Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Goodwill consisted of the following:

	December 31, 2017
(in thousands)	Gross		Accumulated Impairments⁽¹⁾			Net
Goodwill	$	1,922,462	$	(102,769	)	$	1,819,693
(1) $19.7 million and $83.1 million of accumulated impairments to goodwill are within U.S. Networks and International Networks, respectively.

	December 31, 2016
(in thousands)	Gross		Accumulated Impairments⁽¹⁾			Net
Goodwill	$	1,744,433	$	(102,264	)	$	1,642,169
(1) $19.7 million and $82.6 million of accumulated impairments to goodwill are within U.S. Networks and International Networks, respectively.

Intangible assets consisted of the following:

	December 31, 2017
(in thousands) Intangible assets	Gross		Accumulated Amortization			Net
Acquired network distribution rights	$	747,941	$	(278,657	)	$	469,284
Customer and advertiser lists		233,451		(117,134	)		116,317
Copyrights and other tradenames		422,575		(98,058	)		324,517
Broadcast licenses		137,773		(16,058	)		121,715
Acquired rights and other		120,160		(42,321	)		77,839
Total	$	1,661,900	$	(552,228	)	$	1,109,672

	December 31, 2016
(in thousands) Intangible assets	Gross		Accumulated Amortization			Net
Acquired network distribution rights	$	717,834	$	(232,856	)	$	484,978
Customer and advertiser lists		209,314		(93,232	)		116,082
Copyrights and other tradenames		362,236		(61,286	)		300,950
Broadcast licenses		114,832		(7,861	)		106,971
Acquired rights and other		119,885		(36,184	)		83,701
Total	$	1,524,101	$	(431,419	)	$	1,092,682

Amortization expense associated with intangible assets for each of the next five years is expected to be as follows:

(in thousands)	Estimated Amortization *
2018	$	99,442
2019	$	95,701
2020	$	91,759
2021	$	89,577
2022	$	77,966
Thereafter	$	655,227
* The functional currency of certain foreign subsidiaries differs from the USD, so these amounts are subject to change as exchange rates fluctuate.

Goodwill activity by business segment consisted of the following:

(in thousands) Goodwill	U.S. Networks		International Networks			Corporate and Other		Total
December 31, 2015	$	510,484	$	1,294,264		$	-	$	1,804,748
Purchase price allocation adjustments		-		(46,124	)		-		(46,124	)
Additions - business acquisitions		-		450			-		450
Write-down/impairment		-		(57,878	)		-		(57,878	)
Foreign currency translation		-		(59,027	)		-		(59,027	)
December 31, 2016	$	510,484	$	1,131,685		$	-	$	1,642,169
Additions - business acquisitions		10,320		-			-		10,320
Write-down/impairment		-		(505	)		-		(505	)
Foreign currency translation		-		167,709			-		167,709
December 31, 2017	$	520,804	$	1,298,889		$	-	$	1,819,693

Intangible assets activity by business segment consisted of the following:

(in thousands) Intangible Assets	U.S. Networks			International Networks			Corporate and Other		Total
December 31, 2015	$	484,599		$	778,065		$	-	$	1,262,664
Additions		-			11,634			-		11,634
Amortization		(40,220	)		(67,279	)		-		(107,499	)
Write-down/impairment		-			(16,330	)		-		(16,330	)
Foreign currency translation		-			(57,787	)		-		(57,787	)
December 31, 2016	$	444,379		$	648,303		$	-	$	1,092,682
Additions		231			-			-		231
Amortization		(40,691	)		(52,825	)		-		(93,516	)
Write-down/impairment		-			(10,564	)		-		(10,564	)
Foreign currency translation		-			120,839			-		120,839
December 31, 2017	$	403,919		$	705,753		$	-	$	1,109,672