Jeff Zucker, Jeff Zucker cutbacks, Jeff Zucker NBC, Jeff Zucker pilot season, Jeff Zucker upfront, Jeff Zucker upfronts, NBC cutbacks, NBC pilot, NBC pilot season, NBC pilot season cancelled, NBC upfront, NBC upfronts
Jeff Zucker, Jeff Zucker cutbacks, Jeff Zucker NBC, Jeff Zucker pilot season, Jeff Zucker upfront, Jeff Zucker upfronts, NBC cutbacks, NBC pilot, NBC pilot season, NBC pilot season cancelled, NBC upfront, NBC upfronts

Amidst Strike, NBC Honcho Plans Major TV Biz Shakeup

Financial Times   |  Joshua Chaffin   |   January 20, 2008 06:36 PM


stumbleupon :Amidst Strike, NBC Honcho Plans Major TV Biz Shakeup   digg: Amidst Strike, NBC Honcho Plans Major TV Biz Shakeup   reddit: Amidst Strike, NBC Honcho Plans Major TV Biz Shakeup   del.icio.us: Amidst Strike, NBC Honcho Plans Major TV Biz Shakeup

Jeff Zucker, chief executive of NBC Universal, is planning to seize on the writers' strike to eliminate what he sees as extravagances in the way Hollywood makes and promotes television.

NBC and other companies have already used the strike to terminate millions of dollars of long-term production contracts. Mr Zucker is planning to go further by cutting enduring features of the television business, including the pilot season, in which networks develop programmes, and the splashy "upfront" presentations in which they tout them to advertisers.

"Things like that are all vestiges of an era that's gone by and won't return," Mr Zucker told the Financial Times.

He made his remarks in the midst of a three-month labour strike by Hollywood writers that has cost thousands of jobs, placed a drag on California's economy and raised questions about the future of the business.

Comments for this post are now closed


 
 

Comments
15
Pending Comments
0

Want to reply to a comment? Hint: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to

View Comments:
- GalaxieGal See Profile I'm a Fan of GalaxieGal permalink

Perhaps he should start by reducing the obscene amounts paid to executives on each production. The day to day workers aren't the ones getting rich on these productions.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:42 AM on 01/21/2008
- sneezeguard See Profile I'm a Fan of sneezeguard permalink

Striking writer's didn't think too far down the road, did they? Well, they're going to get some changes alright. Very sad.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:33 AM on 01/21/2008
- crafty See Profile I'm a Fan of crafty permalink

i am glad to see that the writers will be returning to lots less jobs. you reap what you sow...so haha wga....lets see your leaders find you work in this guild depleted workplace now.
good job Mr. Zucker!!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:48 AM on 01/21/2008
- Purple Girl See Profile I'm a Fan of Purple Girl permalink

Yeah get rid of all those pesky independent minded writers. We need more hand selected corporate manufactured wind bags to fill the airwaves.
there must be panic- without the MSM to tell US what to think in their Double Speak, we are beginnning to think for OURSELVES!!!The natives are getting restless- "throw them another staged reality series (Primary coverage), another fake liberal (Mahr), Or Front man (KeithO)
Hurry before they realize we are Licensed to work for THEM! and NOT the Corporate Sponsors"

SCREW YOU GE -I still have an imagination of my own- I still have that ol' 'Dream' and I can still "Imagine" .. The World without You and your minions.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:29 AM on 01/21/2008
- eddiestardust See Profile I'm a Fan of eddiestardust permalink

Let's have a big pity party for NBC..

All Together now....


AWWWWW!

Gee whiz guys maybe just maybe if you would give us better programming we would watch your network!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:50 AM on 01/21/2008
- bookish See Profile I'm a Fan of bookish permalink

The Sunday Times of London has published another story that appears to confirm Sibil Edmond's allegations of the theft and sale of American nuclear secrets, by American officials, "elected and appointed".

Information available online at The Sunday Times, The Raw Story, Brad Blog, and Luke Ryland.

This story has been widely reported internationally, but American MSM and Huffington Post are silent.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:42 PM on 01/20/2008
- UncleJimbo See Profile I'm a Fan of UncleJimbo permalink

Actually I watch very little "Network" TV now and won't miss it in the future! News Shows, HBO,Showtime,Cable and DVD's so Fuck Network TV!The last Network show I watched every week was Seinfeld...Not the there's anything wrong with that!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:22 PM on 01/20/2008
- realitytrumpsbull See Profile I'm a Fan of realitytrumpsbull permalink

That's great, because a lot of the 'programming' in recent times has just about only amounted to a nonstop advertising bed. Maybe we'll start seeing quality shows again, or maybe it's just time to turn the damn thing OFF....

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:20 PM on 01/20/2008
- tililek See Profile I'm a Fan of tililek permalink

And we'll see even more commercials, over and over again. Programs have taken about 2/3 of an hour, and the correction will undoubtedly mean that we'll have commercials for 2/3 of an hour and a word or two now and then of programming.

And they wonder why most of us don't watch TV. Years ago someone said that the TV belonged in the bathroom, and that seems ever truer.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:46 PM on 01/20/2008
- ErnestineBass See Profile I'm a Fan of ErnestineBass permalink


Let's see...what rhymes with Zucker...?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:32 PM on 01/20/2008
- totalliberal See Profile I'm a Fan of totalliberal permalink

After Zuker loses a crap-load of money which will be reclaimed in corporate tax write-offs, his friends on the Board will vote him a few hundred million in bonuses.

Ain't Corporate-totalitarianism great? First private sector rule. There are no rules.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:43 PM on 01/20/2008
- godlessclif See Profile I'm a Fan of godlessclif permalink

Do away with pilot season and no long term production contracts. Sounds like Zucker is no longer thinking about making hits, just short term
crap to fill the space between commercials.
Maybe he can replace "Law and Order" with a remake of the Keystone cops. Lots of action and no writing, no stars. Mack Sennate kept those budgets low.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:40 PM on 01/20/2008
- Ginzaman See Profile I'm a Fan of Ginzaman permalink

Now what he DIDN'T say:

Nothing about cutting back on executive stock options, bonus packages, and severence packages.

Use of the G.E. coporate jet fleet (for business or weekend flings with your girlfriend/mistress, etc. Just ask Jack Welch about that).

Spending megamillions annually in legal fees to crush anyone who dares to dissent (just ask Dennis Kucinich).

Expensive power lunches, stretch limos to/from work. The list goes on and on......

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:00 PM on 01/20/2008
Comments are closed for this entry

You must be logged in to reply to this comment. Log in

 
 

 

 Site  Web ask.com