The Comcast NBC Merger - What Does It Mean For African Americans???

Could The Comcast-NBCU Deal Mean Black Ownership of Local NBC Stations?

Leading Hollywood trade publication Variety casually mentioned today what may ultimately become a major topic of discussion in communities of color. If a minority group gets the opportunity to own a few NBC affiliate stations in order for Congress to approve the 30 billion-dollar Comcast-NBCU merger, the burning question becomes -- who will it be?

This is how the piece began:

It took just 16 hours to resolve the TV biz's first burning question of 2010.

But the brutal rights battle between Time Warner Cable and Fox, peacefully settled on New Year's Day, was not the only unresolved issue facing the industry at the dawn of the decade.

Topping the roster of unanswered questions for 2010, of course, is how the Comcast acquisition of NBC Universal (or, as Peacock execs like to more gently call it, the "joint venture") will shake out.

Current President Jeff Zucker appears to be a lock to remain at the conglom, having just signed a contract extension. There's also the unresolved issue of how the combined companies' channels will be integrated, and how duties will be realigned between NBC U and Comcast execs -- particularly on the cable side.

Just reading the above might just leave you wondering, where's the beef?

But here's the kicker:

Comcast will also probably have to make some concessions to Washington regulators in order to get the deal approved. One guess: Comcast will be forced to sell a handful of NBC-owned TV stations, perhaps to a minority-owned station group, to appease lawmakers.

Translation -- it's time to start contacting members of the Congressional Black Caucus and let them know that an opportunity will soon be presenting itself as this deal continues to top headlines. If strategies are not in place to insure qualified African Americans are at least in line to bid, this will be yet another economic venture that passes our community by.

Stay tuned!

STOP SAYING NBC STANDS FOR NOTHING BUT CAUCASIAN, STOP IT RIGHT NOW!

NBC's 2009 Fall TV Season Promo.

THOUGHTS???

Leno's New Show Puts Thousands In Hollywood Out Of Work

Up till now the big worry in Hollywood was whether in the midst of a recession and after the devastation of last springs Writers Guild Strike, would the Screen Actor Guild(SAG), representing Hollywood actors, have the nerve to call a strike. Well that possibility is now minor to television work, when you consider the jobs lost as NBC announces that Jay Leno will retire from the Tonight Show, but will have a new daily hour long show Monday thru Friday at 10pm each night.
This new show will wipe out five hours of regular NBC episodic production affecting thousands of television production jobs. And unlike the SAG strike possibility; this is a done deal.

It is all about bang for the buck and NBC trying to save money and embarrassment. If NBC had let Leno just walk away, he probably would have wound up on another network competing against new Tonight Show Host Conan O'Brien. The Tonight Show would have definitely lost a big chunk of it's audience to the competing Leno show and that would have been embarra
ssing.

But the "bang for the buck", is once again a network succeeding in finding programming that cost little to initially produce and does not give residual payments to producers directors, writers and actors. We see this now as reality TV programs are a main stay of television viewing 8pm to 9pm. The Monday thru Friday 10pm time slot, up till now, was still the one guaranteed television home for hour long dramas.

Right now it cost each network approximately 2 million dollars to produce one episode of an hour long drama. So the cost to NBC for 5 different hour long dramas(Monday thru Friday 10pm to 11pm) is approximately 10 million dollars. The networks recoup this money thru advertising and when the shows are sold in to reruns (aka syndication). The producers, directors,writers and actors receive residual payments for reuse of their services. It will only cost about 2 million dollars for the "entire week" of the new Jay Leno show. Saving NBC 8 million dollars a week.
Multiply that 8 times a 22 week regular schedule and that is a savings of $164 million dollars!

Further savings for NBC and job loss for industry workers will be seen during Pilot Season. More Math: For every one hour drama committed to a time slot, there are at least 4 other dramas made/produced, but do not get picked up. So on the conservative side, if 3 new one hour dramas are picked up for broadcast, there were at least 15 total pilots made. Those 15 shows are usually filmed when other production has stopped and everyone is unemployed. These 15 pilots and the jobs they'd bring are now lost.

For NBC, and also ABC, CBS there is an added bonus. With the loss of the 15 pilots, the 3 new shows, syndication/reruns; there are no jobs, no residual payments or pension and health contributions to unions. Therefore the unions and members are weakened for the next round of negotiations.

And just so no one thinks this article is union propaganda, lets not forget about the loss to other non union jobs that will be lost. Copying and printing, caterer, wardrobe shops, agents, managers, security, lumber sales for set construction, trailer car truck and light equipment rental, makeup, food and fuel sales, location scouting, bookkeepers and payroll services... just to name a few.

NBC has just put the first major hit on Hollywood for 2009, thanks and Oh', good luck with the new gig Jay.

WHAT PAULA MADISON WANTS, NBC GETS

NBC ANSWERS IMUS CONTROVERSY WITH A BLACK WOMAN ON A MISSION

President and general manager of NBC affiliate KNBC and regional gm of Telemundo affiliates KVEA and KWHY, this bad, no-nonsense sister was named executive vp for diversity for NBC Universal.

“We are a company wholly committed to diversity and to a culture that stands for respect, tolerance and inclusiveness,” said Jeff Zucker, NBC Universal president and CEO. “As one of our key business operatives, diversity deserves the attention of a full-time dedicated executive.”

Madison plans to work with NBC Universal’s film, television and studio teams, to provide them with guidance in meeting the company’s diversity objectives. And she will work with the newly formed NBC Universal Diversity Council, made up of executives across all NBC Universal’s businesses.

Bravo Paula - we know you have our back!