The Newsroom

NBC News and Sky News to launch a worldwide network

Split from NBC News, MSNBC, ABC News and others from across the pond (July 2019)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
BA
Batavia
If you read Catch and Kill, which I highly recommend for many reasons, including its insights into the workings of NBC Universal and NBC News, you'll see that Andy Lack does not come off well. Here is just one article: https://variety.com/2019/biz/news/andy-lack-ronan-farrow-nbc-harvey-weinstein-1203365158/

Since the book came out in October it was perhaps inevitable that Lack's days were numbered. I suspect that management at NBC Universal and Comcast has spent the intervening time planning for Lack's exit.
RK
Rkolsen
If you read Catch and Kill, which I highly recommend for many reasons, including its insights into the workings of NBC Universal and NBC News, you'll see that Andy Lack does not come off well. Here is just one article: https://variety.com/2019/biz/news/andy-lack-ronan-farrow-nbc-harvey-weinstein-1203365158/

Since the book came out in October it was perhaps inevitable that Lack's days were numbered. I suspect that management at NBC Universal and Comcast has spent the intervening time planning for Lack's exit.

It’s worth noting that the current NBCUniversal CEO, Steve Burke, is on his way out leaving officially in August but the next CEO Jeff Shell is effectively in charge right now. He’s making his mark.

I’m still surprised they have not brought Noticiero Telemundo under the newsgroup umbrella, they already share resource (trucks, office space) are reportedly on the daily news conference call.
Last edited by Rkolsen on 5 May 2020 7:13am

47 days later

KK
KolonelKlink
Was noted in another thread that Nick Beake has just been appointed Brussels correspondent at the BBC - of course, in March he announced he was leaving the Beeb to become NBC Sky World News’ international correspondent.

With the launch date pushed back, how many others will walk before they’ve produced a second of content?
CA
cat
Wouldn’t be surprised if they scrapped it entirely. It had all the hallmarks of a money pit, and the outlay must be hard to justify at present.

Better off scrapping it, use the studio they’ve already started building for Sky News.

They’re also missing out on covering perhaps the biggest global story since WW2. Rather unfortunate.
SO
Soupnzi
yes unfortunate indeed. Had it started a year ago it might now find an audience. Now it’s too late. Also a lot of its focus was supposed to be on environmental issues (including a daily programme on such issues) which of course has completely slipped down/off the agenda now.
SC
scottishtv Founding member
cat posted:
Wouldn’t be surprised if they scrapped it entirely. It had all the hallmarks of a money pit, and the outlay must be hard to justify at present.

Agree, that's what I interpreted the NBC comment in a previously posted article to mean:
“When things become more clear, when we get to the other side of this crisis, we’ll review all these plans,” Lack said.

It's very non-committal.
CI
cityprod
yes unfortunate indeed. Had it started a year ago it might now find an audience. Now it’s too late. Also a lot of its focus was supposed to be on environmental issues (including a daily programme on such issues) which of course has completely slipped down/off the agenda now.


I don't think it's too late. There's still a presidential election in November, which would be a perfect opportunity to launch this, also, you never know when the next big story is going to break. MSNBC had a modest launch in 1996, then in 1998 the Bill Clinton/Monica Lewinsky story broke, and they took off, so anything is possible.
RK
Rkolsen
yes unfortunate indeed. Had it started a year ago it might now find an audience. Now it’s too late. Also a lot of its focus was supposed to be on environmental issues (including a daily programme on such issues) which of course has completely slipped down/off the agenda now.


cat posted:
Wouldn’t be surprised if they scrapped it entirely. It had all the hallmarks of a money pit, and the outlay must be hard to justify at present.

Agree, that's what I interpreted the NBC comment in a previously posted article to mean:
“When things become more clear, when we get to the other side of this crisis, we’ll review all these plans,” Lack said.

It's very non-committal.


Well Lack is gone now. I don’t think he would have the say on the overall. It likely would be higher up than him or Comcast.

They have hired a lot of new hires around the world. I think it will still go ahead.
Ratflump and Jeffmister gave kudos
CA
cat
Very non-committal statement here on “any future global news offering”

Can’t help but think they would explicitly name the channel if they intended to go ahead with it.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/nbcuniversal-sky-name-executive-team-global-advertising-unit-1299168
SO
Soupnzi
cat posted:
Very non-committal statement here on “any future global news offering”

Can’t help but think they would explicitly name the channel if they intended to go ahead with it.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/nbcuniversal-sky-name-executive-team-global-advertising-unit-1299168


agreed. There are existentially tough times ahead for Comcast and everyone. Are they really going to haemorrhage money on a brand new news channel just for the sake of it? The earlier post about their new hires: these will be of minuscule cost compared to the spend of proceeding with this project now.
MO
Mouseboy33
Exactly they already have loss-making SkyNews already. It would be interesting to see if those new hires should start popping up across the entire Comcast group of news channels including SkyNews. That way their work doesnt go to waste only being seeing on NBC or CNBC networks.

26 days later

RK
Rkolsen
I just watched something the other day on how broadcasters including NBC News/MSNBC and CNBC we’re handling remote production. The woman in charge of engineering and technology for NBC News and MSNBC (at the time coronavirus broke out CNBC wasn’t formally a part of the NBCUniversal News Group) and she talked how they installed remote studios in all talents homes and in some cases summer homes. The engineer briefly mentioned that due to the coronavirus the fitout of the NBC Sky World News network was in the beginning stages. She said that it’s currently on hold but it’s still going to launch with a date to be determined. This was as of three weeks ago.

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