JEFFREY ZUCKER
Jeff Zucker was named President, NBC Entertainment, in December 2000. He reports to Scott Sassa, President, NBC West Coast, and is responsible for overseeing the network's primetime, late-night, daytime and Saturday-morning entertainment programming.
Prior to accepting his current position, Zucker had served as executive producer of NBC News’ Today since September 1994 and from 1992 to 1993. Under his leadership, Today was the nation’s most-watched morning news program for more than six years, with viewership during the 2000-01 season reaching the highest point in the show’s 49-year history. Zucker and his team were widely credited for giving Today a harder news edge and a new format that appealed to the constantly changing morning news audience.
Zucker has also served as the executive producer of NBC’s coverage of several major events during the last decade, including the network's “Decision 2000” election night broadcast, the 1996 and 2000 political conventions, the 1993 and 1997 presidential inaugurations, the start of the new millennium, the 1996 bombing of Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, the 1991 Russian coup, and the Gulf War.
Zucker has held other major positions with NBC News. Prior to assuming his responsibilities for Today, he was the executive producer of the NBC newsmagazine Now with Tom Brokaw and Katie Couric. Before that, from January 1992 to May 1993, he served as executive producer of Today for the first time. He was appointed to that post at the age of 26, which made him the youngest executive producer in the storied history of Today. He also served as the executive producer of NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw from February 8 through March 19, 1993.
Zucker joined NBC News as a field producer for Today in January 1989. In April 1990, he became Katie Couric’s producer when she was named the show’s national correspondent. He first joined NBC in 1986 as a researcher for NBC Sports’ coverage of the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea. From 1986 to 1988, he traveled the world, compiling and writing background information that was used by NBC Sports commentators and producers, prior to and during the network’s coverage of the Olympics.
Zucker, a five-time Emmy Award winner, graduated from Harvard College in 1986 with a degree in American history. He served as president of The Harvard Crimson from 1985 to 1986. He and his wife, Caryn, have two children, Andrew and Elizabeth.
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