NYT/AP: NBC to Cut 700 Jobs in Overhaul; News divisions affected

[DeepModem Mom]

NBC to Cut 700 Jobs in Overhaul
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: October 19, 2006

NEW YORK (AP) -- NBC Universal said Thursday it would cut 700 jobs and streamline its news operations as part an overhaul aimed at exploiting new forms of electronic distribution. NBC, a unit of General Electric Co., said it expects the revamp to save $750 million in operating expenses by 2008. The job cuts would represent about 5 percent of its work force.

As part of the changes, NBC's long-struggling 24-hour cable news channel MSNBC will move its operations to NBC's headquarters in Manhattan's Rockefeller Center and also to another NBC facility in Englewood Cliffs, N.J.

The changes don't represent a diminishing commitment to news, but just reflect how the industry is changing, Jeff Zucker, chief executive of NBC Universal's television group, told The Associated Press....

***

The changes will be noticeable on television, where NBC will stop scheduling high-priced dramas and comedies during the first hour of prime-time at 8 p.m. Instead, cheaper-to-produce programming like ''Deal or No Deal'' or ''The Biggest Loser'' will fill that hour....

***

NBC's cost-saving plan involves laying off people from the company's 11 news divisions, including on-air talent....

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-NBC-Universal-Cuts.html

[liberal N proud]

1. The no longer need the news writers, all they need to do is repeat

the talking points provide them by the ministry of propaganda aka, Karl Rove.

[OKthatsIT]

8. Keep the Internet FREE SPEECH...or we're TOAST

All the more reason to WATCH OUT for Corporate takeover of the Net.

[Webster Green]

2. Should have done it years ago, when they stopped doing news..

No brainer!

[truthisfreedom]

3. hang in there, Keith. we need ya.

[AndyA]

4. Let's hope this isn't their way of shutting up Keith Olberman!

Good grief, they saved a ton of money when Katie Couric left the network.

They could always dump Scarborough Country, nobody cares what he has to say after Countdown anyway.

[Tarheel_Dem]

11. I think Keith is safe.....

there was an article floating around here a couple of months ago that said company "insiders" were saying that since Keith and Tweety continue to pull in their best ratings for MSNBC that their shows would move to CNBC. As for the other on-air talent, there was no mention of Carlson or Scarborough being added to the CNBC lineup.

I'm at work, but if I get time later, I'll try to find the article.

[Love Bug]

5. What did they do with all their profits from 10 years of "Friends" and

must-see TV? Hope this doesn't affect Obermann.

[0007]

6. Most all third world counties and Banana Republics have a

small staff dedicated to nothing but outrageous propaganda for the power lords.

[Mika]

7. And those trying to keep their jobs will be whoring even more..

.. if that is possible.

[0007]

9. Keeping it small means keeping it in the family



[tularetom]

10. My suggestion: replace the "Imus" show with infomercials

they'll probably draw more viewers and MSNBC might even make a buck off of them.

[hashibabba]

12. I'd love it if they got rid of Imus. What an idiot!

Not to mention Tucker and Scarborough.