It has been confirmed officially after reports over Friday and extended weekend: Ben Silverman, the prolific producer and program executive behind “The Office,” “Ugly Betty,” and “The Biggest Loser,” and veteran NBCU executive Marc Graboff have been appointed co-chairmen of NBC Entertainment and NBC Universal Television Studio. Both Silverman and Graboff will report to Jeff Zucker, NBCU CEO. Release.
Staci adds: The move also includes a significant change in digital strategy. Graboff and Silverman—primarily the latter—will oversee “the entertainment division’s digital efforts, including NBC.com.” That has been the turf of Jeff Gaspin, appointed president of NBC Universal Cable and Digital Content back in February as part of Zucker’s first reorganization; he was responsible for digital content before that as well. Vivi Zigler, EVP, NBC Digital Entertainment and New Media, NBC Entertainment, has been reporting to Gaspin. (To clarify: J.B. Perrette, president of digital distribution, dual reports to Gaspin for cable and George Kliavkoff, NBCU chief digital officer, for digital deals.) What this change means is murky for now; NBCU execs are still trying to parse this all out. One possibility: Gaspin will retain responsibility for digital distribution but Silverman will take over the creative side with Zigler reporting to him.
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