Jeff Shell, CEO of NBCUniversal, Steps Down After Inquiry
The CEO of Comcast is resigning after an investigation revealed he had an inappropriate relationship with a woman in the company.
NBCUniversal owns a number of cable networks including Bravo, E! MSNBC, and USA. These channels are also facing a decline in TV viewing. NBC, the broadcast network of NBCUniversal, has lost viewers to its prime-time programs.
Universal Pictures is not the biggest movie studio in Hollywood but it has had a lot of success. In 2022, highlights included "Jurassic World: Dominion", "Minions: Rise of Gru" and "Jurassic World: Dominion". This year, the success has been even greater, as "The Super Mario Bros. Movie", which is now approaching $900 million worldwide in ticket sales, was released in only three weekends.
The 10th installment of the "Fast and Furious' franchise, as well as Christopher Nolan’s "Oppenheimer," based on the famous nuclear physicist, are also highly anticipated. For larger films, the studio is implementing a flexible strategy of staggered release between theaters, and Peacock's streaming service. The theatrical and streaming debuts for smaller titles like "Marry Me," featuring Jennifer Lopez, or the horror film "Firestarter," both of which were released last year, are simultaneous.
The theme parks of the company have also been a bright point, as higher attendance and spending by guests led to a record profit last year. The company has plans to open theme park in Las Vegas, Texas and Frisco in the coming years.
It has scored some programming successes, including "Inside With Jen Psaki," the new Sunday show hosted my former White House Press Secretary.
This week, the company will report its quarterly earnings. The conference call that follows it is sure to be scrutinized.