NBC Universal is showing signs of rising from the ratings cellar, but that has not stopped the cutbacks and layoffs by parent company, Comcast. (Disclosure: I am a former NBC employee).
The Internet is buzzing with the latest reports of 500 employees getting the axe throughout the entertainment, news, and cable units. The first story I saw about this was over on Deadline.com yesterday. Comcast, the country’s largest cable TV company, took over NBC Universal in January 2011. The deal gave Comcast 51 percent interest in the entertainment giant. Just as many predicted, Comcast has carried out cutbacks and layoffs almost from the day it gained control of NBC Universal. You might remember, Comcast got some bad press when it laid off staffers on “The Tonight Show,” last summer. The host, Jay Leno, reportedly took a hefty pay cut to save some jobs on the late night show. There are a lot of hard working and talented folks at NBC Universal who deserve better treatment than what they’re getting from Comcast.
