Jeff Zucker out at NBC, Jon Klein exits CNN amid prime-time losses

[stevedeshazer]

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Election-2010/Vox-News/2010/0924/Jeff-Zucker-out-at-NBC-Jon-Klein-exits-CNN-amid-prime-time-losses

In a moment of major upheaval in the media industry, on Friday CNN and NBC Universal each announced the replacement of top executives. NBC Universal Chief Executive Jeff Zucker and CNN President Jon Klein both have been shown the door.

While there are major differences between the two businesses, common themes underlie the personnel moves. Both CNN and NBC Universal are being buffeted, as all media organizations are, by the rapid rise in online competitors. Despite that upheaval, both organizations are solidly profitable. But CNN and NBC have suffered erosion in their prime-time ratings.

Jeff Zucker is the better known of the two figures, and has a reputation as having been a boy wonder. He became executive producer of the immensely profitable "Today" program at age 26. He told New York Times reporter Bill Carter, who broke the story of his departure, that leaving was not his own choice and was “incredibly emotional” and “gut wrenching.”

In a letter to NBC employees, Mr. Zucker said, ‘I’ve spent the last 24 years thinking only about NBC Universal and never contemplated anything else.” He is leaving at the request of NBC’s news owner. In December 2009, Comcast Corp. agreed to buy a 51 percent stake in NBC from General Electric Co. The deal is still subject to regulatory hurdles but is slated to close by the end of 2010.

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Sniff. Brings a tear to my one good eye.

:rofl:

[lpbk2713]

1. Thought only of NBC for 24 years.

I've worked under and around managers like that. They love the organization more than their own family.
People like that are in dire need of help from mental health professionals.

[Maccagirl]

2. Will their corporate massas give them a golden parachute?

No tears here.

[City Lights]

3. Outsource 'em! nt

[gratuitous]

4. Guess being Fox Lite didn't work out so well for CNN, huh?

I wonder if Jon Klein will be filing for unemployment?

[dsc]

5. I wondered what would have to happen for Zucker to lose his job

He was as bad for NBC as Bush was for the country.

[lpbk2713]

6. The Leno/O'Brien fiasco burned NBC's ass big time.

Absolutely no one came out a winner on that deal. Well, maybe Letterman, :rofl:

[dsc]

7. He inherited a number one network

and turned it into a number three network. I literally can't think of any must see show on NBC outside of the Office and 30 rock. The Leno fiasco cost them goodwill of both late night audiences as well as 10 oclock drama audiences. It is stunning the degree to which NBC fell.

[lazarus]

8. One other show

Community is the funniest thing I've seen in years. Season One just came out on DVD, and I highly recommend it.

Other than that, NBC is a vast wasteland of nothing.