NBC Universal, recently formed through the combination of NBC and Vivendi Universal Ent. puts Bob Wright at the top of the organizational structure as chairman/ceo, while retaining his position of vice chairman/exec officer of General Electric, NBC Universal's parent company.
Randy Falco assumes responsibility for the new company's overall commercial and operational functions, as president, NBC Universal Television Networks Group. Jeff Zucker is president, NBC Universal Television Group, adding responsibility for Universal's television production and programming operations, as Ron Meyer, the former president/cop of Vivendi Universal Ent., is now president/coo, Universal Studios, responsible for Universal Pictures, the Hollywood studio operations and the company's Parks & Resorts division. Universal Pictures and Parks & Resorts will continue to be led by Stacey Snider and Tom Williams, respectively.
Dick Ebersol, chairman, NBC Universal Sports & Olympics, adds responsibility for USA Network's sports programming. Jay Ireland continues to oversee the company's 29 owned-and-operated television stations as president, NBC Universal Television Stations. To enhance global growth, Brandon Burgess assumes the newly created position of evp, Digital Media, International Channels and Business Development.
Also reporting to Wright and assuming expanded responsibilities in their respective areas are the executives in charge of the company's corporate staff functions: Lynn Calpeter, evp/cfo; Deborah Reif, evp, Financial Structuring; Marc Saperstein, senior evp, Human Resources and Communications; and Lawrence Tu, evp/general counsel.
In the television group, Jeff Gaspin is president, NBC Universal Cable Ent. & Cross-Platform Strategy, and Kevin Reilly, as previously announced, is president, NBC Ent. Reporting to Gaspin are Bonnie Hammer, president, USA & Sci Fi Networks, and Lauren Zalaznick, president, Bravo & Trio Networks. David Kissinger has been named co-president, along with Angela Bromstad, of the NBC Universal Television Studio.
In key leadership support of the NBC Universal Television Group, former Vivendi Universal Ent. cfo Frederick Huntsberry is now cfo/evp, Distribution; John Miller is chief marketing officer; and Marc Graboff is now Television Group evp. Reporting to Huntsberry in his television distribution capacity are Barry Wallach, president, NBC Universal Domestic Sales & Distribution, and Belinda Menendez, president, NBC Universal International Sales & Distribution.
Key leadership changes in the company's commercial operations include expanded roles for Keith Turner and David Zaslav, who assume responsibilities in their respective areas for all NBC and Universal properties. Turner is president, NBC Universal Sales & Marketing, and Zaslav is president, NBC Universal Cable. From Universal, Jeff Lucas will be responsible for NBC Universal Cable Sales, reporting to Turner, and Doug Holloway will be responsible for NBC Universal Cable Investments, reporting to Zaslav.
Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Ent., NBC Universal is one of the world's leading media companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. The new company's assets include some of the most recognized and valuable brands in the industry, such as television networks NBC, Telemundo, USA Network, Sci-Fi Channel, Bravo, Trio, CNBC, and MSNBC (jointly owned with Microsoft); film studio Universal Pictures; television production studios Universal Television and NBC Studios; a stations group comprising 29 NBC and Telemundo television stations; and interests in five theme parks, including Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando. International assets include excellent positions in the sale and distribution of video and DVD titles, television programming, and feature films in more than 200 countries; and distinctive television channels across Europe, Asia, and Latin America. NBC Universal is 80%-owned by General Electric, with 20% controlled by Vivendi Universal.
