Warner Bros. Television President Susan Rovner is set to takeover a top programming job at NBCUniversal, according to multiple reports on Monday.
NCBU did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment, while Warner Bros. declined to comment.
Rovner will oversee all programming decisions at NBCU, including for scripted and unscripted content, late-night shows, and Peacock, its new streaming service, according to The Hollywood Reporter. She’ll also be in charge of NBC’s slate of cable channels, including Bravo, E!, USA and Syfy. Rovner’s official title at NBCU isn’t set in stone yet, but she’s expected to start at the company within the next few weeks. She’ll report to Mark Lazarus, chairman of NBCU’s TV and streaming businesses.
After two decades at Warners, Rovner’s exit may come as a surprise to some; she was seen by many in Hollywood as a leading choice to eventually takeover for Peter Roth as chairman of Warner Bros. Television.
Last month, NBCU laid off employees across its entire portfolio ahead of a major reorganization to its television and streaming division. According to The Wall Street Journal, the cuts, which affected NBCU’s sports and cable networks, broadcast, the movie studio and theme parks businesses, impacted less than 10% of the overall staff.
As TheWrap reported, NBCU is poised to closer align its television and streaming operations, both of which are under Lazarus. During Comcast’s second quarter earnings call, CEO Jeff Shell hinted that more changes were coming. “A few months ago, we combined our television and streaming businesses under Mark Lazarus, which will allow us to more rapidly shift our resources and investment from linear to streaming. Mark is finalizing a new structure that will demonstrate the unique way we intend to manage this business going forward,” he said on the July 30th call.
NBCU’s revenue declined 25% to $6.1 billion in the second quarter as theme park and movie theater closings have hampered the company’s bottom line.
