NBC UNIVERSAL EXECS PROUD AS, WELL, PEACOCKS MERGED NEST COMFORTABLE.Byline: Greg Hernandez Staff Writer UNIVERSAL CITY - On his company's second day as a merged media powerhouse, NBC Universal NBC Universal is a media and entertainment company formed in May 2004 by the combination of General Electric's NBC with Vivendi Universal Entertainment (part of the French Media Group, Vivendi SA). GE owns 80% of NBC Universal with the remaining 20% owned by Vivendi SA. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bob Wright said there are not a lot of major internal issues to resolve now that NBC NBC in full National Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. commercial broadcasting company. It was formed in 1926 by RCA Corp., General Electric Co. (GE), and Westinghouse and was the first U.S. company to operate a broadcast network. has formally acquired the entertainment assets of Vivendi Universal. ``Because of the similarities of what we do, I think this is a very easy merger,'' Wright said during a luncheon with reporters. ``Universal has been so successful for the last several years it takes a lot of pressure off of us.'' Still, he acknowledged that when a company is acquired, ``there is always going to be apprehension.'' The merger of Universal and NBC, a unit of General Electric, was completed Wednesday, and the company is projecting $15 billion in revenues in 2005. Wright was joined at the lunch by Universal Studios President and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. Ron Meyer Ron Meyer (born February 17, 1941) is a former college and professional football coach. He is best known for being the head coach of the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts. Meyer's head coaching career began at UNLV, where he coached from 1971 to 1975. , NBC Universal Television Group NBC Universal Television Group is an American and global television production/distribution company and a subsidiary of NBC Universal. The company is comprised of four divisions: Universal Media Studios (formerly NBC Universal Television Studio), President Jeff Zucker, NBC Universal Television Networks Group President Randy Falco, and Jay Ireland, president of NBC Universal Television Stations. Meyer said the merger ``is a dream for us'' after 10 years of revolving ownership of Universal's entertainment assets. ``We've had so much transition in this company, and we've really been operating it as a mom-and-pop business,'' Meyer said. ``It's a different business for a studio to operate without a network,'' Meyer added, referring to rival studios such as Disney, Warner Bros BROS Brothers BROS Benefits and Retirement Operations Section (King County, Washington) BROS Barnes and Richmond Operatic Society (London, UK) ., 20th Century Fox and Paramount, which are all part of larger conglomerates with television networks that can be used for cross-promotion. Going forward, Zucker said, he expects much of NBC's television content to be released by Universal Home Video, rather than a variety of other distributors including Warner Home Video Warner Home Video is the home video unit of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group, a division of Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. It was founded in 1978 as WCI Home Video (for Warner Communications, Inc.). It was re-named Warner Home Video in 1980. , which has been releasing the ``Friends'' boxed sets. ``We absolutely envision it,'' he said. Also discussed was the possible sale of MGM MGM in full Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc. U.S. corporation and film studio. It was formed when the film distributor Marcus Loew, who bought Metro Pictures in 1920, merged it with the Goldwyn production company in 1924 and with Louis B. Mayer Pictures in 1925. , which is now in exclusive talks with Sony Pictures Entertainment. MGM currently has a price tag of $5 billion. ``We would be interested in doing a distribution deal with MGM but not interested in the deal being written about,'' Wright said. He said he thinks that MGM's current asking price is too high: ``It's an office building with a few movies a year and a library.'' Added Meyer: ``They have a great library, but we're not in need of a library.'' Greg Hernandez, (818) 713-3758 greg.hernandez(at)dailynews.com |
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