30West, the investment and advisory firm with deep ties to the movie business, is backing Special, a new streaming service geared towards independent moviemakers and content creators. The platform, which had its beta launch last week, was co-founded by Sam Lucas and Paul Burton, who previously built custom video on-demand platforms through their former business, Triple Tree Software.
Former CEO of NBC Universal, Steve Burke and film producer and venture capitalist David Fialkow of General Catalyst are also early investors in Special. The company secured funding for the venture in spring of 2020 through a $2.3 million series seed round led by Next Frontier Capital. Special lets content producers publish their work on a streaming platform and establish a monthly subscription price to enable fans to access their work. The company manages the back-end work, as well as collects revenues from users.
“There is an obvious, growing need for more innovation across the film and television landscape,...
Former CEO of NBC Universal, Steve Burke and film producer and venture capitalist David Fialkow of General Catalyst are also early investors in Special. The company secured funding for the venture in spring of 2020 through a $2.3 million series seed round led by Next Frontier Capital. Special lets content producers publish their work on a streaming platform and establish a monthly subscription price to enable fans to access their work. The company manages the back-end work, as well as collects revenues from users.
“There is an obvious, growing need for more innovation across the film and television landscape,...
- 11/24/2020
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell, who oversees NBC Entertainment, Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Telemundo and NBCUniversal International, has tested positive for the coronavirus (Covid-19).
"As some of you now know, I myself am in this category. I recently have been feeling under the weather and just learned that I have tested positive for Covid-19. Although the virus has been tough to cope with, I have managed to work remotely in La and am improving every day," Shell said in a memo Thursday obtained by The Hollywood Reporter.
Shell, 54, recently took over control of the studio from Steve Burke....
"As some of you now know, I myself am in this category. I recently have been feeling under the weather and just learned that I have tested positive for Covid-19. Although the virus has been tough to cope with, I have managed to work remotely in La and am improving every day," Shell said in a memo Thursday obtained by The Hollywood Reporter.
Shell, 54, recently took over control of the studio from Steve Burke....
- 3/26/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
NBCUniversal is making sweeping changes, restructuring its broadcast, studio and digital operations and assigning new roles to a number of the company’s top TV executives, including Bonnie Hammer, Paul Telegdy and George Cheeks.
Universal Television and Universal Content Productions will move under a single business unit named NBCUniversal Content Studios, with Bonnie Hammer at the helm. Hammer, who had been spearheading NBCU’s upcoming streaming platform Peacock as Chairman of Direct-to-Consumer and Digital Enterprises, will assume the new title of Chairman, NBCUniversal Content Studios. She will report to Steve Burke, CEO of NBCUniversal.
Matt Strauss will join NBCUniversal from Comcast as Chairman of Peacock, which launches in 2020. Strauss will also add the Digital Enterprises group to his purview, and report to Burke.
George Cheeks, Co-Chairman of NBC Entertainment, will become Vice Chairman of NBCUniversal Content Studios, reporting to Hammer. He will also continue to oversee late-night programming for NBC.
Universal Television and Universal Content Productions will move under a single business unit named NBCUniversal Content Studios, with Bonnie Hammer at the helm. Hammer, who had been spearheading NBCU’s upcoming streaming platform Peacock as Chairman of Direct-to-Consumer and Digital Enterprises, will assume the new title of Chairman, NBCUniversal Content Studios. She will report to Steve Burke, CEO of NBCUniversal.
Matt Strauss will join NBCUniversal from Comcast as Chairman of Peacock, which launches in 2020. Strauss will also add the Digital Enterprises group to his purview, and report to Burke.
George Cheeks, Co-Chairman of NBC Entertainment, will become Vice Chairman of NBCUniversal Content Studios, reporting to Hammer. He will also continue to oversee late-night programming for NBC.
- 10/7/2019
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
NBCUniversal is shaking up its executive ranks for the second time this year. Bonnie Hammer will shift over to run Universal Television and Universal Content Productions, which will be rolled up into a single operation.
Comcast Cable’s Matt Strauss will now be in charge of Peacock, NBCU’s upcoming streaming service that will launch next year.
The moves are the second major company-wide executive shuffle in 2019. In January, NBCU put Hammer in charge of its streaming operations, with Sports Group head Mark Lazarus expanding his role to oversee cable operations. Hammer now moves back to the content development side, while Peacock gets someone in charge who has more of an operations background in Strauss.
Also Read: 'Punky Brewster': Cherie Johnson to Reprise Original Role in Revival
“Bonnie’s great taste, deep Hollywood relationships and strong track record of generating popular and award-winning programming make her ideally suited to oversee this new division.
Comcast Cable’s Matt Strauss will now be in charge of Peacock, NBCU’s upcoming streaming service that will launch next year.
