Revenue Recognition

Revenue is recognized when, or as, performance obligations under the terms of a contract are satisfied, which generally occurs when, or as, control of the promised products or services is transferred to customers. Revenue is measured as the amount of consideration the Company expects to receive in exchange for transferring products or services to a customer ("transaction price"). To the extent the transaction price includes variable consideration, the Company estimates the amount of variable consideration that should be included in the transaction price utilizing the most likely amount to which the Company expects to be entitled. Variable consideration is included in the transaction price if, in the Company’s judgment, it is probable that a significant future reversal of cumulative revenue under the contract will not occur. Estimates of variable consideration and determination of whether to include estimated amounts in the transaction price are based largely on an assessment of the Company’s anticipated performance and all information that is reasonably available. Amounts collected on behalf of others (including taxes), where the Company is an agent, are excluded from revenue.

When determining the transaction price of a contract, an adjustment is made if payment from a customer occurs either significantly before or significantly after performance, resulting in a significant financing component. Applying a practical expedient in the new standard, the Company does not assess whether a significant financing component exists if the period between when the Company performs its obligations under the contract and when the customer pays is one year or less.

Contracts with customers may contain multiple performance obligations. For such arrangements, the transaction price is allocated to each performance obligation based on the estimated relative standalone selling prices of the promised products or services underlying each performance obligation. The Company determines standalone selling prices based on the price at which the performance obligation is sold separately. If the standalone selling price is not observable through past transactions, the Company estimates the standalone selling price considering available information such as market conditions and internal pricing guidelines related to the performance obligations.

Contracts may be modified to account for changes in contract specifications and requirements. Contract modifications exist when the modification either creates new or changes existing enforceable rights and obligations. The effect of a contract modification on the transaction price and measure of progress for the performance obligation to which it relates, is recognized as an adjustment to revenue (either as an increase in or a reduction of revenue) on a cumulative catch-up basis.

The Company primarily earns revenue from the distribution of its programming services, including licensing of its programming and other content, and advertising. The Company’s revenue recognition policies that summarize the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty associated with each major source of revenue from contracts with customers is described below.

Distribution

The majority of the Company’s distribution revenues relate to sales-based and usage-based royalties which are recognized on the later of (i) when the subsequent sale or usage occurs and (ii) when the performance obligation to which some or all of the sales-based or usage-based royalty has been allocated has been satisfied or partially satisfied. Occasionally, the Company incurs costs to obtain a distribution contract and these costs are amortized over the period of the related distribution contract as a reduction of revenue.

Subscription fee revenue: Subscription fees are earned from cable and other multichannel video programming distribution platforms, including direct broadcast satellite ("DBS"), platforms operated by telecommunications providers and virtual multichannel video programming distributors (collectively "distributors"), for the rights to use the Company's network programming under multi-year contracts, commonly referred to as "affiliation agreements." The Company's performance obligation under affiliation agreements is a license of functional intellectual property that is satisfied as the Company provides its programming over the term of the agreement. The transaction price is represented by subscription fees that are generally based upon (i) contractual rates applied to the number of the distributor's subscribers who receive or can receive our programming ("rate-per-subscriber"), or (ii) fixed contractual monthly fees ("fixed fee").

For rate-per-subscriber agreements, the Company applies the sales-based or usage-based royalty guidance, and accordingly, recognizes revenue in the period of the distributor’s usage, based on the subscription fee earned during the period.

Fixed fee affiliation agreements are generally billed in monthly installments, and such amounts may vary over the term of the contract. In cases where the invoice amount corresponds directly with the value to the affiliate of the performance to-date, the Company recognizes revenue based on the invoiced amount. In cases where changes in fees during the contract term do not correspond directly to the value of the performance to-date (for example, if the fees vary over the contract term due to a significant financing or credit risk component), the Company recognizes the total amount of fixed transaction price over the contract period using a time-based (e.g., straight-line) measure of progress.

Certain of the Company’s fixed fee affiliation agreements contain guaranteed minimum fees that are recoupable during the term of the agreement, and variable fees based on rates-per-subscriber after the guaranteed minimum is recouped. The Company recognizes revenue for the fixed consideration over the minimum guarantee period and recognizes variable fees only when cumulative consideration exceeds the minimum guarantee.

Subscription revenue from the Company's direct-to-consumer subscription streaming services is recognized as the streaming service is provided to customers.

Content licensing revenue: The Company licenses its original programming content to certain distributors, including under subscription video on-demand ("SVOD"), pay-per-view ("PPV") and electronic sell-through ("EST") arrangements. Under these arrangements, our performance obligation is a license to functional intellectual property that provides the distributor the right to use our programming as it exists at a point in time. The satisfaction of the Company’s performance obligation, and related recognition of revenue, occurs when the content is delivered to the licensee and the license period has begun.The Company’s performance obligation in a content license arrangement pertains to each distinct unit of content, which is generally each season of an episodic series or a film. The Company typically delivers all episodes of a season for a series concurrently and the licensee’s rights to exploit the content is the same across all of the episodes.

