NBC Universal today confirmed its expected purchase of female-focused cable TV channel Oxygen.

The media group has purchased the seven year old channel for $925m.

"This deal with NBCU is the best way for Oxygen to grow," said Oxygen Media chairman and CEO Geraldine Laybourne, who founded Oxygen with Oprah Winfrey and producers Marcy Carsey, Tom Werner and Caryn Mandabach in 2000. "In seven years, we built a spectacular brand for women. We built Oxygen from scratch - we became profitable, grew from zero to 74 million subscribers and produced original programming that resonates with young women everywhere. I couldn't be more proud of my team. Now together with NBCU, Oxygen can become an even bigger brand."

Oxygen is carried in 74m homes, equating to a per-subscriber purchase cost to NBC of around $12.

"In just seven short years, Oxygen has become the crown jewel of independent networks," said NBC Universal president and CEO Jeff Zucker. "It's a terrific property with a clear mission, strong brand, and desirable audience. This acquisition increases our foothold in the advertiser-coveted young, upscale, female demographic, and perfectly complements our current roster of cable channels and plays to our strength of running and operating cable networks."

The transaction will be mostly self-funded, with NBC planning to dispose of WKAQ-TV Puerto Rico and KWHY-TV Los Angeles as non-core assets.

The deal is expected to close next month.