NBC Universal is dividing TV studio

By Meg James
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

NBC Universal, in a bid to retain a key executive, has split its 
television production studio into two separate operations.

Bonnie Hammer, who has been president of both NBC Universal's USA 
Network and Sci Fi Channel, on Monday was named president of cable 
entertainment and the cable studio. In her new position, Hammer will 
oversee making shows for cable channels.

The move significantly reduces the scope of Universal Media Studios, one 
of Hollywood's biggest suppliers of network and cable programming.

Universal Media Studios will now focus solely on supplying shows for 
broadcast networks, primarily NBC, such as "Law & Order," "The Office" 
and "30 Rock." Meanwhile, the newly formed NBC Universal Cable Studio 
will provide shows for cable channels, including "Monk," "Psych" and 
"Battlestar Galactica."

Hammer also will oversee NBC's new digital networks, including Sleuth, 
Chiller and Universal HD, which are available on some cable systems.

Executives close to the situation said NBC Universal Chief Executive 
Jeff Zucker facilitated the reorganization to keep Hammer in the NBC 
Universal fold.

Zucker said in an interview last week that he planned to expand Hammer's 
duties, but declined to elaborate at that time.

"Look, obviously, she's done a terrific job overseeing USA and Sci Fi 
and we like to add on responsibilities to our strongest executives, and 
certainly Bonnie would qualify," he said.

For her part, Hammer said she wasn't looking to leave NBC Universal, 
even though she had been approached by others.

"It'd be very hard to leave and to create the kind of chemistry that's 
taken me many years to create," Hammer said. "And they're pretty good to 
me here."

Giving Hammer a higher profile underscores how the cable division has 
become the new star at NBC Universal, overshadowing the higher-profile 
broadcast network, which just a few years ago was ranked No. 1. 
Underscoring that ****ft, NBC last month said that instead of spending a 
day in New York touting its new fall shows to advertisers, as it has for 
decades, it would now use that time to showcase programming from all its 
channels.

The reorganization also reduces the responsibility of two powerful 
executives who, for the last nine months, have been running the NBC 
television network and production studio: co-Chairmen Ben Silverman and 
Marc Graboff.

Only last year, NBC combined its network and studio operations as a way 
to attract Silverman to the top programming job. Of 25 shows produced by 
Universal Media Studios, seven run on USA and Sci Fi.

Another executive affected is Katherine Pope, who as president of 
Universal Media Studios will now oversee a smaller roster of shows.

Hammer has been running USA since 2004 and the Sci Fi Channel since 
2001. She spearheaded a deal to get professional wrestling on USA and 
worked to come up with a cohesive message to unify USA's disparate 
programming, including such shows as "Monk."

The result: a USA marketing campaign around the theme "Characters 
Welcome."

-- 
It is simply breathtaking to watch the glee and abandon with which
the liberal media and the Angry Left have been attempting to turn
our military victory in Iraq into a second Vietnam quagmire. Too bad 
for them, it's failing.