NBCUniversal

Given the more generous subsidies offered in other states and countries, major studios including NBCUniversal, Paramount and Disney all have large-scale, long-term expansion plans.

Twitter Inc. is close to reaching partnerships with television networks that would bring more high-quality video content and advertising to the social site, according to people familiar with the matter. The San Francisco-based company has held talks with Viacom about hosting TV clips on its site and selling ads alongside them, said two of the people, who asked not to be named. Twitter has also discussed a content partnership with Comcast’s NBCUniversal, said two of the people.

In her first public chat since shifting last month to her new digital-focused post as EVP of NBCUniversal, Lauren Zalaznick said that varying early iterations of TV Everywhere are somewhat complicating consumers’ understanding of the concept, offering examples of three very different models — the ad-free HBO Go, NBCU’s live app for the London Olympics that enhanced the live streaming, and ESPN’s TVE service.

The former A&E executive is first hire for the company’s newly dedicated area focused on cross-platform content, innovation and monetization.

Comcast said Tuesday that it’s buying the remaining 49% of NBCUniversal from General Electric for $16.7 billion, doing so several years early. Investors thought the move was good for both companies — GE because it got cash for its stake earlier than expected and Comcast because it is seen to be a good use of its cash. Comcast’s decision to buy the rest of NBCU ahead of schedule represents a resounding vote of confidence in the future of TV, even as the growth of Internet video reshapes the entertainment landscape.

Meredith Vieira, the former co-host of NBC’s Today show, is in talks with another division of NBCUniversal about hosting a syndicated talk show. The daytime series would start no sooner than September 2014, people with knowledge of the discussions say.

The Amazon-owned U.K. film rental and streaming service has signed a new streaming deal with NBCUniversal that will bring a number of American television series to on-demand subscribers — notably the U.S. version of The Office, Heroes and 30 Rock.

Comcast Corp. saw its market value close above $100 billion for the first time, validating the bet it made on NBCUniversal almost two years ago. Since it bought a controlling stake in NBC on Jan. 29, 2011, Comcast’s stock has increased by more than two-thirds.

Telemundo has long been like a remote Caribbean island, cut off from its sprawling media homeland. NBCUniversal acquired the Spanish-language television network a decade ago for $2 billion but became discouraged by its seemingly limited prospects. But Comcast Corp.’s takeover of NBCUniversal last year may be building Telemundo a bridge to the mainland.

George Zimmerman sued NBC Thursday over an edited 911 call from the night he shot Trayvon Martin that made him sound like a racist. The suit didn’t name a dollar amount and requested a jury trial.

There’s another wave of belt-tightening at NBCUniversal. The company has been imposing layoffs across the various TV divisions of the company. The layoffs started two weeks ago with Los Angeles-based personnel, with New York-based employees getting pink slips today. The cuts, which don’t appear to be very deep, are a corporate mandate and virtually all networks are affected to some extent including NBC; Syfy; USA; G4, which recently canceled some of its long-running shows, E! and Bravo.

The idea of buying something you see in a TV show by pressing a button on your remote was long the stuff of science fiction. Now NBCUniversal and American Express are the latest to try to turn the idea into reality.

The Hatfields & McCoys is helping Comcast strike gold. The cable company is selling its NBCUniversal unit’s 15% stake in A&E Television Networks for $2.8 billion. That’s 40% more than the value Comcast attributed to the collection of cable networks in a regulatory filing just two months ago — on May 2.

Both NBC Universal’s cable properties and Time Warner’s Turner have begun making deals for commercial time in the coming TV season, according to people familiar with the pace of talks, but their terms so far may be hard for some ad buyers to swallow.

NBCUniversal and former ESPN personality Michelle Beadle have forged a new multi-platform agreement that includes on-air duties for Access Hollywood and the NBC Sports Group. Beadle, who will be based […]

The NewFront digital upfront presentations were conceived to mimic the traditional TV upfronts, where networks try to interest advertisers in buying huge amounts of ad inventory for the coming year. But NBC Universal didn’t want its digital upfront to step on its traditional presentations either, so its pitch for 60 digital properties included no show screenings, relatively few celebrities and lots of concepts.

The new aggregate mobile, casual and social gaming site will reach over 115 million consumers when it debuts this fall.

Jim Hoffman, John Kelly and Seth Winter upped to executive vice presidents.

Telemundo and iVillage team on iVillage Mujer De Hoy. Editor Jessica Serrano will regularly appear on Telemundo’s morning show Levantate, highlighting stories from a Latina perspective.

