In 1985, GE acquired RCA for $6 billion in an all-cash deal to gain control of NBC, one of the big three broadcasters. By selling off RCA's other assets, GE essentially acquired NBC for free, and the network generated over $30 billion in operational cash flows during GE's 27-year ownership before being sold to Comcast for $22.9 billion total, demonstrating a masterclass in conglomerate acquisition strategy.