February 08, 2007

Zucker Steps Up, Samples Steps Down

Embroiled Cartoon Network chief Jim Samples resigns; Rumors of
NBCU sale mark Jeff Zucker's first days at helm


Jim Samples
Jeff Zucker

Capping a week of key executive shifts, most notably Jeff Zucker's  stepping into the chief role at NBC Universal, Cartoon Network chief Jim Samples announced today that he is stepping down.

Boston Blunder Prompts Samples' Exit

Reeling from the fallout of a blundered promotional campaign-turned-public safety crisis in Boston (see news story), Samples said he felt "compelled" to resign his post as vice president/general manager.

"I deeply regret the negative publicity and expense caused to our company as a result of this campaign," Samples said in an internal memo. The Massachusetts Attorney General's Office hit net parent company Turner Broadcasting with a $2 million fine for the light board promotion, intended to promote series Aqua Teen Hunger Force, which airs during Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block.

The ten-city effort—misperceived as a terrorist threat by some—instead shut Boston down with bomb scares, closed roads and bridges, heightened law enforcement, and led to two arrests. Reports say the City of Chicago also intends to bill Turner for the cost of confiscating the boards.

Turner Entertainment Group president Mark Lazarus said Samples' resignation is a "reflection of his regard for the business he helped build and the people he trusts to move it forward." Cartoon Net brass will report to Lazurus until a new network head is in place.

Zucker Promotion Not a Prelude to
NBCU Sale, GE Head says

Jeff Zucker replaced Bob Wright as CEO and president of NBC Universal this week, reporting directly to General Electric Co. chairman and CEO Jeffrey Immelt.

Zucker's first official days are marked by his public admonishment of online video giant YouTube, and by his boss refuting reports that GE "wants out" of the TV/film business and upped Zucker primarily to spin NBCU off.

On the heels of Viacom's demand to YouTube earlier this month—i.e., that the Google-owned portal remove user-pirated clips from Viacom shows from channels MTV and Comedy Central, among others and MTV—Zucker accused YouTube of failing to use all available means to keep copyrighted programming off its portal its site.

YouTube did respond to Viacom by removing more than 100,000 of its video clips. Nonetheless, traditional media entities like NBC grow more frustrated over slow-moving negotiations with Google and YouTube concerning ad dollar splits, licensing fees and development of content monitoring systems—and are increasingly critical of the popular video site.

"It’s proven it can do it when it wants to,” Zucker said, alluding to YouTube's ability to filter hate speech and pornographic material. “They have the capability. The question is whether they have the will.”

Immelt, meanwhile, told reporters in New York on Thursday that he "can't think of a scenario in which" GE would sell NBCU. "It's a highly profitable, highly valuable part of the company, and I believe we can run it as well as anybody else," he said.

Reports had surfaced Wednesday on Fox News as well as in the New York Post, claiming that outgoing NBCU chair Wright mulled over plans to sell off the unit with Immelt before successor Zucker took the reins.

No one will replace Zucker as chief of NBCU's Burbank-based television group, reports say, and more likely, General Electric will announce some organizational changes.

Industry sources speculate that NBCU Television's west coast president Marc Graboff, digital and marketing head Beth Comstock and head of cable Jeff Gaspin are likely to be in that mix. Kevin Reilly, president of NBCU Entertainment is reportedly negotiating a contract extension.

J. Bolden

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