Zucker looking like a lock to head new Comcast-GE venture
Reuters is reporting what we’ve been hearing for a while now: Comcast and GE have agreed to keep NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker on as head of the two companies’ proposed joint venture. The structure of the board is still being negotiated.
The media that cover media are breathlessly awaiting the deal’s closure, which values NBCU at $30 billion and would give Comcast a 51% ownership stake in the new company, which would house NBC, the NBC owned stations, NBCU’s cable networks, the television and film studio and The Weather Channel, which NBCU acquired in July 2008. Whether Comcast will keep all of those assets once acquired remains in question, with rumors flying that the network and the stations are up for grabs to the highest bidder.
According to Reuters, Zucker will lead the new entity — in whatever shape it may take — with no clauses that would require him to leave after a specific period.
Meanwhile, it’s been well reported that former News Corp. President Peter Chernin and former Fox Entertainment President Peter Ligouri both are advising Comcast on the deal, but what the roles of Chernin and Ligouri might be are unknown. I highly doubt either men are up for answering to Zucker, and the possibility exists that Chernin and Ligouri are just acting as consultants with no intention of climbing on board once the deal is done.
While Zucker seems to have gotten his job locked down, Vivendi, which owns 20% of NBCU, still needs to agree to a deal. That may have already happened in backroom negotiations but news of such an agreement has yet to leak out.
david b conway commented:
dear bac , hi my name is david b conway and my comments to comcast cable just in my local area i just found out today just on my laptop computer comcast just did desconeted the two basic channels one was cmt tv / and the hallmark channel and we need to take the cable box converter for it and they want to raise the bill and the rate as well and do you think that right thing to to do just from comcast cable may i ask / and plus one qusetion just from me ./ do you think that might hurt with the local channels just to be making the hallmark movies and also with the digtal cable channels just to make hallmark movies as well and i did fined out as well nbc network and with the universal studio that owns by hallmark channel and the bbbc network ./ and plsese send this information just to all tv networks that is involment just with the hallmark channel who makes thoses movies for / and allso with the pepole of the cmt nommies as well just about comcast cable wants lose the cmt tv nework as well ./ love david b conway
Michael commented:
Truly defies logic. His only two creative moves have been: [1] the street-level studio, which was simply bringing back an idea thought up by others some 50 years prior, and [2] trying to write Jerry Seinfeld a check for $100 million to keep him on for one more season, which of course, failed. Only thing I can think of is that Comcast and GE had to announce him remaining, for now, in order to avoid chaos amongst everyone in 30 Rock leading up to the moment when ownership is transferred.
KGP commented:
Zucker is the reason NBC is failing now. Get rid of him.
Bob commented:
Jeff must have compromising pictures/videos of everyone in the top echelons of NBC/U and Comcast. How else would this guy survive after taking a top-rated network into a sad also-ran? He is the poster boy for a reverse Midas Touch. His salad days started and ended as the EP of Today. Amazing what passes for talent these days. Brandon Tartikoff is undoubtedly spinning in his grave.