Riley May Be Replaced By Ben Silverman

Big changes are reportedly coming in the NBC TV programming team here in LA, which will have implications on its digital strategy as well: it is finalizing a management overhaul that will include the departure of its top programming executive, Kevin Reilly, reports WSJ. It is also negotiating with “The Office” and “Ugly Betty” producer Ben Silverman be the next entertainment chief, says the story, which was first reported by Nikke Finke on Friday. Silverman has been among the most digital savvy TV executives, and has a big digital deal with MSN through his company Reville. The story says Silverman may be given control over both NBC and its in-house TV production studio, and would potentially speed the progress of scripts to screen.

Variety: Reilly will get a generous financial payout from NBC, having just re-upped a new longterm deal with the network in March. Payout is expected to be several million dollars. There’s already buzz about what Reilly’s next gig could be, with much speculation centering around HBO as a future home. As for Silverman, it is possible he and Marc Graboff, president of NBC West Coast, may split duties involving the network and NBCU’s syndication and cable businesses, reports say. his duties could be changing. Graboff already has a portfolio much broader than the network, with oversight of NBCU’s syndication business and its cable business affairs.

NBC has been languishing in the fourth place among TV networks in U.S. New NBCU head Jeff Zucker is keen to overhaul and crawl back into the ranks it was once in. The only thing I care about: that they don’t mess with “Friday Night Lights”.

[Via paidcontent]