Fates & Fortunes
Fates & Fortunes follows the comings and goings of the people who work in the TV industry.
Gollust Named NBCU's Top Spokesperson
Allison Gollust was named head of NBC Universal’s corporate communications, the company announced Wednesday. She starts her new job on Monday, July 13. Previously, Gollust was senior vice president of communications overseeing all of NBC News, including Nightly News, Dateline, Today and Meet the Press. She also oversaw communications for MSNBC, CNBC and The Weather Channel, which NBC, with ...... Read More
Comments (0)Fates & Fortunes Weekly Round-Up
Headed into the Fourth of July, things are pretty quiet, but there are still plenty of job changes – gains and losses – worth mentioning. Chase Carey to be paid $8.1 million–plus an $10 million signing bonus–to rejoin News Corp. as vice chairman and COO, reports the Los Angeles Times. Blake Krikorian, formerly of Sling Media and EchoStar, is a possibility to succeed him ...... Read More
Comments (0)Unemployment Remains on the Rise
Following up on yesterday’s post that TV station groups and individual stations continue to lay off people in droves, Automatic Data Processing Inc. yesterday released its monthly employment report, revealing that private sector/non-farm employment decreased by 473,000 in June. That breaks down like this: small businesses lost 177,000 jobs, medium businesses lost 205,000 jobs and large busi ...... Read More
Comments (0)Station Layoffs Continue Apace
Back in the spring, I was starting to hear rumblings that perhaps this recession was lifting a little. Now, I think that was just desperately wishful thinking. Here in summer’s dog days, I think everyone realizes that we’re going to have to wait for 2009 to finally come to a close before we’ll be able to think about emerging from this difficult economy. That goes double for st ...... Read More
Comments (2)Conversation with Carlin
Word broke today that Scott Carlin, HBO’s president of domestic distribution, is departing his post (see the story here). He’s yet another top-notch, well-liked TV executive who is embarking on a new path. Television’s difficult economics are certainly forcing some of the executive changes we’ve been seeing lately, but Carlin seems ready and excited about whateverȁ ...... Read More
Comments (1)MySpace, FIM continue to downsize
Layoffs continue at News Corp.’s digital division, the Wall Street Journal reported today. First, MySpace plans to lay off 300 employees in its international division, reducing that group’s size by two-thirds down to 150 workers. That follows last week’s announcement that MySpace would cut 30% of its U.S. workforce, down to 1,000 employees. Changes are also happening at the to ...... Read More
Comments (0)RIP Ed McMahon
I knew before almost anyone this morning that Ed McMahon, known for 30 years as Johnny Carson’s sidekick with the hearty laugh, had passed away because I had a 6:30 a.m. call scheduled with TMZ EP Harvey Levin that he had to skip due to this news. I am deeply not a morning person, so my first reaction was to be somewhat annoyed at McMahon for dying so inconveniently. (Note to self: th ...... Read More
Comments (2)Layoffs hit MySpace
News Corp.-owned MySpace on Tuesday laid off 420 employees, about 30% of its workforce. The LA Times’ Company Town blog first signaled this was going to happen on Friday, June 5, noting layoffs also were expected at Fox Interactive Media, of which MySpace is a part. There have been significant changes at the top of both FIM and MySpace. Former AOL CEO Jon Miller was hired to head FIM at the ...... Read More
Comments (0)Kelly to run Weigel stations
Molly Kelly has been promoted to station manager at Chicago’s Weigel Broadcasting Company. In her new job, she will oversee the day-to-day operations of the marketing, promotion, content, programming and Web departments. “We are pleased to promote her from within our station ranks. Since joining our station group almost 3 years ago, she has proven herself as a leader and someo ...... Read More
Comments (1)Graden out at MTV
Brian Graden, MTV’s president of entertainment for the past 13 years, is leaving the network, several outlets are reporting. The New York Post looked to be first with the news, filing at 4:41 p.m. ET (1:41 p.m. PT). The Post says Graden has been talking about departing his job for the past six months, and that MTV is about to be reorganized. He’s not expected to be replaced, and at a ...... Read More
Comments (0)Watson lands at 11 am on MSNBC
It wasn’t that long ago I was writing about Carlos Watson as the potential host of a daytime talk strip produced and distributed by Hearst-Argyle. Watson, an energetic entrepreneur, hosted a series of news-oriented specials called Conversations with Carlos Watson for Hearst-Argyle Television Group. Hearst-Argyle had hoped to roll out the strip this fall. Then the economy tanked and Watson s ...... Read More
Comments (5)Shields upped at NBC U
I didn’t really think Cory Shields could be promoted any further at NBC Universal, but this latest announcement reminds us that company execs can always move the ceiling a little higher if they think you’re worth it. Shields, NBC U’s top PR guy for the past three years, has been named executive vice president of global policy strategies and alliances, according to NBC U Presid ...... Read More
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