For SVOD arrangements, the Company adjusts the transaction price for the time value of money in cases where license fees are paid over several years. SVOD licensing revenue is recognized at the later of the beginning of the license period, or when we provide the programming to the distributor. The Company recognizes a contract asset for the difference between the revenue recognized and the amount we are permitted to invoice.

For PPV and EST license fee arrangements, the Company applies the sales-based or usage-based royalty guidance and recognizes revenue in the period of end-customer purchases, based on the fees earned during the period.

The Company also licenses trademarks, logos, brands, derivative character copyrights, etc. under multi-year arrangements. Under these arrangements, the Company may receive a non-refundable minimum guarantee that is recoupable against a volume-based royalty throughout the term of the agreement. The performance obligation is a license of symbolic intellectual property that provides the customer with a right to access the intellectual property. The Company adjusts the transaction price for the time value of money in cases where license fees are paid over several years. The Company recognizes revenue for the minimum guarantee on a straight-line basis over the term of the agreement, and recognizes variable fees only when cumulative consideration exceeds the minimum guarantee.

For production services arrangements, the Company recognizes revenue based on the percentage of cost incurred to total estimated cost of the contract.

The Company’s payment terms vary by the type and location of customer. Generally, payment terms are 30-45 days after revenue is earned. In certain limited circumstances, agreements with customers have payment terms in excess of one-year after satisfaction of the performance obligation.

Advertising

The Company generates revenues from the sale of advertising time on its networks. In such arrangements, the Company generally promises to air a certain number of commercials (spots) and to generate guaranteed viewer ratings for an audience demographic (impressions) over a period that generally does not exceed one year. The promise to deliver impressions by airing spots represents the Company’s performance obligation. Advertising revenues are recognized as commercials are aired, to the extent that guaranteed viewer ratings are achieved. A contract liability is recognized to the extent the guaranteed viewer ratings are not met, and is subsequently recognized as revenue either when the Company provides the required additional advertising or the guarantee obligation contractually expires, which is generally within one year. Generally, payment terms are 30 days after revenue is earned.

Transaction Price Allocated to Future Performance Obligations

The new standard requires disclosure of the aggregate amount of transaction price that is allocated to performance obligations that have not yet been satisfied as of December 31, 2018. However, the guidance does not apply to sales-based or usage-based royalty arrangements and also provides certain practical expedients that allow companies to omit this disclosure requirement for (i) contracts with an original expected length of one year or less, (ii) contracts for which revenue is recognized at the amount to which the Company has the right to invoice for services performed and (iii) variable consideration related to a wholly unsatisfied performance obligation.

As of December 31, 2018, other than contracts for which the Company has applied the practical expedients, the aggregate amount of transaction price allocated to remaining performance obligations was not material to our consolidated revenues.

Contract Balances from Contracts with Customers

The timing of revenue recognition, billings and cash collections results in billed receivables, contract assets and contract liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet.

For certain types of contracts with customers, the Company may recognize revenue in advance of the contractual right to invoice the customer, resulting in an amount recorded to contract assets. Once the Company has an unconditional right to consideration under a contract, the contract assets are reclassified to account receivables.

When consideration is received, or such consideration is unconditionally due, from a customer prior to transferring goods or services to the customer under the terms of a contract, a contract liability is recorded. Contract liabilities are recognized as revenue when, or as, control of the products or services is transferred to the customer and all revenue recognition criteria have been met. The primary source of the Company’s contract liabilities relates to advertising sales arrangements and content licensing arrangements. As noted above, the Company’s programming networks generally guarantee viewer ratings for its programming. If these guaranteed viewer ratings are not met, the Company is required to provide additional advertising units to the advertiser. For these types of arrangements, a portion of the related revenue is deferred if the guaranteed ratings are not met, representing a contract liability, and is subsequently recognized either when the Company provides the required additional advertising time or the guarantee obligation contractually expires. In certain content licensing arrangements, payment may be received in advance of a distributor's ability to exhibit a program. Such payments are recorded as a contract liability and subsequently recognized when the program becomes available for exhibition.

The following table provides information about receivables, contract assets, and contract liabilities from contracts with customers.



(In thousands)	December 31, 2018		December 31, 2017^(a)
Balances from contracts with customers:
Accounts receivable (including long-term, included in Other assets)	$	1,018,105	$	926,089
Contract assets, short-term (included in Other current assets)	9,131		—
Contract assets, long-term (included in Other assets)	8,136		—
Contract liabilities (Deferred revenue)	55,424		46,433


(a)	As noted above, prior period amounts have not been adjusted under the modified retrospective method.

Revenue recognized for the twelve months ended December 31, 2018 relating to the contract liability at December 31, 2017 was $71.1 million.