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Tag: NBC Universal

  • Summit, Lionsgate resume merger talks

    Summit, Lionsgate resume merger talks

    MUMBAI: Two of Hollywood‘s biggest independent producer/distributors Summit Entertainment and Summit Entertainment have resumed talks about a merger.

    The two film distributors have had several merger talks in the past but things didn‘t proceed as issues of how much each was worth and who would end up in charge of the combined company could not be worked out.

    While both of them are among the strongest independent film distributors who compete with major studios like NBC Universal, Warner Bros. and Disney, the two companies differ on many issues.

    Summit, which is privately held, has been in the domestic distribution business since 2007, when former Warner Bros. and Paramount executive Rob Friedman joined the company.

    Summit has had a mixed record with its movies except for the Twilight franchise, which produced more than $1 billion in box office sales even before the current release. Part 2 of Breaking Dawn is scheduled for release in November 2012.

    Lionsgate is a publicly traded company based in Vancouver with offices in Santa Monica, California. While it is active in movies, including The Expendables and a series of Tyler Perry films, it has also had considerable success in television.

    Lionsgate also has a much larger film library than Summit, with about 13,000 film and TV titles that have helped it achieve about 8 per cent of the domestic home entertainment market.

  • GM partners NBC Universal for 2012 London Olympic Games

    GM partners NBC Universal for 2012 London Olympic Games

    MUMBAI: General Motors and NBC Universal have created a new media partnership related to NBC’s US coverage of the 2012 London Olympic Games that provides GM with exclusive domestic automotive advertising rights.

    Chevrolet and Cadillac will have an ad presence during NBC’s coverage of the Games on network and cable television from 27 July – 12 August, 2012. In addition, these brands will be featured in select NBC Olympic-related programming leading up to the Games and online at NBCOlympics.com.

    GM global CMO Joel Ewanick said, “Media partnerships like this provide great opportunities for us to spread the word about our newest cars, trucks and crossovers. GM has been a huge fan of the Olympic Games for decades, and we look forward to being a partner in a big way with NBC Universal as it again covers one of the world’s most significant sporting events.”

    GM has advertised within NBC’s coverage of the Games since the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

    NBC Olympics president Gary Zenkel said, “Chevrolet and Cadillac are two of the world’s premier automotive brands in the midst of a remarkable resurgence, so it’s terrific to see them make a major investment in our coverage of the London Games.”

  • ‘NDTV is a debt-free company and we are sitting on a cash pile of $70 million’ : NDTV Group CEO KVL Narayan Rao

    ‘NDTV is a debt-free company and we are sitting on a cash pile of $70 million’ : NDTV Group CEO KVL Narayan Rao

    Two years back, Dr Prannoy Roy-promoted NDTV Ltd crafted a growth path in the entertainment business. Riding a bull run, the news broadcasting company launched NDTV Networks Plc to house subsidiary arms NDTV Imagine Ltd and NDTV Lifestyle.

     

    NBC Universal invested a whopping $150 million for an indirect 26 per cent in NDTV Networks at a time when valuations were running high. Besides, NDTV raised $100 million in step-up coupon bonds.

     

    The global downturn led to the exit of NBCU, freeing NDTV to scout for investors for its non-news verticals. US-based Scripps Networks snapped up 69 per cent stake in NDTV Lifestyle while Turner International agreed to take 92 per cent of NDTV Imagine.

     

    So where does this leave NDTV? Are its growth wings clipped?

     

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com‘s Sibabrata Das, NDTV Group CEO KVL Narayan Rao says at the end of a whole chain of transactions NDTV is left with a cash pile of $70 million to focus on its news business while retaining portions of the non-news business.

     

    Excerpts:
     

     
    What prompted you to get out of the entertainment business?
    We wanted to focus on what we are best at: running news operations. We are a credible news organisation and there is enough scope to grow that. Besides, we will still retain 5 per cent stake (3 per cent post issue of primary shares to Turner) in NDTV Imagine. As for the Hindi GEC space, it was clear that a strong international strategic partner would bring in funding and global expertise. We are delighted that we have this deal with Turner.
     

