NBCU Domestic TV Distribution Up Restivo

Roy Restivo today was named senior vice president, sales strategy and research, NBCUniversal Domestic Television Distribution.

Restivo, who has been with NBCUniversal for more than 16 years, will take on a leadership role working directly with Sean O’Boyle, EVP-general sales manager, to devise and implement strategic sales research for the rollout of first-run and off-network programing.

Restivo will continue to identify, analyze and recommend new business opportunities in the syndication station sales arena as well support senior management in the development of long-range strategic plans for the division’s various programs, including: Access Hollywood, Access Hollywood Live, Harry, The Jerry Springer Show, Maury, Steve and The Steve Wilkos Show.

Restivo, based in Los Angeles, will provide research support to the syndication division’s development, programming, business affairs, marketing, and publicity departments.

He will also offer research support for Universal Television Studio and their primetime programming. He will continue to oversee national and local market sales research for division’s first-run and off-network programming slate and support the national syndication sales team with specialized research presentations supporting their local market sales pitches as well as research support for Universal Television Studio.

He will continue to oversee national and local market sales research for division’s first-run and off-network programming slate and support the national syndication sales team with specialized research presentations supporting their local market sales pitches.

Since 2011, Restivo served as VP, programing research and sales strategy for NBCUniversal Domestic Television Distribution. Restivo previously was VP of research from 2004 to 2011 and senior director from 2001 to 2004 for the division.

Prior to the merger of NBC and Universal Studios, Restivo was the director of research for NBC Enterprises, where he assisted in all local market sales research for the NBC syndication division.

Before joining NBC Enterprises, Restivo was director of scheduling and operations at Playboy Entertainment Group. At Playboy, Restivo oversaw all program scheduling and long-term planning for Playboy’s three subscription-based cable television networks.

Restivo began his career as entertainment lawyer before transitioning to research. He graduated magna cum laude from The University of Southern California with a Juris Doctor degree and Master of Arts in Mass Communications.