NBC is predicted to lose over $200 million dollars in revenue on the Vancouver Olympics. That is going to be a lot of free ad time they will have to make up to sponsors. I've heard some ad time even remains unsold.
Meantime, Dick Ebersol, the president of NBC Olympics felt it was in his duty to come in on the Conan/Leno situation, by calling O'Brien "an abject failure." Hmm, I thought Dick's responsibilities were Olympic programming and not entertainment. Have I missed something here?
My sources tell me that NBC overpaid-and overpaid big for Vancouver. Now they have to face the consequences, but when you work in a "blank check" environment, when a lot of NBC employees think their stuff doesn't stink, it's kind of hard in my opinion to preach financial responsibility.
I spent a good deal of my work life in Corporate America. If I cost my employer $200 million dollars, it would be a good bet I would be out the door in a heartbeat. The question then remains: who's ultimately responsible for this debacle? Or is this a sign of larger problems at NBC, the Olympics being just one issue?
They say that change needs to come from the top. I say, unless Jeff can deliver (and with him being the CEO of NBC, the buck should stop with him), and can deliver big, with a profit, then there needs to be a major housecleaning, starting at the top. Jeff goes, Dick goes, AND the enablers under them who supported this financial monstrosity.
NBC has had YEARS to prepare-sure, the September financial crash didn't help matters. But someone should have seen the projected financials years ago and said there was going to be a potential problem. Now this.
Some people have said the problem is that there is a lack of a potential breakout star in Vancouver. Bull-the problem is management who thought they could ride the gravy train, without seeing the forest for the trees. You are ultimately responsible to your advertisers and stockholders.
If Jeff and Dick don't deliver NBC out of a $200 million dollar hole, then it's their heads that should roll, and it should happen the day after the Closing Ceremony.
Over and out.
