NBCUniversal President of Research and Media Development Alan Wurtzel is stepping down from his position and transitioning into a senior advisory role, the company announced on Tuesday.
Jeff Bader, President of Program Planning, Strategy and Research, announced the transition. Bader’s group will now oversee the research functions for all entertainment programming at NBC network and the Universal Television studios.
“In the research world, Alan is an institution and we are fortunate that he will still be available to us for a variety of projects,” Bader wrote.
One of the most respected minds in the ratings business, Wurtzel has spent more than 40 years working in television, including 17 years at NBC.
In 2009, he led the development of the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM), a group of leading content providers, agencies and advertisers who work together to develop new ways to measure audiences across traditional and new media.
At NBC, he also developed the Total Audience Measurement Index, a method designed to measure the total exposure to any one program across multiple media platforms. He also led the development and construction of the NBCU Media Research Lab, located in the Orlando theme park.
“I know that I am not alone in saying that I would not be where I am today were it not for Alan, and I think it’s safe to say that NBCU would not be the thought-leader in research that we are today were it not for him,” Bader wrote. “Please join me in thanking Alan for his tremendous contribution to both our company and the industry, and I look forward to this exciting new chapter for all of us.”