NBCUniversal has announced a new organisational structure for the company, bringing into closer alignment NBCUniversal’s television networks, and the departure of Andy Lack.
The restructuring will see NBC Entertainment, Telemundo, the NBC Universal’s cable entertainment networks (USA, SYFY, Bravo, Oxygen, E!, Universal Kids), International Networks as well as the new streaming service, Peacock, under one division led by Mark Lazarus, Chairman, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming.
Mark Lazarus will also continue to oversee the NBC Sports Group, owned television stations, and affiliate relations.
“This is the right structure to lead NBCUniversal into the future during this trans-formational time in the industry,” said Jeff Shell, CEO, NBCUniversal. “Mark has a proven track record across every aspect of our television business from sports to local stations to entertainment. He is the ideal leader to oversee our television and streaming portfolio in this newly formed division, which allows us to have a more unified approach to our content strategy.”
The company’s news networks will be organised into a single unit and led by Cesar Conde, who assumes the newly created role of Chairman, NBCUniversal News Group, which now includes NBC News, MSNBC and CNBC.
Shell added, “Cesar is a well-respected, strategic leader who has succeeded in multiple roles at NBCUniversal since joining the company in 2013. Most recently, Cesar has overseen unprecedented growth at Telemundo, which under his leadership has become the number one Spanish-language network, and through its news division has played a critical role in the expansion of news operations, breaking news coverage and trailblazing political reporting. Cesar’s valuable and relevant experience leading broadcast networks and news divisions, combined with his high degree of integrity and proven management skills, make him the right person to lead our news group into the future.”
Both Lazarus and Conde report directly to Shell.
NBC News Group President Andy Lack has decided to step down and will transition out of the company at the end of the month.
Noah Oppenheim, President of NBC News; Phil Griffin, President of MSNBC; and Mark Hoffman, Chairman of CNBC; will now report to Conde. A new leader of Telemundo Enterprises, replacing Conde, will be announced later. Until then, the Telemundo leadership team will report directly to Lazarus.
Andrew Lacks departure marks the second time the NBC veteran has left the company. He first joined in 1993 as President of NBC News.
Lack previously served as Chairman of the Bloomberg Media Group. He joined Bloomberg in October 2008 as CEO of its Global Media Group, where he led the expansion of its television, radio, magazine, conference and digital businesses. During Lack’s tenure, Bloomberg LP enhanced the quality of its media portfolio, expanded internationally, and built out services to connect people with information in more places, and across more platforms than ever before.
Prior to Bloomberg, Lack was Chairman and CEO of Sony Music Entertainment, where he oversaw management of the company’s prominent international artists and vast catalogue of recorded music from around the world.
Andy Lack spent much of his early television career at CBS News. After joining in 1976, within a year, he became a prominent producer for “60 Minutes” and subsequently, senior executive producer of “CBS Reports.” Lack’s broadcasts at CBS earned numerous honours, including 16 Emmy Awards and four Alfred I. DuPont-Columbia University Journalism Awards.
Most recently, Lack held the position of the first-ever Chief Executive Officer of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, the independent federal agency that oversees all U.S. civilian international media.