Media

Despite cord-cutting, TV is still going strong, Comcast CEO says

Comcast CEO: We can maintain momentum in video
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Comcast CEO: We can maintain momentum in video
Comcast CEO: Animation is helping movie division
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Comcast CEO: Animation is helping movie division
Comcast CEO: Not looking for acquisitions in wireless
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Comcast CEO: Not looking for acquisitions in wireless

Comcast's uptick in ad sales and its lowest second-quarter net loss of video customers in a decade is a positive sign for TV, CEO Brian Roberts said Wednesday.

"We're not seeing a slowdown," Roberts told CNBC's "Squawk on the Street." "This is the best second quarter in 10 years for video, it continues a trend we've been seeing."

Earlier Wednesday, Comcast joined a growing list of companies beating Wall Street consensus this earnings season.

The company posted second-quarter earnings of 83 cents a share, 2 cents higher than forecasts. Revenue was $19.27 billion, versus an expected $18.99 billion.

The Philadelphia-based media giant had a net loss of 4,000 video customers, but said that was the best second-quarter result in over 10 years.

"I'm very optimistic that we can continue this growth," Roberts said. "We're having a wonderful run."

Churn, the number of customers who disconnect, continues to drop significantly, Roberts said.

He highlighted NBCUniversal's upfront ad sales, which ended last week with the best season since Comcast acquired NBC. Cable ad revenue was up 3.5 percent for the quarter and 7.5 percent year over year, with an increase in political ads ahead of the November elections.

"That tells you something about video's health," Roberts said.

Satellite has historically been an area with tremendous headwinds, he said. At the moment though, voice-controlled remotes are giving Comcast an edge against competitors, Roberts said, with 800,000 voice remote controls going out per month.

"That's a game changer, nobody else has that," Roberts said. He pointed to upcoming NBC Olympics coverage and live-streaming as other potential boosts for the company's top line.

"That's the innovation we've been talking about and it's really paying dividends right now," Roberts said.

Animation continues to be a crown jewel for Comcast, which acquired DreamWorks in April.

"It's all fueled by this great content that we now have in the company," he said. "That's what gave us the confidence to want to buy DreamWorks."

In the second quarter last year, "Jurassic World" and "Fast and Furious 7" helped drive results. In comparison, this was "always going to be a down quarter," Roberts said.

DreamWorks' "Secret Life of Pets" and upcoming film "Sing" may help the company outperform in the second half of the year, Roberts said. Sequels to "Fast and Furious," "Minions" and "Despicable Me" should make 2017 a "big year," he said.

When it comes to wireless, Roberts said Comcast is not looking at any acquisitions.

The company's current wireless strategy dates to a conversation Roberts recounted with the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs.

"Jobs said 'why don't you put Wi-Fi in all your cable boxes?' before anybody had heard the words Wi-Fi," Roberts said. "That hybrid network is what we see for our strategy."

Disclosure: Comcast is the owner of NBCUniversal, the parent company of CNBC and CNBC.com.