Andy Lack is returning to NBC as chairman of NBC News and MSNBC. Current News Group chairman Pat Fili-Krushel will move upstairs at 30 Rock working alongside NBCU CEO Steve Burke, who brought her to the network in 2011.
NBC News president Deborah Turness and MSNBC president Phil Griffin will report to Lack. Lack will not oversee CNBC, which will continue to be led by Mark Hoffman. Burke says Lack “will work closely” with Hoffman “to ensure that where appropriate CNBC will leverage the strength of the News Group portfolio.”
This is a return to NBC for Lack who was named NBC News president in 1993. In 2001 he was promoted to president and COO. He left the network in 2003 as a succession plan at the time made way for NBC entertainment chief Jeff Zucker to take over NBC. He did, and held the top job until Comcast took over in 2011. He is now CNN Worldwide president.
Here’s a note Burke sent to NBC staffers this morning…
I want to let you know about some changes we are making within the NBCUniversal News Group. Andy Lack is returning to the company as Chairman, NBC News and MSNBC. Andy will join our Executive Committee and report directly to me. He will begin in April.
Pat Fili-Krushel, who has been one of my most trusted advisors since she joined NBCUniversal four years ago, will move into a new corporate role on my executive team.
Andy is an accomplished journalist who began his award-winning news career in 1976 at CBS and rose through the newsroom ranks until he joined NBC News as President in 1993. While at NBC, he presided over the News division’s unprecedented rise to number one, led by “Today,” “Nightly News,” “Dateline” and “Meet the Press.” In 2001 Andy was promoted to President and COO of NBC, where he was responsible for news, entertainment, TV stations, MSNBC and CNBC. Andy’s executive leadership also includes six years as CEO and Chairman of the Bloomberg Media Group, before leaving in September of 2014 to assume his most recent position as CEO of the Broadcasting Board of Governors. Prior to that, he was CEO and Chairman of Sony Music Entertainment.
Andy’s experience and familiarity with our company and specifically the news division will be critical to our growth and future success. Deborah Turness, President of NBC News and Phil Griffin, President of MSNBC will both report to Andy. Mark Hoffman, President of CNBC, and Andy will work closely to ensure that where appropriate CNBC will leverage the strength of the News Group portfolio. Mark will continue on the Executive Committee and report to me. All of Pat’s other direct reports will report to Andy.
When we created the News Group in 2011, I asked Pat to run it in order to maximize the combined strength of our portfolio as audiences fundamentally change the way they consume news. In that time Pat has helped position the organization for future growth by integrating television and digital, creating innovative partnerships, and modernizing the tools and technology we use to gather and deliver news. As she approaches three years in the role, I have asked Pat to return to my team and work directly with me again as she did before she took on her news responsibilities. I am grateful to Pat for her work and accomplishments at the NBCUniversal News Group and for helping to identify Andy as her successor. I look forward to having her back on the 51st floor.
Please join me in welcoming Andy back to our company and in thanking Pat.Steve