Hoffman Leaving CNBC? Tipster Says He’s “First In Line” To Be NBCU Stations Chief

> Update: 5:04pm: Random thought — why would GE take Hoffman away from CNBC as it prepares to battle the Fox Business Channel?

“CNBC is all abuzz today with talk that president Mark Hoffman may soon be leaving the cable channel,” a trusted tipster tells TVNewser. “Insiders say Mark is first in line to take over the all-important stations division head being vacated by Jay Ireland.”

Ireland is becoming the president/CEO of GE Asset Management. In an internal memo today, Jeff Zucker said “he expected to name a ‘leadership transition’ over the next couple of weeks,” B&C reports…

> Update: 4:46pm: True? False? “Jonathan Wald, senior VP of CNBC, is campaigning aggressively for Hoffman’s job,” an unconfirmed tipster asserts. Update: 5:04pm: A second tipster denies it. Wald is a natural successor to Hoffman though…