Universal Media Galleries Will get New Heads Of Drama, Comedy & Casting And New Title

EXCLUSIVE: NBC’s brother or sister Universal Media Galleries has put together a brand new top executive team under EVP Bela Bajaria, who required the reins from the studio recently. Furthermore, UMS is altering its title to Universal Television, reverting towards the moniker held by Universal’s TV production company, noted for such series because the Law & Order franchise, just before its 2004 merger with NBC Galleries. Bajaria’s new team includes Russell Rothberg, formerly SVP Drama Programming, NBC and UMS, that has been named mind from the galleries drama department as SVP Universal Television. Joining him within the drama area is going to be Erin Underhill, formerly SVP Current Programming, NBC and UMS, who now becomes SVP Universal Television, confirming to Rothberg. Furthermore, former WB mind of comedy Tracey Pakosta comes to Universal Television to guide the comedy department as SVP Comedy. And Showtime veteran Janet Klein, who left the pay cable network in April after 23 years, continues to be named SVP Casting, Universal Television. One more comedy executive is going to be introduced shortly. The modern announcement further demonstrates our resolve for our studio business, stated NBC Entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt, who had made re-creating NBC’s sister studio like a full-service entity, including growing its production with other broadcast systems and cable, important. “The title change to Universal Television harkens to a business which was when a juggernaut from the business and can actually reinforce towards the creative community our mentioned goal of creating quality television. Added Bajaria, “This incredible group brings an array of experience, great creative associations along with a strong belief within the studio business. Under the newest NBC executive structure, UMS was without its very own department heads, with Laura Lancaster (drama), Tal Rabinowitz (comedy) and Sophistication Wu (casting) managing both network and studio. The three will concentrate on network matters, with Rothberg, Pakosta and Klein his or her studio alternatives. Together with Universal Television, its cable brother or sister Universal Cable Prods, once a part of UMS, is also searching to become full-service studio and expand into development for broadcast and non-NBCUniversal cable nets. Universal Television has revealed a brand new logo design, which the organization states “pays homage to its legacy having a global-inspired trademark that's similar to its earlier years but continues to be slightly up-to-date.” In the previous position, Rothberg developed NBCs new dramas Awake and Prime Suspect. He became a member of NBC and Universal Media Galleries in June 2009 and formerly offered as Vice president Current Programming at Fox. Underhill lately oversaw such new series because the dramas The Playboy Club,Awake,Being a parent, Chase and also the anthology seriesLove Bites. She earlier developed Heroes, Chuck and Friday Evening Lights for NBC. Pakosta most lately was the partner at Eco-friendly Mountain West, Craig Fergusons production company for CBS TV Galleries. She formerly offered as EVP Comedy Development at WB Network, where she co-went the comedy department and developed such series as Reba and What I Love In Regards To You. Throughout her lengthy tenure at Showtime, Klein oversaw casting for that network’s scripted series, working carefully with Greenblatt for quite some time. She's the 3rd high-level Showtime executive to follow along with Greenblatt to NBC, together with mind of selling Len Fogge and mind of communications Richard Licata.