{alltv} Reports: Comcast's Burke picks new NBC U team

Friday, November 12, 2010

{alltv} Reports: Comcast's Burke picks new NBC U team

LOS ANGELES – Comcast Corp. Chief Operating Officer Steve Burke has picked a new executive team that will help him run NBC Universal when Comcast takes over the media giant in the coming months, according to published reports Friday.

Burke, who is set to replace outgoing chief executive Jeff Zucker, plans to keep many current executives but is bringing in former Showtime programming chief Bob Greenblatt to oversee entertainment programming at fourth-place broadcaster NBC, according to the reports.

Comcast and NBC representatives would not comment on the line-up change, which is said to be announced as soon as next week. It was reported earlier by website TheWrap, The Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times.

Greenblatt stepped down from Showtime this summer at the end of his contract and is known for bringing it such hit shows as "Weeds" and "Dexter."

Many other key executives are reportedly staying in their posts, including Bonnie Hammer and Lauren Zalaznick divvying up responsibility for such channels as USA, E!, Bravo and the Spanish-language broadcaster Telemundo; Dick Ebersol atop NBC Sports; Steve Capus heading NBC News; and Ron Meyer as president of Universal Studios.

A role for Jeff Gaspin, currently NBC's entertainment chairman, was unclear.

Comcast, the nation's largest TV signal provider serving some 23 million subscribers, said in December it would buy a 51 percent stake in NBC Universal from General Electric Co. for $6.5 billion in cash plus cable channels it owns such as E! and Style valued at $7.25 billion.

Federal regulators are still examining the deal for antitrust concerns given the huge presence the combined entity would have in the creation and distribution of entertainment programs over the airwaves and online.