The moves are the second major company-wide executive shuffle in 2019. In January, NBCU put Hammer in charge of its streaming operations, with Sports Group head Mark Lazarus expanding his role to oversee cable operations. Hammer now moves back to the content development side, while Peacock gets someone in charge who has more of an operations background in Strauss.
Also Read: 'Punky Brewster': Cherie Johnson to Reprise Original Role in Revival
“Bonnie’s great taste, deep Hollywood relationships and strong track record of generating popular and award-winning programming make her ideally suited to oversee this new division.
- 10/7/2019
- by Tim Baysinger
- The Wrap
NBCUniversal on Monday unveiled a management shakeup that will see Bonnie Hammer shift from launching the Peacock streaming platform to overseeing all broadcast and cable studio operations. Comcast veteran Matt Strauss is joining NBCUniversal 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 12 months as co-chair of the NBC Entertainment broadcast division alongside Telegdy, will shift to a vice chair role under Hammer, who will serve as chairman of NBCUniversal Content Studios. She reports to Steve Burke, NBCU CEO.
The restructuring is said to be driven by NBCU’s desire to consolidate oversight of its parallel broadcast and cable production operations, a move made by a number of NBCU’s rivals in recent years. Hammer will continue to report to NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke. After spending the...
George Cheeks, who has spent the past 12 months as co-chair of the NBC Entertainment broadcast division alongside Telegdy, will shift to a vice chair role under Hammer, who will serve as chairman of NBCUniversal Content Studios. She reports to Steve Burke, NBCU CEO.
The restructuring is said to be driven by NBCU’s desire to consolidate oversight of its parallel broadcast and cable production operations, a move made by a number of NBCU’s rivals in recent years. Hammer will continue to report to NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke. After spending the...
- 10/7/2019
- by Cynthia Littleton and Elaine Low
- Variety Film + TV
HBO Max has been on a buying spree, with the nascent streamer snatching up a number of high-profile original projects as it visits the WarnerMedia vault to extract existing properties. While the final product is still under wraps until spring, the underlying ethos of the subscription video-on-demand service is starting to take shape. Its budding rival service from NBCUniversal, on the other hand, is still something of a mystery.
“We have a very broad service, from preschool programming to classic films — we are an alternative to other services,” HBO Max chief content officer Kevin Reilly tells Variety. “HBO is more male-skewing, so [HBO Max] will be filling out with more female and younger viewers. That is the Svod audience.”
This backs up what sources have been telling Variety: that WarnerMedia has been shopping for content with women viewers in mind.
Some of the early series orders at HBO Max include the romantic comedy anthology series “Love Life,...
“We have a very broad service, from preschool programming to classic films — we are an alternative to other services,” HBO Max chief content officer Kevin Reilly tells Variety. “HBO is more male-skewing, so [HBO Max] will be filling out with more female and younger viewers. That is the Svod audience.”
This backs up what sources have been telling Variety: that WarnerMedia has been shopping for content with women viewers in mind.
Some of the early series orders at HBO Max include the romantic comedy anthology series “Love Life,...
- 8/27/2019
- by Elaine Low and Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Americans are continuing to flee from their cable and satellite services in droves, with traditional pay TV providers heading towards a record number of quarterly subscriber losses, according to a new report from analysts at MoffettNathanson on Monday.
So far this earnings season, Comcast, AT&T (DirecTV’s parent company) and Charter have combined to lose 1.25 million Q2 subscribers — or about 1.1 million more customers than during the same period last year. This “bloodshed,” as analyst Michael Nathanson put it, puts pay TV subscriber losses on track for a record 5.5% drop during Q2; and even factoring in virtual Mvpd options like Sling TV and DirecTV Now, pay TV is expected to see subscribers decline 2.7% during Q2, which would also set a new mark for quarterly futility.
“With Comcast’s, AT&T’s and Charter’s [second quarter] earnings in the books, the early read on traditional cord-cutting is freaking ugly,” Nathanson wrote in the report.
So far this earnings season, Comcast, AT&T (DirecTV’s parent company) and Charter have combined to lose 1.25 million Q2 subscribers — or about 1.1 million more customers than during the same period last year. This “bloodshed,” as analyst Michael Nathanson put it, puts pay TV subscriber losses on track for a record 5.5% drop during Q2; and even factoring in virtual Mvpd options like Sling TV and DirecTV Now, pay TV is expected to see subscribers decline 2.7% during Q2, which would also set a new mark for quarterly futility.
“With Comcast’s, AT&T’s and Charter’s [second quarter] earnings in the books, the early read on traditional cord-cutting is freaking ugly,” Nathanson wrote in the report.
- 7/29/2019
- by Sean Burch
- The Wrap
“Will & Grace” executive producers Max Mutchnick, David Kohan and James Burrows, in conjunction with the cast, have decided to end the “Will & Grace” reboot on NBC with the 2020 season, its third season that follows an original eight-season run.
