Conan and NBCU's Zucker's first clash

• NBCU's Zucker beats the odds, again

  With Comcast (CMCSA) finalizing its deal to buy 51% of NBC Universal from General Electric (GE), skeptics are asking: Why would Comcast CEO Brian Roberts put his faith in Jeff Zucker, the NBCU chief who has dragged the NBC broadcast network from first to fourth place?

  Because Jeff Zucker is one of the most determined, driven, ambitious, ingenious, competitive, compelling, resilient people you will ever meet.

  Read "Life imitates TV," a Fortune MORE

  Patricia Sellers - Dec 3, 2009 1:15 PM ET
  Posted in: CEOs, Comcast, entertainment, GE, Jeff Immelt, Jeff Zucker, media, NBC Universal, NBCU, Postcards, Power Shift, succession

• NBC Sports boss's big win

  "The N.F.L. is more of a guarantee of success than if you got Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Angelina Jolie to do an hour drama series for the network. You can't guarantee that it will be a ratings success."

  -- Dick Ebersol, chairman of NBC Universal (GE) Sports, today in a New York Times story about Sunday Night Football's stellar ratings--one of the few bright spots for the woe-begotten broadcast network.

  While MORE

  Patricia Sellers - Oct 6, 2009 12:50 PM ET
  Posted in: Dick Ebersol, entertainment, Jeff Zucker, media, NBC, Postcards, Power Point, sports

• Power Point: Lose the cats

  "Advertisers have made it clear that they want a safe environment unpolluted by videos of cats on skateboards."

  -- Jeff Zucker, CEO of General Electric's (GE) NBC Universal, in the New York Times. On Thursday ABC, owned by Disney (DIS), announced that it would begin showing its programs on Hulu.com, a joint venture established by NBC and News Corporation's (NWS.A) Fox. The move further casts the video site as the home MORE

  Jessica Shambora, Writer-Reporter - Apr 30, 2009 6:50 PM ET
  Posted in: ABC, Disney, entertainment, Fox, general electic, Google, hulu, hulu.com, Jeff Zucker, media, NBC, News Corp., Postcards, Power Point, technology

• Defying the downturn: Bravo and beyond

  Defining a brand and sticking to it is always difficult. Particularly in a downturn.

  Which is why the success of Bravo - the NBC Universal cable network that serves up food, fashion, beauty, design and pop culture to upscale audiences - is all the more impressive.

  This morning, I went to Bravo's "upfront" presentation, where NBCU's Lauren Zalaznick, who built the network, and her team pitched their new season and their growth MORE

  Patricia Sellers - Apr 14, 2009 1:55 PM ET
  Posted in: Andy Serwer, Brands, Bravo, consumer goods, economy, entertainment, GE, General Electric, Jacqueline Novogratz, Jeff Zucker, jobs, Lauren Zalaznick, management, media, NBC Universal, Postcards, real estate, retail, Wal-Mart

• Power Point: Media bosses call a truce

  "I want to personally congratulate Jeff Zucker and NBCU on their success in the litigation and thank Jeff for resolving this in a professional manner."

  -- Producer Harvey Weinstein in a statement Wednesday, ending a six-month battle over Project Runway. Weinstein admits he erred in moving the show from Bravo--owned by General Electric's (GE) NBC Universal--to Lifetime without giving NBCU a shot to keep it. Lifetime reportedly paid $150 million for MORE

  Jessica Shambora, Writer-Reporter - Apr 2, 2009 5:51 PM ET
  Posted in: Bravo, entertainment, GE, General Electric, harvey weinstein, Jeff Zucker, media, NBC, NBC Universal, Postcards, Power Point, Project Runway, weinstein company

• In defense of the expense-account lunch

  I went out to lunch today. Really. Even as you've read this week about the slashing and shrinking inside my company, Time Inc. (TWX), and across the magazine industry (even Conde Nast, the proud, privately-held protector of privilege and perks is axing), I have to eat. I have to schmooze. My job depends upon it.

  Allow me to defend the expense-account lunch. Here are my rules of (lunchtime) engagement, honed over MORE

  Patricia Sellers - Oct 31, 2008 3:56 PM ET
  Posted in: blogging, Cathie Black, Conde Nast, Dick Ebersol, Eddie Lampert, expense account, FORTUNE MPWomen, Hearst, Jeff Zucker, lunch, Martha Stewart, media, Michael Wolff, Michael's, News Corp., Postcards, Power, publishing, restaurants, Rupert Murdoch, Steve Millington, Time Inc.

• How I discovered the Internet

  I've gotten to know Gina Bianchini. She's the CEO of Ning, the Silicon Valley startup that supplies the infrastructure to help you build your own social networking Web site. Think Home Depot for the social-network set. The other day, she "introduced" me via e-mail to her chairman and financial backer, Marc Andreessen. I had to laugh and tell both of them that Marc and I actually had met before, though MORE

  Patricia Sellers - Aug 29, 2008 12:01 PM ET
  Posted in: AOL, Don't call me SLACKER!, General Electric, Gina Bianchini, Hewlett-Packard, Jeff Zucker, Leadership by Geoff Colvin, management, Marc Andreessen, NBC Universal, netscape, Ning, Opsware, Postcards, Silicon Valley, technology