NBCUniversal lays off 450

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Comcast and NBCUComcast’s NBCUniversal is laying off hundreds of staff in another round of belt-tightening. The cuts will take place across the board and will affect about 450 employees, or 1.5% of the total staff of 30,000. Networks such as USA, E!, Bravo, G4, Syfy and MSNBC felt the pinch.


The creative side of NBC Entertainment was not affected by the layoffs, according to reports. The cuts came after the corporate end of the company asked each of the business units to look at what inefficiencies or duplications could be eliminated as the company prepares for 2013, according to The Wrap.

Earlier this year, NBC cut about 25 staffers on “The Tonight Show” to trim the show’s budget. Host Jay Leno took a 50% pay cut.

Comcast acquired a 51% stake in NBCU from General Electric last year, and may buy GE’s remaining 49% stake in 2014.

“They’ve become like General Electric,” a source told The NY Post. “They’re cost cutters.”

Separately, the network also shook up management at “Today” after the once-dominant morning show slipped in the ratings. Veteran Jim Bell will leave the show and take on a full-time gig producing NBC’s Olympics coverage.

He will be replaced by Alex Wallace, who will oversee all four hours of “Today,” which fell to No. 2 behind ABC’s “Good Morning America” recently.

See the NY Post story here