“We think of the ‘Will & Grace’ reboot episodes the way Karen Walker thinks of martinis – 51 is not enough, 53 is too many,” they said in a joint statement. “That is why, after consulting with the cast, we all have decided this will be the final season of ‘Will & Grace.’”
The comedy, starring Debra Messing, Eric McCormack, Sean Hayes and Megan Mullaly, initially aired for eight seasons on NBC from 1998 to 2006, before being rebooted 11 years later in 2017.
“In 2016, Bob Greenblatt came to us with the idea of doing a 10-episode reboot of ‘Will & Grace,’” said Mutchnick, Kohan and Burrows. “They say you can’t go home again, but we did.
“We think of the ‘Will & Grace’ reboot episodes the way Karen Walker thinks of martinis – 51 is not enough, 53 is too many,” they said in a joint statement. “That is why, after consulting with the cast, we all have decided this will be the final season of ‘Will & Grace.’”
The comedy, starring Debra Messing, Eric McCormack, Sean Hayes and Megan Mullaly, initially aired for eight seasons on NBC from 1998 to 2006, before being rebooted 11 years later in 2017.
“In 2016, Bob Greenblatt came to us with the idea of doing a 10-episode reboot of ‘Will & Grace,’” said Mutchnick, Kohan and Burrows. “They say you can’t go home again, but we did.
- 7/25/2019
- by Elaine Low
- Variety Film + TV
NBCUniversal will enter the increasingly crowded streaming market when it debuts its ad-supported platform in April, Comcast announced Thursday during the company’s Q2 earnings report.
The ad-supported platform will be free for consumers with a traditional Mvpd subscription or otherwise available for a monthly fee. The cost of that monthly fee has yet to be announced. Besides the April launch date and the fact that it will use the same infrastructure as the U.K.-based Now TV streaming service, the Thursday call did not shed much light the still-unnamed streaming service.
But many prospective viewers might already be sold on the platform based on one fact: NBCUniversal’s upcoming streaming service will be the exclusive home to beloved sitcom “The Office,” which will leave Netflix early next year. The company invested a significant amount of money—reportedly $100 million per year for five years—to get the rights to...
The ad-supported platform will be free for consumers with a traditional Mvpd subscription or otherwise available for a monthly fee. The cost of that monthly fee has yet to be announced. Besides the April launch date and the fact that it will use the same infrastructure as the U.K.-based Now TV streaming service, the Thursday call did not shed much light the still-unnamed streaming service.
But many prospective viewers might already be sold on the platform based on one fact: NBCUniversal’s upcoming streaming service will be the exclusive home to beloved sitcom “The Office,” which will leave Netflix early next year. The company invested a significant amount of money—reportedly $100 million per year for five years—to get the rights to...
- 7/25/2019
- by Tyler Hersko
- Indiewire
NBC has set a premiere date for Lilly Singh’s upcoming late-night series.
“A Little Late With Lilly Singh,” which will be the only show on a broadcast network hosted by a woman and have a “digital-first strategy,” will debut Monday, Sept. 16 at 1:35 a.m.
The series will see Singh “conduct in-studio interviews as well as create and star in pre-taped comedy sketches and signature segments,” NBC said. Her show “will include content played across many social platforms to bring in her younger, digital audience” and “a focus on short-form digital consumption, as well as linear.”
Also Read: Lilly Singh to Host NBC Late-Night Show, Replacing Carson Daly
“I’m literally counting down the days until the premiere. It’s 53,” Singh said. “I’m thrilled to be collaborating with this all-star team of writers as we work to bring a new, authentic perspective to late night.”
The writing staff...
“A Little Late With Lilly Singh,” which will be the only show on a broadcast network hosted by a woman and have a “digital-first strategy,” will debut Monday, Sept. 16 at 1:35 a.m.
The series will see Singh “conduct in-studio interviews as well as create and star in pre-taped comedy sketches and signature segments,” NBC said. Her show “will include content played across many social platforms to bring in her younger, digital audience” and “a focus on short-form digital consumption, as well as linear.”
Also Read: Lilly Singh to Host NBC Late-Night Show, Replacing Carson Daly
“I’m literally counting down the days until the premiere. It’s 53,” Singh said. “I’m thrilled to be collaborating with this all-star team of writers as we work to bring a new, authentic perspective to late night.”
The writing staff...
- 7/25/2019
- by Jennifer Maas
- The Wrap
NBCUniversal wrapped up its upfront advertising sales, becoming the latest broadcast company to score double-digit pricing gains in what’s been a better-than-expected ad market.
The company scored Cpm increases — the cost for reaching 1,000 viewers — of 14% for its primetime lineup on the NBC broadcast network, as well as double-digit gains for its cable programming. Overall, NBCU had a 9% increase in pricing across its whole portfolio.
