UPDATED: Universal Content Productions (UCP) and Universal International Studios (UIS) are merging into one combined studio unit, Variety has learned. The new unit has been dubbed Universal Global Television (UGT).
Beatrice Springborn, currently the president of both UCP and UIS, will now take on the title of president of UGT. The merger is meant to streamline business and creative operations under Springborn while also providing greater alignment of the slate.
Along with Springborn, the leadership structure of UGT will include Kelsey Balance as executive vice president of global series and Rebecca Franko as executive vice president of current. Balance currently serves in that role for UIS, while Franko heads up current for UCP.
Mark Binke will head up production of the new global team, with Binke currently heading production for UCP. Rob Howard will continue to lead UK operations. Casting will be consolidated under Kimberly Hope, who currently oversees casting for UCP.
“Bringing the studios together to form Universal Global Television (UGT) with a combined collaborative team allows us to benefit from an international marketplace, while maintaining our longstanding commitment to producing series for audiences in the UK and US,” said Springborn. “We are doubling down on our investment in global storytellers by building on the strengths that have defined UCP and Universal International Studios and carrying that legacy forward into our next phase.”
With the merger, six people will be laid off as UGT eliminates redundant roles under the new studio structure. Just under two dozen people total have been laid off across NBCUniversal’s studio operations, NBC, and Peacock as well. The layoffs come as NBCU works to realign itself in the wake of the spinoff of the bulk of its cable operations into the standalone company Versant.
UIS and UCP both feed content to NBCUniversal streamer Peacock. UIS’ recent launches on the platform include shows like “All Her Fault” starring Sarah Snook, “Day of the Jackal” with Eddie Redmayne, and “Apples Never Fall,” based on the Lianne Moriarty novel of the same name. UIS also recently produced the Netflix series “Too Much” from Lena Dunham.
UCP, meanwhile, has recently produced shows like the live-action “Ted” series at Peacock as well as “Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy,” “The Burbs” starring Keke Palmer, and “Cape Fear” for Apple TV.