     
    Did the global downturn and the exit of NBC Universal spur the chain of events?
    No. We bought out NBCU‘s stake. As a result, we got the opportunity to find a good investor who would run the company.
     

     
    NBCU had invested $150 million for the 26 per cent stake. Did you pay $25 million to buy back their stake?
    The deal is confidential. I can‘t comment on that.

     
     
    Was the deal with Turner dependent on repurchasing the bond holders who would have held 20 per cent in NDTV Networks?
    We had set out to do a few things. Buying back the bond holders was part of that process. We paid $72.4 million for that. This allowed us to pursue investors for our different verticals.
     
     

    But wouldn‘t the payout have been $115 mn (along with interest payments)?
    There was a negotiation that took place. We bought out the bonds and that allowed our subsidiaries the flexibility for restructuring and financing the businesses including being able to access bank finances for working capital and other requirements.
     
     

    ‘We wanted to focus on what we are best at: running news operations. We are a credible news organisation and there is enough scope to grow that‘

     
     
    Did you decide to retain a higher stake in NDTV Lifestyle because it would involve less funding while NDTV Imagine would guzzle in more money?
    We entered into an agreement with the US-based Scripps Networks which has experience in creating lifestyle brands. They took a 69 per cent stake and the transaction value was $55 million.
     

     
    Will NDTV get $30 million while the balance go as investments into NDTV Lifestyle?
    I can‘t comment on the specifics.
     
     

    Two years back, NDTV decided to expand because of a bull run. The market tanked and the scenario changed dramatically. Was it a mistake to expand into the non-news business?
    We have completed a chain of transactions. But at the end of it, NDTV is a debt-free company and we are sitting on a cash of $70 million. Perhaps, we are the only TV news organisation that would be sitting on such a large cash pile. We will still have some non-news businesses running. We also have NDTV Convergence. We have a decent future to look forward to.
     
     

    NDTV had posted a standalone net loss of Rs 731.8 million on a turnover of Rs 3.09 billion for the fiscal ended 31 March 2009. How do you plan to turnaround in the news business?
    For FY‘09, we had a one-time cost of around Rs 400 million. We have taken substantial cost-saving measures this year.
     

     
    Do you have major plans to invest in NDTV Convergence?
    It is one of our important properties. A lot, though, will depend on getting the right revenue model.
     
     

    NDTV has shut down MetroNation Delhi. Do you have any revival plans?
    It is too early to comment on this.
  • NBC Universal to invest in NDTV’s movie biz

    NBC Universal to invest in NDTV’s movie biz

    MUMBAI: NDTV plans to set up a separate entity for its film production business where NBC Universal will come in as an equity partner.

    The company is currently in the process of developing and producing various scripts. But as the business scales up, there will be need for capital infusion.

    “NDTV Imagine Films is working on some projects. We are, however, at the early stage of the film production business. It won’t be right to comment on what shape this will take. But NBCU films division is a potential partner for this venture going forward,” says NDTV Group CEO KVL Narayan Rao.

    NBCU has already pumped in $150 million for an effective indirect holding of 26 per cent stake in NDTV Networks, the holding company for NDTV’s entertainment and lifestyle channels, digital media and other interests, including products and services.

    For the movie business, NBCU intends to have funding outside this commitment.

    On the entertainment front, NDTV will, however, currently focus on growing its Hindi general entertainment channel NDTV Imagine. In the pipeline is a big-ticket celebrity show which it hopes will shore up the ratings.

    In its news operations, NDTV has embarked on a cost cutting and rationalisation exercise. Sensing a slowdown in advertisement revenue growth due to the overall market conditions, NDTV feels it is in a better situation because it has stayed out of debt and is sitting on Rs 6.6 billion of cash in its books.

    “In these times, it is better to be conservative. The focus should be on consolidating your position and sustaining and maintaining your businesses. We have started rationalising the operational components of cost. Even for distribution expense of our channels on cable networks, we are staying within budgets. We expect some amount of consolidation to take place in the news business in future,” says Rao.

    NDTV will launch MetroNation Chennai by the end of this fiscal. “Our focus will be on MetroNation Delhi and Chennai,” says Rao. After Chennai, NDTV had plans to roll out the city-centric channel in Mumbai.

