NBC "veteran" RANDY FALCO is taking over as NBC TV
Network President this fall, replacing NEIL BRAUN, who
"plans to join the bidding for Polygram Filmed
Entertainment," according to Jenny Hontz of DAILY VARIETY.
Falco has held a variety of positions at NBC, including
VP/Finance & Administration at NBC Sports and was Senior VP
of the net's Olympic coverage in '92 and '96. He is also
COO of NBC's newly-formed Olympic broadcast group, a
position "which he'll keep while serving as network
president." Falco's appointment is effective September 1,
and comes amid a "massive restructuring." NBC Sales
President LARRY HOFFNER was named NBC Sales Group Chair,
while KEITH TURNER, who had been Senior VP/Olympics & Sports
Sales, was named President of NBC Sales Group (DAILY
VARIETY, 7/30). Braun "had been working on a unique plan
for NBC and its affiliates to form a joint venture that
would share both programming costs and ownership of some NBC
cable holdings." But that "plan has stalled in recent weeks
and may now be imperiled" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 7/30).