Executives from News Corp., NBCUniversal, the Walt Disney Co. and the National Association of Broadcasters met with officials at the FCC on Monday to express their displeasure at proposed public interest rules that would force TV networks to share details online about political advertising, including the rates that political campaigns pay for ad time.

The new conflict resolution talker adds major markets to the 27 midsize ones it locked in last year as it moves toward a fall syndication debut.

When Comcast first announced its plans a year ago to buy NBC Universal from General Electric, the experts felt it was the cable networks, not NBC and its television stations, that Comcast really wanted. There was across-the-board gnashing of teeth about what would happen to NBC. But Comcast executives assured regulators and tried to persuade the experts that that wasn’t the case. They really believed in broadcasting, they said. They looked forward to reinvigorating the business and restoring the Peacock’s colors. And over the past 12 months, Comcast has shown that it meant everything it said.

NBC strategy is unlike other retrans deals, in which TV stations are paid a fee by cable operators, satellite operators and telcos. Harbert wants NBC to negotiate those deals for all its affiliates and stations, essentially negotiating by proxy for all of them. He wants NBC to keep a set percentage of that money. “We believe that, with scale, we can maximize revenue,” he says. “I’m not sure I have the answer how to do that, yet. But I’m working on it.”

NBCUniversal has decided to kill an ambitious plan to develop an office development and news production facility in the Universal City section of Los Angeles.

MTV Networks veteran John Shea has joined NBCUniversal’s Entertainment & Digital Networks and Integrated Media division as executive VP and CMO of integrated media. The content creator and marketing executive will report directly to Lauren Zalaznick, who is chairman of the unit.

NBCUniversal has officially found a new head of digital ad sales in Linda Yaccarino, the company confirmed today. As previously rumored, Yaccarino — who recently left Turner Entertainment, where she served as COO and EVP of ad sales, marketing and acquisitions — is replacing Dave Cassaro.

Changes are afoot at the NBC Universal Telemundo station in New York. A new local public affairs show, Enfoque Nueva York (Focus on New York) will launch Nov. 6 at 11 p.m. A news studio is under construction and, in January, the station will return weekend newscasts to the lineup.

A top CNBC researcher suggested Wednesday that set-top-box data can offer more stable measurement for upscale viewers, since it is drawn from a larger sample size than a Nielsen panel. The matter is of particular interest to CNBC as it looks to attract advertisers willing to pay a premium to reach wealthier viewers.

Remember how yesterday – while reporting news of Stan Lee’s guest appearance – I reminded you folks that the fifth and final season of “Chuck” would be debuting on Friday, Oct. 21? Well, adjust your viewing calendars by a week, as NBC has pushed the premiere for both “Chuck” and the fairy tale-themed cop drama “Grimm” back one week, so both will debut on Oct. 28 at 8 and 9 p.m., respectively.

Allan Cohen today was been named senior vice president and controller, NBCUniversal. He reports to Stuart J. Epstein, chief financial officer, NBCUniversal. Cohen will be responsible for the accounting and […]

Stuart J. Epstein was named chief financial officer of NBCUniversal Wednesday. He will report to Steve Burke, NBCUniversal CEO, when he joins the company in mid-October. Previously, Epstein was managing […]

Craig Robinson, who succeeds Paula Madison as NBCU’s chief diversity officer, will stay on as GM of the NBC Los Angeles O&O until a successor can be found.

Amazon announced a deal for access to part of Universal’s film library, its second such pact in streaming video in as many weeks. The attention around its content acquisitions suggests a budding rivalry with Netflix and a strategy of stocking up on films and TV shows for the tablet computer that the company is developing.

Moving toward a world of complete TV messaging targeting, Comcast and NBC Universal have adopted dynamic ad insertion for the company’s video-on-demand programming. Dynamic ad insertion allows for advertisements to be easily changed at any time.

NBC Universal is getting into the private digital ad exchange business. NBCU says the move is to reduce the reliance on third-party ad exchanges — which have been criticized for driving down CPM user pricing. This move would help NBC’s family of sites and premium video digital site, Hulu, of which NBC Universal is a partner.

Despite Hulu’s success as a streamer of premium content, insiders and analysts aren’t surprised that Disney, News Corp. and NBCUniversal are at least considering selling their stakes in the asset.

Anand Kini will join NBCUniversal as SVP, strategic planning and development. He will report to Patricia Fili-Krushel, EVP, NBCUniversal in this role, beginning July 5. In this newly created position, […]