NBCUniversal plans to enhance local news at its 10 owned television stations, hiring more than 130 people to cover more local news.
The company is making a "major investment" to ensure that its stations have "the resources necessary to effectively compete in their markets," it said in a statement. Valari Staab, president of NBC Owned Television Stations, said Comcast, which became a majority owner of NBCU in January, is committed to improving local news coverage.
"The new leaders of the company very much believe in the owned television stations division and they want to see these stations strong again," Staab said. "So we're moving as fast as we can to strengthen all of their news gathering and reporting capabilities.
The enhancements are planned in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay Area, Dallas-Fort Worth, Washington, D.C., Miami, San Diego and Connecticut. NBCU also plans new consumer and/or investigative units in D.C., the Bay Area, Connecticut, New York and Chicago.
