REVISED: NBC UNIVERSAL TELEVISION PACTS WITH GAIL BERMAN AND LLOYD BRAUN
REVISED: NBC UNIVERSAL TELEVISION PACTS WITH GAIL BERMAN AND LLOYD BRAUN
Three-Year, First-Look Development Deal Launches BermanBraun
Mini-Studio To Focus on Development and Production For All Formats and Day-Parts
BURBANK -- March 5, 2007 -- NBC Universal Television has signed a bold three-year, first-look development deal with prominent entertainment executives Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun -- principals of the newly formed BermanBraun company -- that will allow the pair to provide creative content across all properties and platforms of NBC Universal Television. The announcement was made today by Marc Graboff, President, NBC Universal Television, West Coast.
"Not only do Lloyd and Gail have phenomenal track records developing shows like 'Lost,' 'American Idol,' 'Grey's Anatomy,' 'House' and 'Desperate Housewives,' but they are both experienced broadcast network programmers who understand what it takes to develop great content," said Graboff. "With their great taste and their valuable experience, we are thrilled that they have chosen NBC Universal as their television home."
Said Berman and Braun: "This strategic alliance with NBC Universal will provide us with an unparalleled opportunity to create signature television content and to expand our development slate for all of NBCU's programming arms right from the inception."
The arrangement provides for BermanBraun to develop and produce television programming in all forms and for all day-parts � including scripted, unscripted, primetime, daytime, cable and syndication, with a first-look to all NBC Universal Television entities including NBC, USA, Sci Fi, Telemundo and Bravo.
Gail Berman was the first and only female executive to hold the top posts at both a major film studio and television network. Most recently, as president of Paramount Pictures, she was responsible for overseeing Paramount, MTV Films and Nick Movies. Berman was instrumental in the recent turnaround of the studio, shepherding through production such successful films as "Failure to Launch," "Nacho Libre," "World Trade Center," "Freedom Writers" and "Zodiac." Prior to Paramount, Berman was president of entertainment for FBC, segueing to the network from Regency Television, where she served as founding president and helped shepherd such hits as "24" and "Malcolm in The Middle."
Lloyd Braun created Yahoo! Media Group in November 2004, serving as head of YMG until December 2006. During his tenure, he led a significant redesign and rebuilding of Yahoo's media properties while launching new original initiatives and sites including Yahoo Tech, Yahoo Food, You Witness News and its Personal Finance, Celebrity and News Underground websites. From 2002-04 Braun served as chairman of ABC Entertainment Television Group after first becoming co-chairman in 1999. At ABC he shepherded such shows as "Grey's Anatomy," "Lost," "Alias," "Desperate Housewives" and "Boston Legal." Previously, Braun was chairman of Buena Vista Television Productions and head of Brillstein-Grey Entertainment.
Established in January 2007, BermanBraun is an independent production venture based in Los Angeles. The company is initially ramping up three divisions � television, feature film, new media � that will create and exploit entertainment content and new advertising solutions globally.
NBC Universal is one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premiere motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80% owned by General Electric and 20% owned by Vivendi.
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