NBCUniversal Restructures: Langley To Oversee Movie, TV Production

NBCUniversal movie chief Donna Langley is being elevated to oversee all of film and television production — taking over one of the most important and visible parts of the Comcast Corp.-owned media company.

The L-A Times reports Langley’s promotion on Thursday to chairman of the NBCUniversal Studio Group and chief content officer is part of a broader shakeup that has been in the works since Comcast President Mike Cavanagh began leading the entertainment company following the ouster of former CEO Jeff Shell in April.

Donna Langley

As part of the management overhaul, television chief Susan Rovner is stepping down. Rovner was hired by Shell in 2020 for the big TV programming role following a long stint at Warner Bros., but she lacked full oversight of programming budgets, which limited her influence. Another rising star, Pearlena Igbokwe, will continue to lead the company’s television studios.

Three other veteran NBCUniversal executives — Mark Lazarus, Cesar Conde and Mark Woodbury — will see their portfolios expand.

“This new structure will facilitate a streamlined decision-making process and foster even more collaboration across our company,” Cavanagh wrote in a memo to employees to announce the moves.

Langley, who has been chairman of the film studio since 2013, will be responsible for NBCUniversal’s creative teams, including Universal Filmed Entertainment Group (Universal Pictures, Focus Features, DreamWorks Animation) and Universal Studio Group (Universal Television, Universal Content Productions, Universal Television Alternative Studios, Universal International Studios).

The expansion of Langley’s turf recognizes her standing in Hollywood, where she commands respect for her taste, savvy and straightforward style.