In terms of overall demand, NBCU saw a 10% increase in the amount of advertiser commitments (i.e. volume) that totaled nearly $7 billion, including early sales for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Without the Olympics, the volume increase was a more modest 3%; this was the first time the Tokyo Olympics, scheduled to begin a year from now, were part of NBC’s upfront talks.
Also Read: NBC's 'Goal' Is to Launch Streaming Service in April, Steve Burke Says
NBC Sports anticipates its 2020 Tokyo Olympics will “exceed” the $1.2 billion...
The company scored Cpm increases — the cost for reaching 1,000 viewers — of 14% for its primetime lineup on the NBC broadcast network, as well as double-digit gains for its cable programming. Overall, NBCU had a 9% increase in pricing across its whole portfolio.
In terms of overall demand, NBCU saw a 10% increase in the amount of advertiser commitments (i.e. volume) that totaled nearly $7 billion, including early sales for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Without the Olympics, the volume increase was a more modest 3%; this was the first time the Tokyo Olympics, scheduled to begin a year from now, were part of NBC’s upfront talks.
Also Read: NBC's 'Goal' Is to Launch Streaming Service in April, Steve Burke Says
NBC Sports anticipates its 2020 Tokyo Olympics will “exceed” the $1.2 billion...
- 7/25/2019
- by Tim Baysinger
- The Wrap
Advertisers increased the amount of money they were willing to commit to NBC’s primetime schedule and other parts of NBCUniversal, the latest in a series of flashing signals showing Madison Avenue continuing to earmark ad dollars for traditional TV despite a host of attractive digital-video alternatives.
Aided by the sale of spots in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, NBCUniversal said it saw a 10% increase in the volume of advance advertising commitments it secured in the industry’s annual “upfront” advertising market, during which U.S. TV companies try to sell the bulk of their commercial inventory for their next programming cycle. In all, NBCU said it secured “nearly” $7 billion for its overall portfolio of media assets. The company indicated that without the Olympics sales, the volume of advance commitments was up 3%.
Primetime volume across various distribution venues rose 8%, the company said. Based on those details, it’s possible that NBCUniversal might...
Aided by the sale of spots in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, NBCUniversal said it saw a 10% increase in the volume of advance advertising commitments it secured in the industry’s annual “upfront” advertising market, during which U.S. TV companies try to sell the bulk of their commercial inventory for their next programming cycle. In all, NBCU said it secured “nearly” $7 billion for its overall portfolio of media assets. The company indicated that without the Olympics sales, the volume of advance commitments was up 3%.
Primetime volume across various distribution venues rose 8%, the company said. Based on those details, it’s possible that NBCUniversal might...
- 7/25/2019
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
Comcast said NBCUniversal’s highly anticipated entry into the streaming wars will launch in April 2020, a deadline that 500 dedicated employees are working steadily to try to meet.
Executives offered the updated comments during a conference call with analysts to discuss the company’s second-quarter results, which were mixed compared with Wall Street expectations.
The free, ad-supported offering will initially roll out across the footprints of Comcast and Sky, hitting the market after Disney and Apple bring forth subscription products, with WarnerMedia targeting spring 2020. Given its strategy to tie the streaming rollout to Summer Olympics in Tokyo will offer NBCU a wide platform to drive streaming adoption when the Games begin next July.
Aside from the April timeline and the number of staffers “hard at work” on the initiative, NBCU CEO Steve Burke didn’t offer other details. “We believe we’ve got some ideas that we think are innovative,” he said,...
Executives offered the updated comments during a conference call with analysts to discuss the company’s second-quarter results, which were mixed compared with Wall Street expectations.
The free, ad-supported offering will initially roll out across the footprints of Comcast and Sky, hitting the market after Disney and Apple bring forth subscription products, with WarnerMedia targeting spring 2020. Given its strategy to tie the streaming rollout to Summer Olympics in Tokyo will offer NBCU a wide platform to drive streaming adoption when the Games begin next July.
Aside from the April timeline and the number of staffers “hard at work” on the initiative, NBCU CEO Steve Burke didn’t offer other details. “We believe we’ve got some ideas that we think are innovative,” he said,...
- 7/25/2019
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Comcast units are double down on the content and streaming wars as NBCUniversal plans to launch its advertising-supported streaming platform in April and Sky is vowing to double the volume of original content it delivers with an emphasis on European material.
NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke and Sky CEO Jeremy Darroch talked up the company’s content options during Comcast’s second quarter earnings call with Wall Street analysts.
Burke said NBCU has more than 500 people working on the NBCUniversal streaming platform. The venture will use the same digital infrastructure that supports Sky’s Now streaming platform in Europe, Burke said.
“We believe we have a very innovative way of coming to the market that is very different than anything else and has very attractive financial aspects,” Burke said.
