Top Media Companies

Advertising, broadcasting and networking, news, print and publishing, digital, recording, and motion pictures are just a few of the sub-industries that fall under the umbrella of the media business; each sub-industries has its own unique infrastructure.

These are the domains in which media companies operate, and the end-users of their wares and services range from individuals to major enterprises. This ranking of the most successful media companies gives an inside look at their organizations and how they run their operations. As of April 12, 2022, the ranking is based on a declining order of market capitalization.

Apple (AAPL): $2.74 Trillion

Apple, established in 1976 by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, now has a market worth of $2.74 trillion, far higher than its rivals. The business transformed from a technology firm into a company that is a combination of technology and media when it added streaming and news media services to its range of offerings.

Apple is well-known not just for the technologically advanced items it manufactures but also for the more than one hundred companies it has purchased. In 2014, the firm paid $3 billion to purchase Beats, which had previously been known as Beat by Dre. Two years later, in 2018, the company paid $400 million to acquire the song-identification software Shazam.

Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple News, Apple Books, and more products fall under the company's umbrella of media services. As of March 2022, the firm has a paid subscription base of more than 25 million users for Apple TV Plus. Apple's annual net sales reached $365 billion, representing a 33.3% rise by the end of 2021.

Walt Disney (DIS): $238.21 Billion

The market capitalization of Disney (DIS) is now at $238 billion, and the company has generated over $67.42 billion in sales during the past 12 months (TTM). Disney is a massive media and entertainment conglomerate established in 1923 and has its headquarters in Burbank, California. The company has several subsidiaries and a presence all over the world.

The streaming service known as Disney Plus was introduced in November 2019. It has a variety of series and movies, such as classic Disney material, originals, exclusive shows, and blockbuster pictures.

Comcast (CMCSA): $213.75 Billion

Comcast is one of the largest global media and communications companies. It was founded in 1963 and had its headquarters in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The company has a market cap of $213.75 billion and generated revenues of over $116.39 million over the twelve-month period.

Netflix (NFLX): $152.77 Billion

Over the last ten years, Netflix has emerged as a dominant force in the media landscape. Since its inception in 1997, the firm first operated as a DVD-by-mail business before transitioning into a streaming industry powerhouse. At the end of 2021, the corporation had 222 million active users.

Membership fees charged to Netflix's streaming users account for the vast bulk of the company's earnings. For instance, Netflix's streaming services brought in $29.52 billion in revenue for the company in 2021. Nevertheless, its DVD rental sector contributed 182 million dollars to total sales.

AT&'T (T): $140.11 Billion

AT&'T has expanded its media services due to the conclusion of its $101 billion purchase of Time Warner Inc. in 2018. In addition, it expanded its Warner Bros. brand to include movies, television series, and video games.

It completed the acquisition of DirecTV in 2015, expanding its media activities throughout the United States and Latin America. Direct TV is an entertainment service that delivers digital television programming through a satellite distribution network. AT&'T announced total sales for 2021 of $168.86 billion, with WarnerMedia contributing $35.6 billion to those totals and video contributing $15.5 billion.

Sony (SONY): $114.10 Billion

Sony may be most recognized for its prominence in the consumer electronics and music industries, but it also has stakes in other media companies. Its most important submarkets are the gaming and networking services, music and image industries, and electronic goods' product and service markets.

Sony had produced $9 billion in revenue as of the conclusion of their fiscal year, which was on March 31, 2021. The motion films, television projects, and media networks that the company owns are all included in its pictures sector. In the nine months leading up to December 31, 2021, Sony recorded total sales of 7.66 trillion yen, equivalent to USD 60.76 billion.

Charter Communications (CHTR): $105.15 Billion

The acquisition of Time Warner Cable by Charter Communications in 2015 for a price of $87.4 billion gave the company a considerable presence in the media. The variety of goods and services offered by Time Warner Cable Inc. was rather extensive. Charter Communications' activities in the United States were expanded to include providing video, high-speed internet, and phone services via this acquisition. Under the Spectrum brand, this business serves 32 million clients and has a market capitalization of $105.15 billion. It posted sales of $51.68 billion in 2021, which is a 7.5% increase over the previous year's totals.