Los Angeles Times: NBC's studio to break in two

[morjana]

From the Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, CA):

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2008/03/nbcs-studio-to.html

(Please follow the link for the complete article.)

SHOW TRACKER

NBC's studio to break in two

02:10 PM PT, Mar 24 2008

At a time when other media companies are consolidating their operations to save money, NBC Universal is breaking its large television studio into two separate businesses, according to NBC executives familiar with the situation.

NBC’s Los Angeles-based production unit, Universal Media Studios, has been responsible for such shows as the "Law & Order" franchise, "Heroes," "House" and "Battlestar Galactica." As part of the split, the existing studio will continue to support shows for broadcast networks and largely concentrate on struggling NBC.

The second studio, which will be managed by USA Network and Sci Fi Channel President Bonnie Hammer (pictured), will focus on producing programs for NBC’s profitable cable channels.

Universal Media Studios produces about 20 shows, including seven that air on USA and Sci Fi.

The move is a huge vote of confidence and an expansion of duties for Hammer, a popular and valuable executive who has been in negotiations with top executives to renew her employment contract, which expires later this year.

**snippage**

[morjana]

OT: Broadcasting & Cable: Bonnie Hammer to Head NBCU Cable Entertainment:

From Broadcasting & Cable:

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/art...=SUPP&nid=2228

(Please follow the link for the complete article.)

Bonnie Hammer to Head NBCU Cable Entertainment in New Multiyear Deal

NBC Universal Cable Studio, Emerging Networks Added to Hammer's Purview

By Anne Becker -- Broadcasting & Cable, 3/24/2008 7:14:00 PM

Bonnie Hammer renewed her contract with NBC Universal, adding oversight of its new cable studio and emerging networks to her current role as president of USA Network and Sci Fi Channel. The deal ends many months of speculation that Hammer would leave the company after having seemingly missed out on promotions in more than one round of shuffling of the NBCU senior executive ranks.

Under the multiyear deal, Hammer becomes president, cable entertainment and cable studio. The promotion follows her successful four-year run atop NBCU's two largest cable networks, the growth engine for the company right now. It comes on the eve of USA's upfront presentation to advertisers in New York Wednesday night.

She will remain in the most senior position at USA and Sci Fi, but also run the company's NBCU Cable Studio (formerly part of Universal Media Studios), developing new shows for NBCU's cable networks and others. The division makes USA's Monk and Psych, Sci Fi's Battlestar Galactica and others. She also gains oversight of NBCU’s emerging-networks division under Dan Harrison. Those networks include Sleuth, Chiller and Universal HD. She contines to report to Universal TV group president and chief operating officer Jeff Gaspin.

**snippage**

USA and Sci Fi have both enjoyed big success under Hammer. USA for the past two years has been the No. 1 cable network in primetime thanks to its successful originals and World Wrestling Entertainment programming, which Hammer brought back to the network after a run on Spike TV. Under Hammer, USA also carved out solid branding with its “Characters Welcome” tag line. Sci Fi has grown from a niche network to a top-10 network and a genre-owner with mainstream hits like this summer's Tin Man.

Hammer added USA to her oversight in 2004, around the NBC/Universal merger, keeping the lead Sci Fi role she had had since 2001. At Universal, she had moved up at Sci Fi from executive VP and had headed USA Original Productions.

Early in her career, Hammer executive produced This Old House, Infinity Factory and Zoom for PBS and WCVB's Good Day! morning show. She later joined Lifetime Television as an executive in original programming.

She is a member of B&C's Hall of Fame and has been honored with the National Association of Television Program Executives’ Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award, the Lillian Gish Award, the Cine Golden Eagle and the National Association for Youth's Mentor Award.

[prion]

FULL article regarding the split at

http://www.variety.com/article/VR111...goryid=14&cs=1