NBCU recently struck a deal to scoop up exclusive streaming rights to “The Office” as a marquee property for the streaming service,...
NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke and Sky CEO Jeremy Darroch talked up the company’s content options during Comcast’s second quarter earnings call with Wall Street analysts.
Burke said NBCU has more than 500 people working on the NBCUniversal streaming platform. The venture will use the same digital infrastructure that supports Sky’s Now streaming platform in Europe, Burke said.
“We believe we have a very innovative way of coming to the market that is very different than anything else and has very attractive financial aspects,” Burke said.
NBCU recently struck a deal to scoop up exclusive streaming rights to “The Office” as a marquee property for the streaming service,...
- 7/25/2019
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
NBCUniversal is planning to launch its upcoming streaming service in April, with The Office as one of its tentpole programs, CEO Steve Burke said Thursday. He said the service would initially mostly live off licensed content and only some original programming, making it "very different" from Netflix.
The exec made the comment on a call with Wall Street analysts after cable giant Comcast, which is led by chairman and CEO Brian Roberts, reported higher second-quarter earnings for entertainment unit NBCU and European pay TV giant Sky, which the company acquired late last year.
Burke said his team was “hard ...
The exec made the comment on a call with Wall Street analysts after cable giant Comcast, which is led by chairman and CEO Brian Roberts, reported higher second-quarter earnings for entertainment unit NBCU and European pay TV giant Sky, which the company acquired late last year.
Burke said his team was “hard ...
- 7/25/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
NBCUniversal is planning to launch its upcoming streaming service in April, with The Office as one of its tentpole programs, CEO Steve Burke said Thursday. He said the service would initially mostly live off licensed content and only some original programming, making it "very different" from Netflix.
The exec made the comment on a call with Wall Street analysts after cable giant Comcast, which is led by chairman and CEO Brian Roberts, reported higher second-quarter earnings for entertainment unit NBCU and European pay TV giant Sky, which the company acquired late last year.
Burke said his team was “hard ...
The exec made the comment on a call with Wall Street analysts after cable giant Comcast, which is led by chairman and CEO Brian Roberts, reported higher second-quarter earnings for entertainment unit NBCU and European pay TV giant Sky, which the company acquired late last year.
Burke said his team was “hard ...
- 7/25/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
This year’s Upfront Week always was going to be challenging, what with many of the most buzzed-about “new” series for next season having already debuted years (or decades) ago and corporate overlords consigning broadcasters to the back half of presentations in which hitting the two-hour mark means death. NBC believes in shorter commercial breaks this year – but longer upfronts.
Here are the 2018 upfront winners and losers:
Best Opening
CBS, having long ago figured out that media buyers are not fans of audience participation, stuck with its “How Do We Top Last Year?” opening video. This year, John Malkovich was compelled to read the CBS upfront’s opening ad-sales pitch – the price of losing a poker game with CBS Corp. CEO Les Moonves, who tells him not to be a pain in the ass this time. “F*cking executives,” Malkovich grumbles as he hangs up. “F*cking talent,” Moonves grouses as he hangs up.
Here are the 2018 upfront winners and losers:
Best Opening
CBS, having long ago figured out that media buyers are not fans of audience participation, stuck with its “How Do We Top Last Year?” opening video. This year, John Malkovich was compelled to read the CBS upfront’s opening ad-sales pitch – the price of losing a poker game with CBS Corp. CEO Les Moonves, who tells him not to be a pain in the ass this time. “F*cking executives,” Malkovich grumbles as he hangs up. “F*cking talent,” Moonves grouses as he hangs up.
- 5/18/2018
- by Lisa de Moraes
- Deadline Film + TV
NBCUniversal kicked off the broadcast week of upfronts Monday with its presentation at Radio City Music Hall. Here are the five key takeaways:
1. Facebook is worth kicking.
It didn’t take NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke long to get his first veiled dig at Facebook in during his address at the top of the show.
“Digital companies are being accused of invasion of people’s privacy, accused of false measurement,” Burke said. He didn’t call out the social-media giant by name, but he might as well have. At the other end of the Facebook-diss spectrum was a video featuring ad-sales chief Linda Yaccarino edited into footage from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg’s recent Senate hearing. The video began with Yaccarino sitting down behind a table in a faux Senate chamber, then standing back up, pulling a booster seat off her chair and tossing it aside: “Someone give that back to Zuckerberg,...
1. Facebook is worth kicking.
It didn’t take NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke long to get his first veiled dig at Facebook in during his address at the top of the show.
“Digital companies are being accused of invasion of people’s privacy, accused of false measurement,” Burke said. He didn’t call out the social-media giant by name, but he might as well have. At the other end of the Facebook-diss spectrum was a video featuring ad-sales chief Linda Yaccarino edited into footage from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg’s recent Senate hearing. The video began with Yaccarino sitting down behind a table in a faux Senate chamber, then standing back up, pulling a booster seat off her chair and tossing it aside: “Someone give that back to Zuckerberg,...
