Jeff Shell Out $43 Million in Stock After Comcast Termination

Katie Couric has spent a good deal of her career getting to know those who walk the power corridors of the media business.

Katie Couric spoke out Wednesday against former NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell and the workplace misconduct that led to his ouster in April, calling him “so stupid and reckless.”“Clearly someone in a position of power cannot be involved in a sexual relationship with someone whose fate depends on said person,” Couric said, speaking on Kelly Ripa’s podcast with SiriusXM, “Let’s Talk Off Camera.” “And so that’s why I was just so shocked that Jeff Shell would do this. And what is it? Is it kind of the power dynamic? Are they so surrounded with yes people, they think the rules don’t apply to them?”The lauded journalist and former anchor of NBC’s morning news program, “Today,” added, “It just amazes me that a powerful executive like that would be so dumb, just be so stupid and reckless.

The CEO of NBCUniversal parent Comcast said it’s “more likely than not” the company will end up selling its third of Hulu to Disney, after his Mouse counterpart indicated clearly last week that this would be Disney’s preferred outcome. There’s been some grandstanding over the past year as the deadline approaches, but both of Hulu’s parents appear to be on or near the same page now.

Comcast CEO Brian Roberts addressed the company potentially selling its 33% stake in the streamer. “I think it’s more likely than not,” Roberts said. “I’m pretty certain if and when we sell our Hulu stake, it’ll be for more than what we have, and in fact, that’s contractually certain.”Disney currently owns 67% of Hulu with with Comcast’s NBCUniversal holding a minority stake.

Hadley Gamble, whose complaints led to the firing of ex-NBCUniversal boss Jeff Shell late last month, is leaving CNBC, the network said today.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor Hadley Gamble, a CNBC reporter who ended up as part of the headlines involving the business-news outlet’s corporate parent and the ouster of its most recent CEO, is departing the company herself. “CNBC today announced that Hadley Gamble, Anchor and Senior International Correspondent, is leaving the company,” the network said in a statement. “Gamble has been a distinguished journalist for more than a decade for CNBC, undertaking highly visible and challenging assignments, and developing deep expertise in the Middle East and beyond. Her initiative and drive have secured valuable interviews with several world political leaders. We wish her every success in her future endeavors.”

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Jeff Shell, the ousted CEO of NBCUniversal, forfeited compensation valued at $43 million for 2022 after being fired for cause last Sunday.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Jeff Shell, the former chief executive of NBCUniversal, forfeited stock grants and options worth $43.3 million after he was fired for cause earlier this week, according to a Comcast regulatory filing. Shell was terminated as CEO of NBCU over the past weekend after an internal investigation into his relationship with Hadley Gamble, an international correspondent for CNBC. “As previously disclosed, Mr. Shell’s employment was terminated with cause on April 23, 2023. As a result, he did not receive any supplemental payments or benefits in connection with his termination,” Comcast said in its 2023 proxy statement. “He will receive only his accrued but unpaid base salary and vacation time, vested employee benefits and reimbursement for any unreimbursed business expenses in accordance with his employment agreement.”

just 48% of U.S. adults had a monthly cable or satellite subscription, while a slim majority had signed on for streaming services.Indeed, Comcast, which owns NBCUniversal, also reported that its streaming service Peacock picked up 2 million net new subscribers in the quarter.As a result of the decline in cable subscribers, Comcast saw revenue from video fall 8% year-over-year to $7.38 billion in the first quarter, down from $8 billion last year.Put another way, cable TV revenue in the first quarter was not quite 25% of Comcast’s total revenue of $29.69 billion.At the same time, both broadband and wireless customers in the U.S.

Cynthia Littleton Business Editor The first rumblings about Comcast considering a major change involving NBCUniversal started this time last year.Now, in the wake of NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell’s abrupt firing, industry speculation about what may be in store for the network-studio conglomerate has gone into what-if overdrive. Maybe NBCU merges with Hulu to become a stand-alone company. Maybe the cable operations of Comcast and the satellite business of the U.K.-based Sky are separated from NBCU.

Newly interim NBCUniversal boss Mike Cavanagh has spoken out on the Jeff Shell shocker for the first time and said he’ll be in the post overseeing the entertainment unit “for a while.”

Shell was terminated with cause on Sunday after Comcast investigated allegations that he engaged in inappropriate conduct with a female employee, later identified as Hadley Gamble. Gamble, a CNBC anchor and senior international correspondent, filed a complaint alleging sexual harassment, her lawyer said.“During the investigation, evidence was uncovered that corroborated the allegations,” the company noted in an 8-K filing on Monday.

Comcast CEO Brian Roberts kicked off the company’s first-quarter earnings call by acknowledging the abrupt dismissal of NBCUniversal chief Jeff Shell last Sunday.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor Comcast said it managed to boost profit during its fiscal first quarter even as it navigated a dip in media advertising and slowing growth among broadband subscribers, yet boosted U.S. subscribers to its Peacock streaming hub to 22 million. The Philadelphia owner of NBCUniversal, Sky and its large broadband and cable business said profit came to $3.83 billion, or 91 cents per share, compared with $3.55 billion, or 78 cents per share in the year-earlier period. Comcast reported earnings per share of 92 cents after adjusting for one-time items Revenue fell 4% to $29.69 billion, compared with $31.01 billion in the year-earlier period, thanks to comparisons with a quarter in 2022 that contained both the broadcast of the Super Bowl and the Beijing Olympics.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer Top Comcast execs made their first public comments on the departure of NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell Thursday, remarks that came as the company reported its Q1 earnings results. Comcast CEO Brian Roberts opened a call with investors by saying Shell’s exit due to “inappropriate relationship” with a subordinate was “obviously a tough moment” adding, “we are so fortunate to have a fabulous and tenured leadership team at NBCUniversal.” “When you go down the list, you’ll see many of them have been leading their divisions within the company for at least 10 years and are the best in the business,” Roberts said. “We are also lucky to have Mike Cavanagh stepped in to help NBCUniversal while also remaining president.”

Comcast reported a 4% year-over-year dip in revenue in the first quarter, to $29.7 billion, but still exceeded Wall Street forecasts.

Jeff Shell looked more like a snowy-haired roadie than a VIP as he milled about in the wings of the Sahara Tent ahead of Blink-182’s set at Coachella on April 14. The NBCUniversal CEO had spent the day at the festival with his wife, Laura, in anticipation of the band’s first show in nearly a decade. Later, he took a seat alongside a leather-clad Kourtney Kardashian, whose long-running “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” holds a significant presence in the NBCUniversal spread, with all 20 seasons of the reality show having recently moved from Hulu to Peacock. But Shell wasn’t there on business. He enjoys close ties with the band’s bassist and co-lead vocalist, Mark Hoppus, a friendship forged thanks to their kids attending the same school in L.A.