    Indiantelevision.com had earlier reported that NDTV would set up a joint venture company with The Hindu Group for the Chennai channel. NDTV would hold 51 per cent and Hindu Group the balance 49 per cent.

    Meanwhile, NDTV has incurred a consolidated net loss of Rs 1.19 billion for the second quarter of the fiscal due to the entertainment side of the business being in its early growth phase. Revenues, however, rose 65 per cent over the year-ago period to stand at Rs 1.28 billion for the quarter.

    On a standalone basis, NDTV’s net loss was at Rs 130.40 million for the quarter ended 30 September 2008 as against a net loss of Rs 39.50 million in the prior year period.

    Total Income from operations increased to Rs 739.10 million, from Rs 677.7 million in the second quarter of FY’08. Expenditure was at Rs 900.2 million, up from Rs 699.3 million.

    NDTV board has decided to split the company into “news and other businesses” and “entertainment and specified allied businesses.” There will be “no regulatory restrictions on FII/ FDI investment in the entertainment media” and this will enable the “company to bring in strategic partners for businesses in any/all the non–news businesses.”

  • ‘NDTV is adequately funded to support its expansion’ : Narayan Rao – NDTV Group CEO KVL

    ‘NDTV is adequately funded to support its expansion’ : Narayan Rao – NDTV Group CEO KVL

     NDTV Ltd is on an expansion overdrive. In over a year, it has launched a slate of channels and moved beyond news into the lucrative Hindi general entertainment space.

     

    The company has attracted NBC Universal to pump in $150 million for an effective indirect holding of 26 per cent stake in NDTV Networks Plc. Further capital infusion of $120 million has come from a clutch of investors.

     

    NDTV’s stake in the joint venture company with Malaysia-based Astro has increased from 20 per cent to 30 per cent. The company has also launched NDTV Arabia to tap customised channels in international markets.

     

    Shepherding this growth has been NDTV Group CEO KVL Narayan Rao. In an interview with Indiantelevision.com’s Sibabrata Das, Rao chalks out the company’s expansion plans and the need for the group to consolidate its operations.

     

    Excerpts:

    Is NDTV floating a joint venture company with The Hindu Group to launch a Chennai city-centric channel?
    We are setting up a joint venture company with The Hindu Group where we will hold 51 per cent. The Hindu Group will have the balance 49 per cent and the JV will launch MetroNation Chennai in the next 3-4 months. Hindu is a reputed brand at the regional and national level. So we decided to have a content and commercial relationship. It was a natural gravitation towards each other.

    Will we see NDTV get into more such deals with print owners to tap regional markets?
    Regional news is not something on our radar. Our area of expertise is in English and Hindi language news. Our strategy is to do city-centric channels.

    Are the MetroNation channels being transferred to a subsidiary company called NDTV News Ltd?
    The intent is there to have MetroNation as a subsidiarised company. Since it has separate business requirements, we have got a chief executive officer for it. A distinct entity will bring in greater efficiencies.

    NDTV ended last fiscal with a consolidated loss of Rs 1.86 billion. When do we see a turnaround?
    We are in the stage of incubating various businesses. We have seen exponential growth over the last one year and have expanded into the non-news segment as well.

     

    We forayed into the Hindi general entertainment space with NDTV Imagine in January this year and have just launched Imagine Showbiz. We launched MetroNation in Delhi last year and it is doing well in terms of audience and reach. Now our focus will be to monetise this.

     

    We have already obtained licence for the World Cinema channel and will be launching it in the next couple of months. MetroNation in Mumbai will probably come up in the next fiscal. We have our plate full.

    Is NDTV spreading itself too thin?
    There are opportunities and media companies are exploiting this. There is, however, an expectation from the marketplace to grow the topline which is putting unnecessary pressure on several media firms. Nobody is given a chance to consolidate. We need to structure that expansion and build the management bandwidth.

