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There is a major executive change at E! Entertainment with president of entertainment programming Lisa Berger suddenly leaving her post. Berger has been at E! for nine years, overseeing the network’s original programming development, first under president Ted Harbert and, for the past year under his successor Suzanne Kolb. Berger led the network during the transition from Comcast to NBCUniversal ownership, where the cable network falls under the purview of NBCU veteran Bonnie Hammer, and was among the executives rumored for the top E! post. During her tenure at E!, Berger shepherded such hit unscripted series as The Girls Next Door, Keeping Up With The Kardashians and its offshoots and late-night staple Chelsea Lately. She most recently oversaw the network’s expansion into scripted programming. Berger, who was a creative executive at Fox Television Studios Production and MTV before joining E! as SVP Programming Development in September 2003, indicated she will likely take on another gig after a short break. “After nine wonderful years at E!, I have made the difficult decision to leave my post as President, Entertainment Programming,” she said. “My time at E! has been an amazing experience both professionally and personally, and it is hard to sum up nearly a decade of show launches, milestone moments and incredible friendships. I am extremely proud of all of our accomplishments taking the network to record heights and forever grateful to my team whose talent and dedication knows no bounds. Although it won’t be easy for me to say goodbye, I look forward to sharing the news of my next challenge in the months ahead.”
Kolb, who is expected to start looking for a replacement, praised Berger’s tenure. “Lisa’s talent and creative vision have been invaluable to the success of E! over the past 9 years. Her passion and commitment to her work and her team are unparalleled and she will be dearly missed. I look forward to celebrating her many future accomplishments.”
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Lisa is one of the good ones. Incredible taste. Creatively could match wits with any network head in town. E! has been the measuring stick for a long time now in terms of the cable space and she’s a major reason for their success. Excited to see where she goes next. She’s easily the biggest free agent exec out there now with this departure being announced. Can think of a lot of places who could use her…
She has incredible taste?!? You mean overseeing and letting the Kardashian’s sewerize our country cycle after cycle?
Incredible taste…hardly. Sellout for $$$ is more accurate.
You said it before I has the chance. If that isn’t dumbing taste down…I don’t know what is
Define “incredible taste.” E! is the very definition of Newton Minnow’s “vast wasteland.” A network on the periphery of the real entertainment biz, full of artificial celebrities and management that’s empty headed and uninspired to say the least.
“good taste” seriously? there is very little watchable on E. It’s a vast wasteland for trash, the endless Kardashians , Chelsie, there is really not one watchable program. It’s not good taste it’s $$$$$$$$$$$
Her production track record will have her remembered as one of America’s leading cultural pornographers.
What an amazing run! From her early days at MTV shepherding a little show called The Real World to the game changing Kardashian franchise. Can’t wait to see what she does next.
Lisa Berger has accomplished so much at E! over the past 10 years. She is an amazing executive and these will be HUGE shoes to fill.
There are few people in this industry with the passion and ability Lisa has. Wherever she goes next is incredibly lucky to have her and will benefit from the next string of hits she has in her. She thinks outside the box, challenges the status quo, and brings necessary chaos to the creative process. Go with your gut Berger.
She was in the right place at the right time. Other than the Kardashians – what has she done that’s changed the game in the last 4 years? Nada. She’s been a bully for years – exciting for the network and the team that’s there.
Always happy when good things happen to great people. Congrats on your amazing years at E! and here’s to your exciting next chapter. – Greg
Smart, funny, incredibly insightful, heart of gold. E’s loss will be someone’s greatest gain.
LB — can’t wait to see where you go next.
The list of hit shows she passed on is way bigger and more stunning than the ones she bought: SURVIVOR, AMERICAN IDOL, SOUTH PARK, WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE to name a few. Berger has enabled her competition to see more success than any network she ever worked for. Just sayin’.
Dead on. The emperor (empress in this case) is wearing no clothes.
Vastly overrated and riding the Kardashian name harder than anyone not named Kardashian. E! has taken a precipitous ratings decline the past couple year and isn’t even a top 25 network anymore. Not able to produce anything creative that viewers will watch is as glaring of a reason as any for their decline.
Hottest free agent exec available? Is that a joke? In a world with Dana walden, Jen Salke, Gail berman, nancy duboc, etc, Shea not even in the conversation.
My guess is that E! is looking to shift the network to a lot more scripted shows and be done with reality all together. At the last upfronts they announced they were starting to get into the scripted space so it makes sense. They probably want a exec that has experience/relationships in that world and that can do something that is innovative.
I hope this is a sign that E is getting back into the production business and elevating their IQs. I stopped watching long ago but remain hopeful. Funny how these bosses can bring down a network with bad decisions. CW is next, I predict. Or OWN.
oh please Ryan S. runs E! they save slots for his crappy shows
pop culture center ughh
E! lost good one. She’s hot, I hope she gets the gig she wants.
And whats with the nameless and faceless negative, morbid, dower, downbeat losers posting negative comments that lead to nowhere.
I hate that about Deadline. That’s why I hardly ever read or write in comments.
Couldn’t agree more, there are a lot of very talented execs out there whose numbers would come up first. I will be surprised if she is not awaiting someone at a specific Viacom network to leave their post before taking that gig.