NBCUniversal finalized its organizational structure under the new head of television and streaming entertainment, Susan Rovner, a change that includes 50 layoffs, most in the content division.
Scripted content president team Lisa Katz now includes Cara Dellaverson and Alex Sepiol, who were chosen to lead the development of dramas and current programming as executive vice presidents of drama series. Dellaverson, who joined NBCU in 2015, was most recently executive vice president for dramatic programming. Veteran NBCU veteran Sepiol was most recently executive vice president of scripted development for the NBCU entertainment and lifestyle group and direct to the consumer.
Meanwhile, Jeff Meyerson will head comedy development and current programming as executive vice president for comedy series, and Michael Sluchan is set to lead films, children’s programming and co-productions as executive vice president for series and co-productions. current. Meyerson was previously senior vice president of comedy development, while Sluchan was most recently executive vice president of programming with current scripting and limited series for entertainment and lifestyle networks and direct to the consumer.
On the offhand side of talent competition and game show chief Jenny Groom, Sharon Vuong – who joined the company as senior vice president of alternative programming and development in 2020 at CBS – was named senior vice president of improvised development, while Shelby Shaftel will oversee the current side as senior vice president of current scripted programming. Shaftel was recently senior vice president of programming and alternative development.
In addition, in the lifestyle and docuseries department, unscripted content executive Rod Aissa chose Rachel Smith to be the executive vice president of unscripted development and Shari Levine as the executive vice president of current unscripted production. Smith was previously executive vice president of development for Bravo and E !, while Levine was most recently executive vice president of production for Bravo, overseeing the original series.
Current NBCU programming executive Bruce Evans and Peacock comedy development vice president Dan Shear are leaving as part of the restructuring, according to a source familiar with the matter. Of the 50 employees who are leaving, the majority are on the content team, with others on programming, acquisitions and marketing and, according to a source close to the situation, are part of NBCU’s previously announced reorganization plans. According to a source, Tuesday’s move should mark the end of most layoffs within the company in the wake of its restructuring.