     

    As for NDTV, we are adequately funded to support our expansion drives. We have have built the quality and ability to scale up. And in the news business, credibility is the only way to move forward.
    ‘Regional news is not something on our radar. Our area of expertise is in English and Hindi language news. Our strategy is to do city-centric channels‘

    Will NDTV Networks Plc. raise money by listing on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange?
    NDTV Networks has raised $120 million from a clutch of investors including $20 million from Velocity Interactive Group (earlier called ComVentures). This is the holding company for the verticals including NDTV Imagine Ltd, NDTV Lifestyle, NDTV Convergence, Labs and NGEN Media Services (50 per cent). We have decided that it is better to build the businesses rather than go for an initial listing.

    NBC Universal has the option to increase its stake from 26 per cent to 50 per cent. Will NDTV part with majority in its non-news company?
    NBC Universal has put in $150 million to subscribe to shares of our Dutch subsidiary company which will give it an effective indirect holding of 26 per cent in NDTV Networks. We will never part with control. The other investors are in NDTV Networks.

    Colors has made a strong debut. Will this affect the break even period of NDTV Imagine which reportedly has a funding support of $106 million?
    NDTV Imagine is well on track and is growing steadily. The funding is adequate to take it to EBITDA positive stage. I can’t talk about other GECs.

    While the trend in an entertainment bouquet is to have a GEC and a Hindi movie channel, NDTV Imagine Ltd has launched a niche channel in Showbiz through a joint venture partner. What is the holding structure and potential for this channel?
    NDTV Imagine Ltd will hold 51 per cent in the JV and the balance 49 per cent will be with Cinestar. It is a growing segment and has tremendous potential.

     

    The launch of a Hindi movie channel is also in the pipeline. We are already in the process of acquiring movies. We are also going to be present in film production.

    NDTV’s consolidated revenue was at Rs 3.66 billion for FY’08. What contributed to this 31 per cent jump in turnover over the year-ago period?
    NDTV 24X7 and NDTV Profit have seen strong growth. NDTV India’s revenues, however, are not growing at the same pace because of the editorial positioning it has opted to take.

    Isn’t there a temptation to take NDTV India the tabloid route as many Hindi channels have successfully done to grow audiences?
    Going the tabloid route is not our strength. That is not our USP. NDTV India is holding on to revenue because of quality. We believe in the long run, good news will prevail and more audiences will come in.

    How is the joint venture with Malaysia-based Astro faring?
    The venture has already launched channels in Indonesia and Malaysia. We were given 20 per cent stake against a fee that we were to charge Astro for our services. Our stake in the joint venture is going up to 30 per cent.
    NDTV Emerging Markets is a subsidiary company which launched NDTV Arabia. Are we going to see more such customised channels being launched in other countries through this company?
    NDTV Arabia will now break into local news bands. It is our first venture into the Middle East and Africa as a customised channel. Yes, NDTV Emerging Markets will launch more such channels in other international markets to provide local news content. It is part of our international expansion plan to reach out to new target audiences.
    NBC Universal’s investment of $150 million for 26 per cent stake in NDTV’s Dutch subsidiary company puts the valuation at Rs 24.2 billion. The market cap of NDTV Ltd, which includes the news channels as well, was marginally higher at Rs 24.5 bn (July-end). Since the true value is not captured, is this the reason why NDTV Ltd is planning to de-merge the company into “news related businesses” and “non news businesses?”
    The aim is to unlock shareholder value and to promote the focused growth of our various businesses. Consultants are working on this and we will evaluate various options after receiving their feedback.
  • Jeff Zucker elevated to NBC Universal president, CEO

    Jeff Zucker elevated to NBC Universal president, CEO

    MUMBAI: US media conglomerate NBC Universal has announced that Jeff Zucker is its president and CEO.

    He succeedes Bob Wright, who has served in this role for 21 years..

    NBC Universal’s parent firm General Electric Company Chairman and CEO Jeffrey R. Immelt says, ” Jeff will succeed one of the true giants in media — Bob Wright — to whom we owe a tremendous debt of gratitude for helping to build this great media company. By any measure, Bob is one of the most successful media executives ever.

    “He transformed NBC from a broadcast network into a diversified global media company. He was always able to see what was coming next, whether it was cable, satellite, Hispanic broadcasting or digital media. Bob’s strategic vision and execution kept NBC growing.”

