Comcast and Fuse Media, a Latino-owned, multi-platform entertainment company, today reached a new multiyear carriage agreement for the return of Fuse and Fuse Music.
The deal comes nearly three years after Comcast dropped Fuse. In 2018, the cable operator said it based its decision on an evaluation which found that much of the content carried by Fuse was similar to content also available on other networks including BET, Bounce TV and Pop.
Michael Schwimmer, former president and CEO of Fuse Media, said at the time that Comcast’s decision was “both surprising and troubling considering that Fuse met Comcast’s financial demands, and no other requirements were ever communicated to us. A commitment to diversity is an enduring value, not a politically expedient card for Comcast to play until such time as consent decrees or business objectives no longer require it.”
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But now the companies have resolved whatever conflicts that led to Fuse Media’s channels being off Comcast Xfinity. The new agreement also includes distribution rights for Fuse’s new streaming platform, Fuse+, on Xfinity X1 and Flex as well as its XClass TVs.
“Representation in media matters, and as a Latino-owned entertainment company, Fuse Media is committed to giving a voice to historically underrepresented communities,” said Fuse Media CEO Miguel ‘Mike’ Roggero in a statement. “Our networks serve Latino and multicultural audiences with authentic content that represents all aspects of their lives and culture, and provides them with genuine storytelling that entertains, inspires and reflects the world in which we live. We are pleased that Comcast shares our commitment and are excited to reintroduce our award-winning content to Comcast subscribers.”
“We are passionate about creating the world’s best and most diverse collection of multicultural programming and entertainment available anywhere,” said Keesha Boyd, executive director of multicultural video and entertainment for Xfinity Consumer Services, in a statement. “Through our partnership with Fuse Media, we are proud to continue to play a role in expanding access to high quality programming that represents and speaks to an increasingly diverse subscriber audience.”