- 5/14/2018
- by Daniel Holloway
- Variety Film + TV
The 2018 broadcast upfronts are officially upon us, and NBC just wrapped its big Radio City Music Hall sales pitch to potential advertisers. There was a little something for everyone — especially if you’re between the ages of 18 and 49.
NBCUniversal began its annual event with a star-studded musical parody. Unfortunately, not everybody (TheWrap included) got to see it from never-ending line down 50th Street. More on that in a bit.
The suite of networks spent the next 120 minutes or so showing off new series like “Abby’s” (pictured above) “New Amsterdam,” “The Titan Games,” “Deadly Class,” “Treadstone,” and “Very Cavallari,” to name just a handful.
Read on below for 9 things we observed from the beginning of a very long week in New York City.
Also Read: Ratings: 'Timeless' Rises in Season 2 Finale - But Is It Enough to Save NBC Series?
Blurred Lines
The long, snaking line to enter...
NBCUniversal began its annual event with a star-studded musical parody. Unfortunately, not everybody (TheWrap included) got to see it from never-ending line down 50th Street. More on that in a bit.
The suite of networks spent the next 120 minutes or so showing off new series like “Abby’s” (pictured above) “New Amsterdam,” “The Titan Games,” “Deadly Class,” “Treadstone,” and “Very Cavallari,” to name just a handful.
Read on below for 9 things we observed from the beginning of a very long week in New York City.
Also Read: Ratings: 'Timeless' Rises in Season 2 Finale - But Is It Enough to Save NBC Series?
Blurred Lines
The long, snaking line to enter...
- 5/14/2018
- by Tony Maglio
- The Wrap
NBCUniversal devoted much of its two-hour upfront presentation at Radio City Music Halls to talent-driven razzle-dazzle.
Still, the company also managed to slip in some talking points, with execs contending the company is well-positioned in the M&A landscape and continues to enjoy advantages over digital rivals.
“If you look at the media business, there’s more change now than in many, many decades,” said Steve Burke, CEO of NBCUniversal. “Some companies are getting out of scripted programming. Other companies are getting out of business entirely. Some companies are trying to do whatever they can to get bigger. Others are tr to put together content to distribution. The good news is that at NBCUniversal we feel we already have the perfect set of assets to really thrive in this business.”
Burke, of course, brought up neither parent Comcast’s reported pursuit of a rival bid for 21st Century Fox assets currently ticketed for Disney,...
Still, the company also managed to slip in some talking points, with execs contending the company is well-positioned in the M&A landscape and continues to enjoy advantages over digital rivals.
“If you look at the media business, there’s more change now than in many, many decades,” said Steve Burke, CEO of NBCUniversal. “Some companies are getting out of scripted programming. Other companies are getting out of business entirely. Some companies are trying to do whatever they can to get bigger. Others are tr to put together content to distribution. The good news is that at NBCUniversal we feel we already have the perfect set of assets to really thrive in this business.”
Burke, of course, brought up neither parent Comcast’s reported pursuit of a rival bid for 21st Century Fox assets currently ticketed for Disney,...
- 5/14/2018
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke seems unconcerned with any of the upfront presentations that will follow his during the week's big New York pitch-fest. That was more than evident in Monday's bombastic Radio City Music Hall show that started with a roll call for TV's most-watched portfolio, which announced networks as if they were actors in a Michael Bay movie.
<span class="s1">There was momentary hope that the overly stuffed two-hour-and-11-minute spiel wouldn't go through network-by-network minutiae, something Burke implied he wouldn't subject buyers to this year, before his company did just that — exhaustively running ...</span>...
<span class="s1">There was momentary hope that the overly stuffed two-hour-and-11-minute spiel wouldn't go through network-by-network minutiae, something Burke implied he wouldn't subject buyers to this year, before his company did just that — exhaustively running ...</span>...
- 5/14/2018
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
NBCUniversal’s CEO Steve Burke saw his pay jump in 2017 to $46.5 million in 2017, according to regulatory filing with the SEC on Monday.
Burke’s 2017 take was slightly higher than the $46.07 million he made in 2016.
His base salary was essentially the same in 2017 at $2.88 million (up from $2.80 million in 2016), and he received $15.35 million in options awards and another $5.34 million in stock awards. His pension value and non-qualified deferred compensation earnings rose from $8.56 million to $10.16 million. The catch-all “other compensation” rose from $4.12 million to $4.37 million. Burke’s non-equity incentive plan compensation was $8.47 million, down slightly from 2016 ($9.9 million).
