NBC names new programming execs in overhaul

By Paul Thomasch

NEW YORK (Reuters) - NBC Universal on Tuesday tapped the producer of television hits "The Office" and "Ugly Betty" to help run its entertainment division in a management shake-up aimed at reversing a three-year ratings slump.

The producer, Ben Silverman, and a current company executive, Marc Graboff, will team up as co-chairmen of NBC Entertainment and the NBC Universal Television Studio.

They will replace the current head, Kevin Reilly, who leaves the job after three years. The network finished in fourth place in the latest prime-time season.

Because of the ratings slide, the General Electric Co.-controlled company has come under criticism in the financial community, with some even calling for it to be sold or spun off.

Besides NBC's workplace comedy "The Office," Silverman is credited with playing a key role in bringing the game show "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" and reality series "Big Brother" to the United States.

"This new role will give him the opportunity to redefine our programming, our relationship with advertisers, and our ongoing commitment to the new digital frontier," Jeff Zucker, the president and chief executive of NBC Universal, said in a statement.

The shake-up came just weeks after Reilly unveiled the network's prime-time lineup for the 2007-08 broadcast season, rolling out a program schedule that featured relatively few changes.

The 2007-08 season is considered crucial for NBC, which has languished in a ratings rut since long-time comedy hits "Friends" and "Frasier" ended three years ago. It trails in fourth place behind News Corp.'s Fox, CBS and Walt Disney Co.'s ABC in the Nielsen rankings.

Silverman and Graboff will report to Zucker and be responsible for the network's programming. They will also oversee the entertainment division's digital efforts and its TV studio's creative and business operations.

Graboff is currently president, NBC Universal Television, West Coast, a position he was named to earlier this year.

Reuters/Nielsen