia and Discovery Networks. The company owns an extensive portfolio of cable networks, including the Discovery Channel, TNT, TBS, CNN, and Food Network. It's also the home of HBO and streaming service Max, which folds in content from across its linear TV networks and additional licensed content alongside HBO content.
Warner Bros. Discovery also owns a major movie studio, Warner Bros. Pictures Group, as well as the WB TV Studios, Discovery Studios, and Cartoon Network Studios. It controls extensive sports rights in the United States and Europe, as well as DC Comics, which it uses across its film and television studios.
The conglomerate also maintains music and video game studios and magazine publications, giving it a presence across media.
4. Paramount Global
4. Paramount Global
Paramount Global, formerly ViacomCBS, is the result of the re-merging of Viacom and CBS. It's purely a media company. The company owns the CBS broadcast network and studios, Showtime, and several U.S. and international cable networks. It's the home of Paramount Pictures studios, the publisher Simon & Schuster, and the streaming video services Pluto TV and Paramount+.
Owning CBS, the most-watched broadcast network in the U.S., and CBS and Paramount studios, with their strong content creation capabilities, gives Paramount a strong hand in producing very popular content.
5. Sony
5. Sony
Sony is a massive Japanese conglomerate with operations ranging from consumer electronics to image sensors to (of course) media. Its Sony Entertainment subsidiary includes film and television studios Sony Pictures, Columbia, and TriStar, among others. It controls some popular anime properties, including A-1 studios and the Crunchyroll streaming service. Sony also owns Sony Music Entertainment, one of the big three record labels.
Sony's media business is home to several popular franchises, including Men in Black, Spiderman, and Ghostbusters, and music libraries from artists, including Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, and Taylor Swift.
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6. Amazon
6. Amazon
Amazon entered the media business in 2010 with the launch of Amazon Studios, but it saw a big boost in its presence in 2021 after acquiring MGM Studios, home to popular franchises like James Bond and Rocky.
The media segment of the sprawling conglomerate owns several film production and distribution studios, including MGM, United Artists, and Orion Pictures. Its television studios include MGM Television and Big Fish Entertainment LLC. It maintains the MGM+ streaming service in addition to Amazon's flagship Prime Instant Video service, which includes produced and licensed content.
Amazon also operates one of the biggest media distribution platforms. Consumers can rent or buy digital films, television episodes, audiobooks, or music, or stream music from Amazon.com. Prime members can also sign up for Prime Channels, which include other streaming services on Prime Video.