Also Read: Comcast Makes Formal $31 Billion Cash Offer for Sky, UK Company Scraps Fox Deal
Comcast chairman and CEO Brian L. Roberts, meanwhile, saw his pay decline in 2017 from $32.96 million to $32.52 million. Though his base salary increased slightly from $3.01 million to $3.10 million, his non-equity incentive plan compensation dipped from $10.67 million to $9.12 million. Comcast CFO Michael Cavanagh saw his pay decline in 2017 as well to $20.1 million, down from the $25.7 million he earned in 2016.
Last week, Comcast beat its first-quarter earnings thanks to a big boost from the Winter Olympics and Super Bowl. Comcast also announced its $31 billion offer to acquire Sky.
Read original story NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke Gets Pay Bump to $46.5 Million in 2017 At TheWrap...
Burke’s 2017 take was slightly higher than the $46.07 million he made in 2016.
His base salary was essentially the same in 2017 at $2.88 million (up from $2.80 million in 2016), and he received $15.35 million in options awards and another $5.34 million in stock awards. His pension value and non-qualified deferred compensation earnings rose from $8.56 million to $10.16 million. The catch-all “other compensation” rose from $4.12 million to $4.37 million. Burke’s non-equity incentive plan compensation was $8.47 million, down slightly from 2016 ($9.9 million).
Also Read: Comcast Makes Formal $31 Billion Cash Offer for Sky, UK Company Scraps Fox Deal
Comcast chairman and CEO Brian L. Roberts, meanwhile, saw his pay decline in 2017 from $32.96 million to $32.52 million. Though his base salary increased slightly from $3.01 million to $3.10 million, his non-equity incentive plan compensation dipped from $10.67 million to $9.12 million. Comcast CFO Michael Cavanagh saw his pay decline in 2017 as well to $20.1 million, down from the $25.7 million he earned in 2016.
Last week, Comcast beat its first-quarter earnings thanks to a big boost from the Winter Olympics and Super Bowl. Comcast also announced its $31 billion offer to acquire Sky.
Read original story NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke Gets Pay Bump to $46.5 Million in 2017 At TheWrap...
- 4/30/2018
- by Tim Baysinger
- The Wrap
NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke got a slight pay bump in 2017 while his boss, Comcast chairman-ceo Brian Roberts saw a small drop in compensation for 2017.
Comcast disclosed in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing Monday that Burke took in $46.3 million in compensation for 2017, up from $46.07 million in 2016. Roberts received $32.5 million, down from $33 million in 2016.
Most of Burke’s compensation came in the form of $15.3 million in Comcast stock options. He also took in $8.5 million in bonuses and $10.2 million in deferred compensation on top of $2.9 million in salary. Roberts received $9 million in bonuses and more than $10 million in stock options and awards in addition to a salary of $3.1 million.
Comcast CFO Michael Cavanagh saw his compensation drop to $20.1 million, down from $25.7 million in 2016. Comcast senior exec VP David Cohen was essentially flat at $17.7 million, compared to $17.9 in 2016.
Comcast has set June 11 as the date for what it billed as its “virtual” annual shareholders meeting,...
Comcast disclosed in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing Monday that Burke took in $46.3 million in compensation for 2017, up from $46.07 million in 2016. Roberts received $32.5 million, down from $33 million in 2016.
Most of Burke’s compensation came in the form of $15.3 million in Comcast stock options. He also took in $8.5 million in bonuses and $10.2 million in deferred compensation on top of $2.9 million in salary. Roberts received $9 million in bonuses and more than $10 million in stock options and awards in addition to a salary of $3.1 million.
Comcast CFO Michael Cavanagh saw his compensation drop to $20.1 million, down from $25.7 million in 2016. Comcast senior exec VP David Cohen was essentially flat at $17.7 million, compared to $17.9 in 2016.
Comcast has set June 11 as the date for what it billed as its “virtual” annual shareholders meeting,...
- 4/30/2018
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
New York -- The economic downturn is a double-edged sword for cable giant Comcast.
The largest cable provider in the U.S. reported solid third-quarter financials Wednesday that were roughly in line with expectations, but it lost 147,000 basic cable subscribers. The decrease was above a year-ago decline of 56,000 and more than most Wall Street expectations.
The housing crisis, competition from telecom firms and hurricanes contributed to the weaker basic subscriber figures, which do have a positive financial effect in the form of reduced capital expenditures on sub activations. As a result, Comcast said 2008 free cash flow should beat its projection of at least 20% growth from $2.3 billion in 2007. The company reaffirmed the rest of its 2008 guidance.
Comcast posted a third-quarter profit of $771 million, up 37.7% over the year-ago period. A $260 million reduction in cable capital spending helped boost the bottom line. Revenue rose 10% to $8.55 billion.
The company added digital cable, broadband and...
The largest cable provider in the U.S. reported solid third-quarter financials Wednesday that were roughly in line with expectations, but it lost 147,000 basic cable subscribers. The decrease was above a year-ago decline of 56,000 and more than most Wall Street expectations.
