This should be among the biggest digital media industry moves in a while, and could foreshadow some changes at other Internet companies like Yahoo: NYT reports that Randy Falco, the president of the NBC Universal Television Group, is in talks to leave his position to take a senior operating role at AOL, and could be the president or even the CEO of AOL.
If Falco come in as CEO, it is not yet clear what position Jonathan Miller, AOL’s chairman and CEO, would maintain after the move.
Falco has been reporting for a year to Jeff Zucker,CEO of NBC Universal Television, who has emerged as the most likely internal candidate to succeed Bob Wright as the CEO of NBC Universal. He recently led the new online video distribution venture, called the National Broadband Company (NBBC)...more on NBBC here.
LAT is also reporting the same news…the most senior position known to be open at AOL is the No. 2 slot (Vice Chairman), which will become vacant in January when entrepreneur Ted Leonsis leaves.
Falco would bring to AOL years of experience cultivating relationships with the nation’s largest corporate advertisers. He also is experienced at negotiating major broadcast rights, including NBC’s pact with the International Olympics Committee, and helped coordinate coverage of the games, the story says.
Related:
—AOL Command Structure: Internal Memo From Chairman and CEO Jon Miller
—AOL To Restructure To Simplify; Internal Memo
—AOL’s Ted Leonsis To Give Up Duties; Stay on As Advisor; Management Reshuffle