NBC Universal Inc.

NBC–bringing the PowerPoint to TVs near you

All roads lead back to GE, according to NBC Universal employees.  Although both NBC and Universal—they still operate a bit differently from each other, even a few years after the merger—have maintained much of their traditional cultures, GE’s firm hand is never far from its employees’ minds.  “NBC is nothing like the other GE businesses,” says a former product manager, but with NBC’s rating slump “you’re seeing more and more of the GE mentality prevail, even amongst the creative types in the News and Entertainment divisions.”  Another manager agrees, chiming in, “most of them are just fed up with GE’s tight fist approach to costs, which is unbearable.”  A current key to success is “to impress the NBC-lifers but also the GE managers, which have vastly different styles.”  For example, while “a lot of people who join GE want to transfer to the NBC Universal side,” it can be challenging “as NBC Universal employees are a lot more laid-back and want to hire the same type of people (creative, casual, easygoing etc.).”  Oh, and it helps to “be a PowerPoint rock star” around here.