The housing crisis, competition from telecom firms and hurricanes contributed to the weaker basic subscriber figures, which do have a positive financial effect in the form of reduced capital expenditures on sub activations. As a result, Comcast said 2008 free cash flow should beat its projection of at least 20% growth from $2.3 billion in 2007. The company reaffirmed the rest of its 2008 guidance.
Comcast posted a third-quarter profit of $771 million, up 37.7% over the year-ago period. A $260 million reduction in cable capital spending helped boost the bottom line. Revenue rose 10% to $8.55 billion.
The company added digital cable, broadband and...
- 10/29/2008
- by By Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
SAN FRANCISCO -- Executives from several top cable operators called for partnerships with other industries on the first day of the National Cable & Telecommunications Assn.'s annual convention Sunday. Hailing the relative completion of the cable business' $95 billion bandwidth upgrade, Comcast Corp. chief operating officer Steve Burke spoke of deepening "dialogues with industries whose future is intertwined with ours" in his opening remarks at San Francisco's Moscone Center. Burke was joined by his counterparts at Cablevision Systems Corp. and Charter Communications in welcoming new alliances with everyone from wireless phone carriers to Internet content providers in hopes of maximizing the industry's robust pipeline. In a session moderated by CNBC anchor Ron Insana, Cablevision chief operating officer Tom Rutledge dismissed the notion that the industry would have to upgrade infrastructure again to accommodate future content.
NEW YORK -- Comcast Corp. hailed programming as a growth area for the company at its first upfront presentation Tuesday at Cipriani's in Manhattan. Steve Burke, executive vp and chief operating officer at Comcast, touted a group of channel brands including E! and G4 along with the company's growing assets in video-on-demand, high-speed Internet and digital video recorders. "Content will be a bigger percentage of the company five years from now," Burke said. Comcast recently consolidated its portfolio of channels -- which also includes the Golf Channel and Outdoor Life Network -- under the direction of Jeff Shell, president of programming, and Dave Cassaro, president of advertising sales.
- 2/16/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NEW YORK -- Comcast Corp. has named industry veteran Jeff Shell president of the cable operator's new programming division, a move anticipated long before his departure from the top post at Gemstar-TV Guide International fewer than two months ago. Shell will oversee a content portfolio including E! Networks, Golf Channel, International Channel Networks, Outdoor Life Network, regional sports networks and the new children's and Sony/MGM networks being formed. He starts May 2 and will be based in Comcast's Philadelphia headquarters, where he will report to Steve Burke, Comcast's chief operating officer.
NEW YORK -- Cable giant Comcast Corp. on Thursday reported improved fourth-quarter financials that were largely in line with Wall Street expectations, but gave a 2005 outlook that disappointed some. The cable operator also projected its rollout of digital phone services to provide the next upsurge as high-speed Internet growth will eventually level off. "Phone is the big priority for 2005," chief operating officer Steve Burke said in a conference call. While high-speed Internet customer growth -- which hit 1.7 million last year pushing the firm's year-end total to 7 million users -- will slow down, "we are already planning the next wave of products," Burke said. Comcast reported revenue of $5.2 billion for the quarter, up 10.4% year-over-year, with core cable revenue of $4.98 billion for the quarter and content revenue of $205 million.
NEW YORK -- Cable giant Comcast Corp. on Thursday reported improved fourth-quarter financials that were largely in line with Wall Street expectations, but gave a 2005 outlook that disappointed some. The cable operator also projected its rollout of digital phone services to provide the next upsurge as high-speed Internet growth will eventually level off. "Phone is the big priority for 2005," chief operating officer Steve Burke said in a conference call. While high-speed Internet customer growth -- which hit 1.7 million last year pushing the firm's year-end total to 7 million users -- will slow down, "we are already planning the next wave of products," Burke said. Comcast reported revenue of $5.2 billion for the quarter, up 10.4% year-over-year, with core cable revenue of $4.98 billion for the quarter and content revenue of $205 million.
NEW YORK -- Cable operator Comcast Corp. Wednesday said it has promoted programming executive Amy Banse to senior vp of content development and executive vp of content development for Comcast Cable. Banse was previously vp of programming investments and executive vp of the company's programming investments division. Comcast said the promotion makes Banse the first woman in Comcast's history to hold the position of corporate senior vp. Banse joined Comcast in 1991 as an in-house attorney working on programming acquisitions. Banse will report to Comcast Corporation chief executive officer Brian Roberts and Comcast's chief operating officer and Comcast Cable's president Steve Burke. "For years Amy has been the driving force behind growing our content business. Steve and I look forward to working with Amy as we expand our cable channels, VOD offerings and broadband content in the future," said Roberts. Banse is a Harvard University graduate and Temple Law School graduate.
- 1/12/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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