    Zucker, 41, is a 21-year veteran of NBC Universal. As president and CEO, he will have responsibility for the strategic direction and operations of all NBC Universal properties. Zucker is one of the industry’s most experienced executives and has spent much of his career working in NBC’s news, sports, and entertainment divisions. As CEO of the NBC Universal Television Group since 2005, Zucker has overseen the company’s television programming and distribution operations, which account for two-thirds of the company’s overall profits.

    Immelt adds, “Jeff Zucker is a terrific talent and the right person to guide NBC Universal on the next stage of its growth. His 20-plus years with NBC give him deep knowledge of the company’s strategy, people and culture. In the past few years, Jeff has shown that he is an energetic, focused leader who can rise to a challenge. His creative experience, expertise in news and broadcasting and intense passion for the business were immensely appealing to the Board and to me during this succession process.

    In addition to serving as a vice chairman of GE, Wright will assist with the leadership transition at NBCU.

    Zucker said, “Bob has been a terrific mentor to me throughout my career, and I am honored to be his successor and fortunate to assume responsibility of a company that is so well positioned for future growth. I’ve spent my entire career at NBC and had the privilege to work with the best in the business every day. I look forward to continuing to work with this talented management team as we take NBC Universal to the next level.”

  • IBM study predicts 23 per cent rise in new media sales

    IBM study predicts 23 per cent rise in new media sales

    MUMBAI: The sales of media on the internet and cellphones are expected to rise 23 per cent over the next four years, according to a IBM study. The upsurge is largely driven by TV networks and film studios putting more of their content online.

    IBM researchers estimated new media sales to grow at nearly five times the rate of traditional media. The biggest surge, they claim will come from the internet syndication of professionally produced programming, which is expected to jump 33 per cent to $25 billion.

    The research cites examples of Walt Disney Co. offering episodes of hit prime-time shows “Lost” and “Desperate Housewives” for free on ABC.com and Sony Corp. offering a Star Wars-themed multiplayer game on its Web site.

    The IBM report comes in the wake of Google Inc.’s stalled talks with U.S. television networks to provide TV show programming to online video service YouTube.

    Media companies like Viacom Inc. and General Electric’s NBC Universal are making their programming more widely available on the Internet, but have failed to land distribution deals with YouTube over deal terms and copyright concerns.

    Viacom in early February demanded that YouTube remove more than 100,000 video clips from the service.

    Still, the internet syndication of traditional media companies’ programming will be a small part of the estimated $655 billion of annual media revenue in 2010.

    The IBM report estimated the music industry will have lost a staggering $85 billion to $160 billion in revenue between 1999 through 2010. It also concluded that the music industry will have to sort out the legal fights regarding use of digital media.

    “Doing nothing is not an option,” according to the report’s findings.The growth rates are on a compounded annual growth basis.”We’re not moving from black and white to color TV — from one steady state to another,” said IBM’s global media and entertainment strategy leader in an interview to the media last week.”We’re moving from an era of stability to an era of constant change.”

    Growth rates are higher for new media businesses, but traditional media sales will still play the biggest role with estimated annual sales growth of 5 percent to $340 billion by 2010.

    So called “walled communities,” or networks such as cellphone and cable networks that offer viewer-created programming and revenue from cable and satellite subscriptions and advertising, will rise by 10 percent to $240 billion by 2010.

    ‘New platform aggregators’ such as YouTube and MySpace, are expected to rise by 16 percent to $50 billion.

  • NBC Universal sees growth in interactive TV

    NBC Universal sees growth in interactive TV

    MUMBAI: US media conglomerate NBC Universal says that its television networks had a strong year in interactive television.

    40 iTV programmes or events were launched across 12 business units, and generated over 130 million web votes and SMS messages.

    The wide variety of iTV features ranged from choosing the Lucky Case for the chance to win $10,000 on NBC’s game show Deal or No Deal to single-screen synchronous interaction with Bravo’s Top Chef to in-show text alerts from the characters of USA Network’s The 4400.

    NBC Universal Cable Entertainment, Digital Content and Cross-Network Strategy president Jeff Gaspin says, “We need to find ways to engage consumers like never before. These interactive applications give us insight into our viewers’ behaviour and offer them opportunities to connect with their favorite programming.”

