Ben Silverman is leaving NBC to start a new media company.A lot of people are going to rejoice over this news because they think that NBC hasn't been the same since he took over the entertainment department at the network. While he did bring The Office and The Biggest Loser to NBC, a lot of viewers have been confused by other moves at the network. Another show that Silverman had a hand in, The Jay Leno Show, will debut in September. We'll have to see how that goes.
Jeff Gaspin is going to take over for Silverman, who will leave at the end of September. The new company he's doing will partner with Barry Diller's IAC and possibly work with NBC in the future.
[via TV Tattle]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-27-2009 @ 10:42AM
Jimmy said...
What is Silverman's legacy? Parks & Recreation? Southland? He'll probably be remembered more about what was canceled too soon like Journeyman, Life and Kings.
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7-27-2009 @ 10:51AM
jeff said...
If he had left last year maybe kings would have beem saved. Gosh Darnit.
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7-27-2009 @ 11:15AM
Willmore2000 said...
Ding Dong! The Witch is dead. The Wicked Witch is dead!
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7-27-2009 @ 11:21AM
shadowracer said...
So who will replace him? Last time I checked USA Network was kicking ass.
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7-27-2009 @ 11:23AM
Willmore2000 said...
Ugh ....
From the Jeff Gaspin bio:
He developed the hit NBC programs “Deal or No Deal,” “The Apprentice,” “Fear Factor” and “Biggest Loser.”
Among his accomplishments are “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,” and “Project Runway.”
He created the acclaimed program “Behind the Music.”
Also developed under his watch were “Divas Live” and the hit series “Pop-up Video,” “Rock and Roll Jeopardy,” “Storytellers” and “Before They Were Rock Stars.”
Gaspin helped develop and launch “Dateline NBC.”
Let me guess, Biggest Loser and America's Got Talent just got expanded to a 5 day format to air 52 weeks a year before Leno.
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7-27-2009 @ 11:31AM
Casey Vincent said...
Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes.
Maybe they will actually keep on programming that I want to watch now?
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7-27-2009 @ 12:05PM
const said...
it won't matter much until Zucker goes. He's presided over the destruction of NBC's prime time schedule yet continued to be promoted.
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7-27-2009 @ 12:57PM
hessian said...
Been saying it for years: Fire Zucker, save the network.
7-27-2009 @ 1:28PM
David said...
exactly.
7-28-2009 @ 1:01AM
Vito said...
Cool, you said it so I don't have to. It amuses me greatly that people keep pretending like this isn't what has been happening all along.
Ben Silverman wasn't FIRED, he LEFT. Does that sound like the actions of a guy that was responsible for the problems of the network or a guy that was only given enough rope to hang himself?
7-28-2009 @ 11:55AM
nytheatreguy said...
I agree. Much as I hate to advocate for someone losing their job, Jeff Zucker should've been fired YEARS ago. How he's lasted this long is anybody's guess.
7-27-2009 @ 12:22PM
Pierre-Luc Allie said...
Who's the guy responsable for bringing LOST that ABC fired a month before the series started? Maybe that guy can help NBC...
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7-27-2009 @ 12:26PM
miller980 said...
I can see blaming Silverman for the garbage that was put on during his tenure. However, it doesn't matter who is in that position, if the show gets lousy ratings, it's going to be canceled. No amount of ragging is going to change that.
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7-27-2009 @ 12:32PM
Owloo said...
YAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
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7-27-2009 @ 4:16PM
liili said...
The new company is great for ben. or ben is great for the new company. Diller is taking advantage of the other role Mr. Silverman played at NBC, in bringing creative talent together with advertisers.
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