Richard Harmon and Bates Motel: Core Facts
Richard Harmon is a public figure associated with the Bates Motel brand, which is most widely recognized as a fictional setting from the television series "Bates Motel" and its predecessor film "Psycho." The motel itself is a narrative property, not a real-world operating hotel chain with SEC filings or public financial statements. The brand generates revenue primarily through licensing, streaming rights, and merchandise tied to the A&E Network series "Bates Motel," which ran from 2013 to 2017. The show was produced by Universal Cable Productions and aired on the A&E Network, a joint venture of A&E Networks, which is majority owned by Hearst Communications and The Walt Disney Company. The series is currently available for streaming on platforms such as Netflix and Hulu, which generate subscription and advertising revenue from the content library. The character Norman Bates and the motel setting have become a durable part of American pop culture, with the franchise generating ongoing value through syndication and digital distribution.
While the fictional Bates Motel does not have a physical location that trades on public markets, the intellectual property rights are held by studios and production companies that are publicly traded. The series was produced under the umbrella of Universal Cable Productions, a division of NBCUniversal, which is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA). Comcast's content and cable segment, which includes NBCUniversal, reported a segment operating income of approximately $11.9 billion in the most recent fiscal year, with the filmed entertainment and streaming divisions contributing to that total. The "Bates Motel" IP is part of the broader library that supports Peacock, Comcast's streaming service, which had approximately 31 million paid subscribers as of the latest quarterly report. The franchise's value is therefore embedded in the valuation of these parent companies and their content assets.
Financial Impact and Public Data
The financial footprint of the "Bates Motel" franchise is best understood through the lens of its parent companies' public disclosures. Comcast's annual reports detail the performance of its NBCUniversal segment, which includes the filmed entertainment and streaming assets that house the "Bates Motel" library. The series' streaming performance on platforms like Peacock and Netflix contributes to the engagement metrics that justify content acquisition costs and drive subscriber retention. While individual show-level profit and loss statements are not typically broken out for niche library titles, the aggregate value is reflected in the market capitalization of the parent companies and the licensing fees negotiated for syndication. The SEC filings for Comcast provide granular data on content spending and the amortization of library assets, which include properties like the Bates Motel.
For investors and analysts, the "Bates Motel" brand is a component of the larger content ecosystem that drives long-term value for companies like Comcast and its peers. The production and distribution of classic and cult television properties is a core part of the media industry's strategy to build durable, low-cost content libraries that generate revenue over decades. The series' continued availability on major streaming platforms ensures that the Bates Motel property remains a revenue-generating asset within these libraries. The financial data relevant to this franchise is therefore found in the consolidated financial statements of the parent companies, rather than in standalone motel or tourism industry reports.
Where to Find Official Data and Sources
The most authoritative public data on the companies behind the "Bates Motel" franchise can be found in SEC filings and official investor relations materials. Comcast Corporation files annual reports on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q with the SEC, which are accessible through the EDGAR database. These documents provide detailed segment reporting that includes the performance of the NBCUniversal content library, which encompasses the "Bates Motel" series. For direct information on the series itself, the official A&E Network website and the streaming platforms that host the show provide metadata, episode guides, and press releases that confirm the show's production details and distribution rights.