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EXCLUSIVE: NBC‘s president of entertainment Jennifer Salke is getting some additional responsibility — to oversee Universal Television. The promotion was built into Salke’s contract when she first joined NBC last July from 20th Century Fox TV. Because of her high-level position at 20th TV, where she served as EVP Creative Affairs, the studio component of Salke’s NBC job does not kick in until a year after she joined the network. I hear Salke will now be involved in the workings of Universal TV as NBC entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt wanted to take advantage of her 9-year studio expertise.
In the past year, Greenblatt focused on transitioning Universal TV from an NBC production arm into a full-fledged studio that supplies all broadcast and cable networks. Bela Bajaria, who joined Universal TV as EVP last August, has been key in Universal TV’s turnaround and will report to Greenblatt and Salke. She will continue to run day-to-day operations of the studio. I hear NBC brass are very happy with Bajaria’s first year on the job, which resulted in eight new series for NBC and one — high-profile comedy The Mindy Project – for Fox, as well as the The Bates Motel for A&E and the newly announced international co-production Dracula for NBC. The goal is to continue to expand Uni TV’s footprint in broadcast and cable.
The setup with Salke and Bajaria is reminiscent of that at ABC, where Paul Lee has oversight of both the network and ABC Studio while the studio’s creative affairs are run by Patrick Moran.
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Their drama development was not good under Laura Lancaster. Hopefully Ex Showtime executive Pearlena Igbokwe can improve the dramas and make them broad.
Well there goes my lunch.
Salke has been so successful turning NBC around she should have even more responsibility.
Good news but UTV and UCP still need to learn how to sell outside the NBC family.
You bring them a show and they still want it to fit in at NBC, USA or SyFy.
Think outside the block folks.
Outside the box.
She seriously needs to focus on the main problem right now and that’s getting NBC back onto par with the other networks and remove the stench of finishing in 4th place for the last few years time. Trust me, if this upcoming season ends in disaster for them, look for her to be the first one demoted or fired from her job.
I like them both. Smart hard working women. NBC is definitely taking active measures to seperate themselves from the Zucker/SIlverman era. Good for them and good for Bela and Jennifer
bajaria destroyed the entire CBS movie department…now they have to cover her ass again and already??? with jennifer???…jennifer one of the most talented…she will see right through this woman. Greenblatt needs to do the same…
@Johny: this is a stupid statement–to blame Bela B for the demise of CBS’ tv movie dept? CBS was the last hold-out to make tv movies, and they stayed in as long as they did largely because Les started in that biz eons ago and had a soft spot for them. But they eventually followed the herd and got out of that biz for a myriad of reasons having nothing to do w/Bela. And she went on to have success in the series arena at CBS selling to cable, which is why she was hired at U TV. And her track record of sales for her first year is good..so what are you talking about?!
Bela is amazing. I feel bad Bela has to work with such an empty headed suit like Jennifer Salke who just hides from everyone she needs to be communicating with. Salke also doesn’t read scripts. She’s a genuine disappointment.
Jed–
You must know nothing about network tv development. You need to be able to control the development from the studio-stage up to get good programming. No one’s better at that than Jen Salke.
Jen Salke was missing the second half of pilot season last year. Not sure she’s returned calls from May. Her upfront performance was laughable. She desperately needs public speaking lessons from a pro. This particular exec doesn’t have the instincts on any level for the job.
“…she went on to have success in the series arena at CBS selling to cable, ” Hey Ronnie, when you’re done regurgitating press-release info, can you tell us what those successes are? THE CLEANER and THE PROTECTOR (her household products duo) each failed miserably, and the just-begun COMMON LAW is about to join them. Three shows on the air in, what, five years? Three. And from that comes the NBCU gig? As for her track record for first year sales there being good, well bully and all that. Talk to us when they turn into hit shows, which is sorta the point of the job, isnt it? Any salesperson with relationships can *sell* a car. But the cars actually have to run when they leave the lot.
Tommy–you’re right! Jen Salke is an amateur! I guess that’s why two studios and a network (abc, 20th, NBC) offered her presidencies. NBC is an easy fix-it job! No one works harder or is more committed. She’s their best bet for any success.
Then Salke should learn to read and how to use a phone. These would be helpful skills in her job. Also she should stop hiding in the clouds with Bob and get on the ground and start meeting new people. Most execs and creatives think she’s hiding the fact she has no taste, no guts and couldn’t spot a good script if it fell on her.
Can’t believe that NBC is going to shelve Revolution until March. This show is one of the few bright spots in their overall dismal lineup. Here is a better solution: put NBS Entertainment Exec Jennifer Salke on the shelf until March and keep Revolution on the air. Then in March, see if anyone remembers who Jennifer is or what she does.
Stop bashing Jen Salke. She is the best thing to hit NBC in years. I for one would stop lobbing stones in from the side and reach out to support her. She is a creative wizard, has a great ops background, and deadly beautiful. I for one would give her at least 1-2 yrs latitude to change the mix.