NBC Entertainment Sets Up Studio for Alternative Programming

UNIVERSAL CITY: Paul Telegdy has been named president of the alternative and reality group at NBC Entertainment, while Meredith Ahr will become president of Universal Television Alternative Studios, a newly established unit.

Telegdy will continue to report to Robert Greenblatt, the chairman of NBC Entertainment. Ahr continues to report to Telegdy.

Among the series that have flourished under both Telegdy’s and Ahr’s purview are The Voice, America’s Got Talent, American Ninja Warrior, Little Big Shots, Hollywood Game Night and Running Wild with Bear Grylls.

The new Universal Television Alternative Studios initiative will supply shows to NBC as well as other broadcast and cable networks. The unit now exists as the parallel to the scripted studio, Universal Television, headed by newly named president Pearlena Igbokwe.

“Paul is in a class by himself in the area of alternative programming, which is one of the biggest strengths of NBC and a key reason why we have returned to a leadership position among networks,” said Greenblatt. “He has a vision of the future and his finger is on the pulse of what is exciting in this space, and it was a priority of mine to continue to tap him as a major resource for this company. Part of the strategy was setting up a studio, to be run by Meredith, that will provide us with the biggest reality hits of the future, whether on NBC or other programming services and to territories around the world. Paul comes to us with a global understanding of this business and I’m pleased that he will continue to make this company his home after such a winning track record that began so dramatically with The Voice.”

Telegdy added: “Meredith is an exceptional creative executive and leader, with the rare combination of being fiercely competitive, smart and humble. There is not a successful alternative franchise on this network that hasn’t been influenced and energized by her expertise and insight into what audiences crave. Her passion for innovation is what has kept our entire division on the cutting edge, and that is reflected by the genre-defining shows she has personally developed and managed for this network for the last 12 years. We are all extremely confident that Meredith, in her new role, will create opportunities for strategic partnerships that will produce content for all platforms and deliver formats that translate to any marketplace.”