The Business of Television : Jeff Zucker

NBC Went to Oprah Before Leno for Prime Time

News — Wed, 20 May 2009 02:38:32 GMT

Before deciding to put Jay Leno in prime time, NBC offered its 8 p.m. timeslot to Oprah Winfrey. NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker said that the notion of Oprah having a nightly show in prime time wasn’t a new idea. NBC talked to Ms. Winfrey about two years...(read more)

TV News' 10 Most Powerful

News — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 03:20:00 GMT

It’s time again for TelevisionWeek ’s list of the 10 Most Powerful in TV News. This year’s report card comes at an awkward time: Election-year performances can’t be ignored, and yet they already seem a distant memory, as the industry is roiled by the...(read more)

TV Production Stalls in New York on Tax Credit Crunch

News — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 20:49:16 GMT

A state tax credit that brought television production in New York City to a record high last year has run out of money, threatening jobs in the one sector of the city’s economy that had been expected to thrive during the recession. Already television...(read more)

NBC Sells Out Super Bowls Ads, Hits Revenue Record

News — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 21:45:45 GMT

NBC said it has sold out the remaining commercials in Sunday’s Super Bowl and has generated a record $206 million in advertising revenue for the championship game. For all of Super Sunday, NBC has garnered $261 million in revenue, the network said. “These...(read more)

NBC Shakeup: Game-Changer

News — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 04:32:00 GMT

When Jeff Zucker took over NBC Entertainment in 2000, he was all about supersizing. Now the buzzword is “right-sizing” for Mr. Zucker, who as NBC Universal chairman is in charge at a time when his broadcast network is undergoing some of the most radical...(read more)

Column: What to Get the Exec Who Has Everything

News — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 00:50:00 GMT

Tis the season for year-end columns—and all the cliches that come with them. Including, apparently, lead sentences that begin with “‘tis the season.” Lists, of course, are always a staple of columns this time of year. Coming up with New Year’s resolutions...(read more)

TV Industry Job Cuts: What’s Next?

News — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 04:37:00 GMT

Last week’s avalanche of pink slips emanating from Viacom and NBC Universal may be the worst of it for the immediate future, but media executives will have to digest more bad news on the economic and advertising fronts before television industry workers...(read more)

Viacom, NBC Universal Cut Staff, Citing Slump

News — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:58:49 GMT

Viacom Inc. is cutting about 850 jobs and NBC Universal is trimming about 500 staffers, a signal that television companies are struggling to adjust to the declining economy and slower advertising sales. Viacom said it will cut its workforce by 7% and...(read more)

NBC Universal to Cut Almost 500 Jobs

News — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:08:05 GMT

NBC Universal will cut almost 500 jobs, or 3% of the company’s worldwide labor budget, as part of the cost-cutting plan it announced two months ago. “This kind of message is never easy, but it is the right step to make, and the right time to make it,...(read more)

NBC Universal Cuts Staff in Sales

News — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 22:58:42 GMT

NBC Universal has begun cutting staff amid a faltering economy and low ratings on its broadcast network, people familiar with the matter said. So far, approximately 30 staffers in the advertising sales department have been told they are losing their jobs...(read more)

NBCU’s Zucker to Cut $500 Mil, Citing Economy

News — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 23:25:51 GMT

NBC Universal President Jeff Zucker is seeking company-wide cutbacks of $500 million next year, saying “it is increasingly clear that the worldwide economic slowdown will continue well into next year.” In an internal e-mail Friday, Mr. Zucker said the...(read more)