    NBC Universal director, iTV product development Jon Dakss says, “ITV is a huge area of growth for the company. It has significantly changed television viewing habits, making it a much more hands-on experience. Viewers are clearly responding in record numbers, and we are excited to launch a number of new interactive features in the coming year.”

    This year, NBCU says that it achieved several milestones in the iTV universe. The company launched seven single-screen iTV applications, more than any media company in the US, reaching millions of viewers. In addition, NBCU’s interactive programmes, like Deal or No Deal and Bravo’s Project Runway received over 100 million web votes and 30 million SMS messages. In February, NBC became the first U.S. network to deploy the same single-screen iTV application to multiple digital platforms simultaneously during the 2006 Winter Olympics.

    Moreover NBCU’s success in the iTV space has translated into several sponsorship opportunities. Bravo’s Top Chef and Sears Kenmore PRO accomplished three firsts for a US network programme by deploying the first sponsored 1-screen enhanced TV element over a digital cable network, the first 1-screen enhanced TV element for a show across multiple digital cable systems simultaneously, and the first sponsored cross-carrier video message to a cell phone. In Bravo’s first season of Top Chef single-screen interactivity that was made available to Time Warner Cable digital subscribers culminated in a peak of 30 per cent viewer participation.

    NBCU’s iTV department is part of a new NBC Universal division known as the Technology Growth Center, which continues to grow as NBCU’s digital efforts expand. The iTV team has made two new hires further bolstering its team. Andy Castin joins from ABC/Disney as a Senior iTV Technical Producer, working with NBC’s Sports and News divisions. Elena Ritchie from Motricity (formerly GoldPocket Wireless) also joins the group as an iTV Technical Producer and will focus on iTV initiatives for NBC’s entertainment properties.

  • NBC Universal in restructuring mode for the digital era

    NBC Universal in restructuring mode for the digital era

    MUMBAI: US media conglomerate NBC Universal has announced NBCU 2.0. This is a wide-ranging strategic initiative to assure future growth, streamline and strengthen operations, and exploit opportunities created by the rapidly evolving digital and global marketplace.

     
    NBCU 2.0 will seek to maximise the potential of the entire NBC Universal portfolio, including broadcast, cable, film, and theme parks, by creating operating efficiencies and reallocating resources to invest in new growth areas. The initiative the firm says continues the evolution of NBC Universal, marked in recent years by significant investments such as Vivendi Universal Entertainment, Telemundo and iVillage. NBCU 2.0 will enhance ongoing efforts to redirect traditional analogue resources toward high-growth digital areas and international expansion.

    NBC Universal has struggled with weak ad sales and profits. The structuring plan will reduce annual expenses by $750 million. This will be partly done by cutting 700 jobs. The moves, which have been in the works for more than a year, were announced by General Electric vice chairman and NBCU chairman/CEO Bob Wright. NBC U profit dropped 10 per cent during ththird quarter, pulled down by lower ratings at NBC which has struggled after the departure of high profile shows like Friends.

    NBC is said to be looking to ease off of scripted dramas, that can cost several millions of dollars per episode, in the 8 pm time slot in favour of less expensive game shows and other fare. The advertiser interest is not enough to justify the expense of scripted shows indicate reports. To give a cost comparison to readers the game show Deal or No Deal costs $1.1 million an episode, while the drama Friday Night Lights costs more than double at $2.6 million an episode. So in the first hour of primetime there will be more of game shows rather than dramas.

    Wright says, “Success in this business means quickly adjusting to and anticipating change. This initiative is designed to help us exploit technology and focus our resources, as we continue our transformation into a digital media company for the 21st century”.

    In many cases, the company says that savings will be reinvested in higher-growth areas. The focus is going to be on tapping into the digital arena. Digital revenues are expected to exceed $1 billion by 2009. Recent growth has been driven by initiatives such as the partnership between Yahoo and Telemundo to develop the leading Hispanic Internet destination; the launch of NBC WeatherPlus, nbbc, nbcsports.com, cnbc.com, and dotcomedy.com; the creation of several other original broadband channels; the development of interactive television and digital cinema applications; and the delivery of a 360-degree content experience via online and wireless platforms.

