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Zucker Must Prove Mettle To Comcast

The New York Times, Thursday, December 3, 2009 12:17 AM

Jeff Zucker, who became chief executive of NBC Universal in 2007, is at the center of one of the biggest deals in media - the $30 billion plan to shift control of the company from GE to Comcast. His success with the cable channels, which are expected to produce more than $2.3 billion in operating profit in 2009, made the deal attractive to Comcast, but his decision to move Jay Leno to 10 p.m. lost the company millions and made it more vulnerable in the short-term.

Yet its expected that Zucker will get a new long-term contract that will extend his leadership of NBC Universal through the regulatory approval period and the assurance he continues as chief executive in the new joint venture. He will report to Comcasts chief executive, Steve Burke. Several industry insiders are critical of Zuckers tenure and surprised Comcast is keeping him on, but Discovery CEO David Zaslav warns not to "underestimate that guy. Jeff wears very well."

Read the whole story at The New York Times »

broadcasting, cable, entertainment, television

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