NBC - SILVERMAN TO TAME PEACOCK

NBC is expected to announce as early as today (Tuesday) that Ben Silverman will receive a key position with the network that will put him in charge of its West Coast operations, according to published reports. He will effectively replace NBC Entertainment President Kevin Reilly, the network's chief programmer, and also reportedly assume control over NBC's in-house production studio, which presumably will be merged with his own production company, Reveille, responsible for the American version of The Office on NBC and Ugly Betty on ABC, among other programs. Silverman recently indicated that he plans to produce a U.S. version of the enormously popular Eurovision inernational music contest for NBC. Reporting on the pending deal with Silverman, Daily Variety commented today (Tuesday) that NBC chief Jeff Zucker "is counting on the flashy, energetic Reveille topper (and former agent) to help reinvent NBC Entertainment and push the network out of the ratings cellar. The clumsy way in which Silverman's still-pending deal has been handled -- many would say mishandled -- certainly starts things off on a rocky note, however."

29/05/2007