     
    NBCU Television Group: As part of NBCU 2.0, the business models in News and Entertainment will be further adapted to exploit the opportunities of the changing media landscape.

    NBC Universal Television Group CEO Jeff Zucker says, “NBC Universal 2.0 will prepare us for future growth from a position of strength. With new momentum in prime time at NBC, continued leadership from NBC News, real growth at Telemundo, and solid performances in virtually every other division of our Television Group, there is no better time to re-engineer the company for the revolutionary changes to come. We have to recognize that the changes of the next five years will dwarf the changes of the last fifty.”

    News: Newsgathering operations will be further modernised to improve efficiencies. As part of the redesign, NBC Universal’s 24-hour cable news channel, MSNBC, will move its operations to the company’s production facilities at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, and Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. The move will streamline newsgathering operations and result in better utilisation of both state-of-the-art facilities.

    In addition, in an extension of the successful centralisation strategy developed by the NBC Universal TV Stations Group in recent years, the company is creating consolidated news facilities in Burbank. The facility will support a number of news and information operations, including the NBC and Telemundo networks, KNBC, KVEA, KWHY. The new configuration the company says will increase productivity and improve communication, coordination and resource-sharing among newsgathering units. Reviews are also under way at NBC News bureaus and facilities around the world.

    New digital distribution opportunities and synergies will be created by improvements in how information is gathered, shared and distributed across multiple news and information platforms. These changes will be implemented at the NBC network and stations levels, as well as at the Telemundo stations, where new emphasis will be placed on regionalised news programming with local content in some smaller markets.

    Entertainment: On the entertainment side, the TV Group will maximise its ability to generate revenues across all platforms – including new digital distribution outlets – through a business strategy that reduces NBCU’s dependence on traditional content distribution methods and advertising models. This includes bringing content to consumers sooner on a variety of platforms, creating new windows or opportunities in the traditional syndication market, and developing alternative advertising metrics.

    NBCU 2.0 will also continue to make the growing Hispanic market a priority, as highlighted by the significant recent investments in Telemundo’s prime-time production, a new studio and news bureau in Mexico, and the acquisition of three TV stations in the last 18 months.

    Universal Studios : The initiative will focus on the recent developments in technology and media that are transforming the film industry, with the goal of competitively positioning the Studio for continued growth and success.

    Universal Studios president and COO Ron Meyer says, “As a business we are continually looking to be smarter about how we develop, distribute, and market our films around the world . “We plan to realign our operations to maximize growth opportunities in an increasingly competitive and evolving industry. Making these changes now will reinforce our position as an industry leader.”

    The strategic realignment of domestic theatrical, home entertainment and television marketing and distribution divisions will realize cost savings through consolidating positions and maximizing efficiencies across all aspects of the business units. Savings will also be realised though consolidating locations, support functions and marketing activities at Universal Pictures International, Universal Pictures International Entertainment and NBC Universal International Television Distribution.

    Universal Parks and Resorts Group will continue to look for strategic growth opportunities and cost reductions at their properties in Los Angeles and Orlando.

  • Paramount ropes in former NBC Universal hand Huntsberry as COO

    Paramount ropes in former NBC Universal hand Huntsberry as COO

    MUMBAI: The Viacom-owned film studio Paramount Pictures has announced the appointment of Frederick Huntsberry as its chief operating officer. In his new role at Paramount, Huntsberry will be responsible for worldwide strategic planning and operations for the studio.

    Huntsberry comes to Paramount after 12 years with General Electric Co., the parent company of NBC, where he served as NBC Universal Television Distribution EVP as well as Universal Pictures interim president and COO.

    “With Frederick’s unique experiences and skills, I know he will be a tremendous addition to our management team as we continue to lead Paramount to a bright future,” Paramount chairman and chief executive Brad Grey has been quoted in media reports as saying.

    Paramount has also announced the expansion of the profile of its president Rob Moore. Moore, who had been in charge of marketing and distribution, will now take charge of its home entertainment and digital operations as well.