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Meredith Vieira To Film NBCU Pilot For Daytime Talk Show Eying Fall 2014 Launch

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Wednesday May 1, 2013 @ 2:31pm PDTTags: Big Deals TV, Meredith Vieira, NBCU
Nellie Andreeva

Meredith VieiraAnd we have the first major syndicated talk show contender for fall 2014. Former The View, Today and departing Who Wants To Be A Millionaire host Meredith Vieira is set to do a pilot for a daytime syndicated talk show at NBCUniversal Domestic TV Distribution, which is targeted for a launch in fall 2014. Vieira entered talks with NBCU for the project shortly after she announced in January that she was leaving syndicated game show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire after 11 years. In headlining a syndicated daytime talk show, Vieira will follow in the footsteps of her Today predecessors Jane Pauley and Katie Couric. But I hear that Vieira’s talk show would be lighter and more entertaining, something her 11-year Millionaire stint certainly had prepared her for. Such a show could go well with The Ellen DeGeneres Show and Steve Harvey on the NBC stations. The NBC station group has not committed to a new show for next fall to succeed freshman Jeff Probst, which is not getting renewed. It is quite possible that the stations will keep the 2 PM slot warm with temporary programming (NBCU’s Access Hollywood spinoff, Access Hollywood Live, has been rumored as a possibility), until the Meredith Vieira show arrives in fall 2014. It would create a cohesive entertaining talk show block from 2-5 PM with Vieira, Harvey, who also hosts a syndicated game show, Family Feud, and Ellen. Ellen has already been renewed through 2016-17; Steve Harvey is in the process of securing clearances through 2015-16. NBC declined comment, saying that “we do not comment on development.”

Vieira earlier this week defended her former Today co-host, Matt Lauer, criticizing NBC over the way Lauer had been portrayed in the dismissal of Vieira’s successor, Ann Curry, and telling New York Post that “what is happening to Matt is really wrong.” As for Couric, her freshman daytime talk show has a deal with the ABC stations though next season, so it is unclear yet whether it would be around in fall 2014 when Vieira’s show would premiere.

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CBS-NBCU-Sony Oz Venture Cuts 4 Execs

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Wednesday August 1, 2012 @ 11:22pm PDTTags: CBS, NBCU, Sony

The CBS, NBC Universal and Sony-owned Australian pay-TV channels TV1 and SF have pink-slipped four senior executives in a restructuring. Out are Director of Programming and Acquisitions Selena Crowley, Creative Director Will Usic, Publicity Director Michael Shephard and … Read More »

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Cenk Uygur: Current TV Has “Reached Out,” But No Discussions Yet With Former MSNBC Host

By DAVID LIEBERMAN, Executive Editor | Thursday July 21, 2011 @ 8:21am PDTTags: Al Sharpton, Cenk Uygur, Comcast, MSNBC, MSNBC Phil Griffin, NBCU, The Young Turks Cenk Uygur

The politically progressive radio talk show host doesn’t have specific plans to return to TV now that he has been dumped from MSNBC Live. But Uygur says he “would work on another cable news channel — I’d work at MSNBC … Read More »

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Will Hulu Be Sold? Mystery Bidder Makes An Offer As Broadband Service Struggles To Compete With Netflix

By DAVID LIEBERMAN, Executive Editor | Tuesday June 21, 2011 @ 4:47pm PDTTags: Amazon, Comcast, Disney, FCC, Google, Hulu, Hulu Plus, NBCU, News Corp

Word is spreading that Hulu has received a buyout offer and is taking it seriously. The Wall Street Journal’s hearing the same thing according to a report on its web site that sources “people familiar with the matter.” Although details … Read More »

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GE’s NBCU 3rd-Quarter Profit Down 15%

By NIKKI FINKE, Editor in Chief | Friday October 15, 2010 @ 3:52am PDTTags: Comcast NBC Universal, GE NBCU Sale, NBCU, NBCU Profits

GE this morning reported its 3rd quarter earnings for NBC Universal and revenues were flat at $4.1 billion with operating profit down 15%. “But NBCU revenue and operating profit were favorable compared to the year-ago period after adjusting for 2009 transactions without comparable … Read More »

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TOLDJA! Steve Burke Becomes NBCU CEO

By NIKKI FINKE, Editor in Chief | Sunday September 26, 2010 @ 11:25am PDTTags: Comcast NBC Universal, Comcast-NBCU Merger, Jeff Zucker, Jeff Zucker Comcast, Jeff Zucker NBC, Jeff Zucker NBC Fired, Movies, NBCU, Steve Burke, Steve Burke Comcast, Steve Burke NBC Universal, TV

As far back as a year ago this October, I first reported that Comcast Corp COO/No. 2 Steve Burke would be running NBC Universal and replacing Jeff Zucker. And in November I explained that, because Burke would have his hands full there, … Read More »

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Netflix and NBCU Expand TV Streaming Deal

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Friday September 24, 2010 @ 9:44am PDTTags: NBC Universal, NBCU, Netflix, Netflix Streaming
Nellie Andreeva

Netflix and NBC Universal announced an expanded license agreement through which Netflix members can watch a selection of broadcast series from the NBC television network and – for the first time on Netflix – content from some of NBC Universal’s cable channels. The multi-year deal kicks off next week. Available are:

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How CNN Botched Larry King’s Exit From His Talk Show & Search For His Successor

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Thursday July 15, 2010 @ 2:26am PDTTags: CNN, Jeff Zucker, Jonathan Klein, Larry King, Larry King Departure, Larry King Live, Larry King Live Piers Morgan, NBCU, Piers Morgan, Replacing Larry King, Simon Cowell
Nellie Andreeva

CNN-logoFor someone who has been the face of the network for the past 25 years, you’d think CNN would have handled the departure of veteran Larry King with a little bit more dignity and respect. But a series of CNN blunders have … Read More »

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FCC Stops Comcast/NBCU Clock Yet Again

By NIKKI FINKE, Editor in Chief | Thursday June 24, 2010 @ 2:54pm PDTTags: Broadcasting & Cable, Comcast, Comcast-NBCU Merger, FCC, NBCU, Regulation

ComcastNBCBroadcasting & Cable just reported that the FCC says Comcast/NBCU returned incomplete answers and did not follow the directions in responding to a May FCC request for a bunch of information. Wanted was everything from organizational structure and channel lineups … Read More »

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