Universal Television chief Pearlena Igbokwe (l) has been elevated to head of TV content for NBCUniversal as part of the broader shakeup of NBCU’s senior executive ranks. Bonnie Hammer (r), the NBCU veteran who had been overseeing all TV production, segues into the NBCU vice chairman role that was hastily vacated last month by Ron Meyer.
Kevin MacLellan, chairman of NBCU’s global distribution and international operations, is exiting the company after a nearly two-decade run. As part of the restructuring, former Peacock chairman Bonnie Hammer — weeks after she moved to oversee NBCU’s studio operations — is adding international to her expanding purview. Hammer will take on oversight of NBCU’s International Studios.
NBCUniversal today unveiled management changes that will see Bonnie Hammer shift from launching the Peacock streaming platform to overseeing all broadcast and cable studio operations. Comcast vet Matt Strauss is joining NBCU as the new head of Peacock, while Paul Telegdy will become the solo chairman of NBC Entertainment, multiple sources close to the situation have confirmed. George Cheeks, who has spent the past years as co-chair of the NBC Entertainment broadcast division alongside Telegdy, will shift to a vice chair role under Hammer.
Bonnie Hammer is moving to oversee NBCU’s forthcoming streaming service as Mark Lazarus and Jeff Shell take on expanded roles running the media conglomerate’s TV operations.
Being A 65-Year-Old Woman In Hollywood
Bonnie Hammer, chairman of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment Group, writes about her 65th birthday — and her refusal to accept that she’s past her prime. “For me, turning 65 doesn’t include walking away from my profession because of age; I love my job and the company I work for. It doesn’t include a makeover so people will see me differently, and it most certainly doesn’t include giving in to Father (or better, Mother) Time because that’s what I am supposed to do.”
IAC, the Internet-media conglomerate controlled by Barry Diller, has 150 brands and products including Ask.com, About.com, Match.com, HomeAdvisor and Vimeo. Hammer oversees NBCU’s entire cable entertainment portfolio including USA, Syfy, E, Bravo, Oxygen, Esquire Network, Sprout, Chiller and Cloo, as well as production entities Universal Cable Productions and Wilshire Studios.
Exclusives
Bonnie Hammer is officially NBCUniversal’s cable queen. Hammer, who added E! and G4 to her portfolio of USA, Syfy and Universal Cable Prods. after the Comcast merger, is now taking over the combined company’s entire cable universe, including Bravo, Oxygen and Style, which had been under the purview of fellow top-ranked NBCU cable executive Lauren Zalaznick, who becomes EVP, NBCU.
Comcast is relying on the ranks of NBC Universal’s management to fill top jobs as it prepares to take the wraps off a new post-merger pecking order. Comcast’s point man on the integration, COO Steve Burke, has started signing contracts and is expected to unveil a final management structure around Thanksgiving.
