NBCUniversal is undertaking a major reorganization of its TV business.
Donna Langley, who was elevated to chairman of NBCUniversal Entertainment and Studios in November, announced Thursday in a memo to staff that the company will combine its TV studios, NBC Entertainment, Bravo and Peacock under one roof as part of a newly formed Universal Television Entertainment Group. The new unit will also integrate marketing and content strategy in a move that is “designed to enhance collaboration, streamline decision making, and amplify our ability to deliver world-class television experiences to audiences everywhere,” Langley wrote in the memo (read it in full below).
Universal Studio Group chair Pearlena Igbokwe will add the NBC broadcast network and Peacock’s scripted output to her portfolio as chairman, television studios, NBC Entertainment and Peacock scripted. NBCU Entertainment chairman Frances Berwick, meanwhile, will oversee Bravo — moving back to the network she once ran — and unscripted programming at Peacock. Corie Henson, NBCU’s executive vp unscripted content, competition and game shows, is departing.
Additionally, chief business officer Liz Jenkins is adding content strategy, TV acquisitions, strategy and business operations for both the entertainment and studio groups to her purview. Jenny Storms, currently chief marketing officer for entertainment and sports, will become CMO for NBCU Television & Streaming.
Separately, NBCUniversal COO Adam Miller announced that Jen Friedman has been upped to chief communications officer for the company.
The moves come as NBCU parent Comcast is preparing to spin off most of its cable networks — Bravo excepted — into a new company headed by Mark Lazarus. SpinCo, as it’s currently known, will include news outlets CNBC and MSNBC along with USA Network, Syfy, E!, Oxygen True Crime and Golf Channel.
NBCU is the latest of the major legacy media conglomerates to restructure its TV business, following major changes at Paramount and Disney in recent months. Warner Bros. Discovery has also taken steps to separate its TV network portfolio from its studio business.
Langley, who ran NBCU’s movie business for a number years, added TV and streaming to her purview in 2023 and was upped to chairman of NBCUniversal Entertainment and Studios in November 2024.
“The formation of this group is a testament to the incredible talent we have here at NBCUniversal,” Langley’s memo reads. “With our shared vision and combined expertise, we are poised to lead our dynamic industry in creativity and innovation, and seize growth opportunities for our business while delighting audiences across all platforms.”
Langley’s memo is below.
Team,
Following the recent announcement of the SpinCo leadership team, Matt Strauss and I have been working together to present a clear vision moving forward that will allow NBCUniversal Entertainment & Studios and the NBCUniversal Media Group to collaborate most effectively moving forward. Matt is announcing his leadership team today, and I am excited to share that we will be forming a new Universal Television Entertainment Group, building on the strength of leaders already in place across our television portfolio.
This new structure will bring together our Television Studios, NBC Entertainment, Bravo and Peacock programming as one cohesive organization, bolstered by fully integrated Marketing and Content Strategy teams. It is designed to enhance collaboration, streamline decision making, and amplify our ability to deliver world-class television experiences to audiences everywhere.
This group will be led by Frances Berwick, Pearlena Igbokwe, Liz Jenkins and Jenny Storms. Their respective areas of responsibility are outlined as follows, with each reporting to me:
- Frances Berwick assumes the role of Chairman, Bravo & Peacock Unscripted, where she will continue to oversee first run syndication and unscripted programming across Bravo and Peacock including documentaries, true crime, and tentpoles such as Emmy winner The Traitors and Love Island. Frances has been an integral part of the legacy of Bravo which in turn has become essential to our growth strategy. Bravo houses some of the most talked about series on the planet and its superfan base continues to grow year-over-year and is expanding into new markets with sold-out events such as BravoCon.
- Pearlena Igbokwe has been named Chairman, Television Studios, NBC Entertainment & Peacock Scripted. In this role Pearlena will continue to lead Universal Studio Group overseeing our world-class library of television series from Universal Television, UCP, Universal International Studios and Universal Television Alternative Studio. The studio’s slate includes the award-winning Hacks and the global hit The Day of the Jackal. In addition, Pearlena will now oversee NBC Entertainment, including scripted, unscripted, late-night, live events and specials, as well as all scripted originals for Peacock.
- Liz Jenkins, in her role as Chief Business Officer, will now oversee Content Strategy, TV Acquisitions, Strategy and Business Operations across the Entertainment and Studio Groups. In this capacity, Liz will shepherd process around TV & Streaming greenlight and identify emerging opportunities to drive growth. She will also partner closely with Matt and his teams to provide connective tissue with the Media Group, organizing efforts across our functional operating teams to ensure alignment and enhance collaboration.
- Jenny Storms becomes Chief Marketing Officer, NBCUniversal Television & Streaming and will lead the brand strategy, integrated marketing, media and consumer engagement for all entertainment content and sports, including content and brand marketing for Peacock. In her expanded role, Jenny will partner closely with the Media Group to help shape seamless and innovative consumer engagement
The current Entertainment & Studios HQ team will be working closely with this new television entertainment leadership team to align functional areas in the coming weeks. This senior leadership team includes Jimmy Horowitz, Chairman, Business Affairs & Operations; Pete Levinsohn, Chairman, Global Distribution; Lissa Freed, Head of People & Culture; Evan Langweiler, Executive Vice President, Global Communications; Chris Miller, General Counsel; and Adam Moysey, Chief Financial Officer.
As you can see, the formation of this group is a testament to the incredible talent we have here at NBCUniversal. With our shared vision and combined expertise, we are poised to lead our dynamic industry in creativity and innovation, and seize growth opportunities for our business while delighting audiences across all platforms.
I also want to extend my deepest appreciation to all the teams working tirelessly as we begin transitioning toward the future structure of NBCUniversal. Over the coming weeks and months, we will continue to share more updates as we work alongside the team planning for SpinCo. This transition will take some time and we appreciate your patience as we stay focused on delivering our current priorities.
Thank you for your continued commitment to our success. Together, we’re building something extraordinary.
Best,
Donna