NBCUniversal‘s layoffs continue as the company splits off its cable assets into Versant. The company’s Television Entertainment Group was impacted by cuts of less than 20 roles this week, TheWrap has learned.
Among those let go was Deepak Jesrani, a 23-year NBCU veteran who most recently served as SVP of drama development for NBC Entertainment. He oversaw drama development for Peacock as well, since the scripted team develops programming for both the streamer and the broadcast network.
The cuts impacted Universal TV current programming VP Brett Osmon and director Stephanie Rae Capizzo.
The cuts comes on the heels of bigger layoffs at NBC News on Wednesday, which saw 150 staffers cut across departments — about 7% of the workforce — including teams dedicated to covering issues affecting Black, Asian American, Latino and LGBTQ+ groups.
The Television Entertainment Group cuts also follow larger layoffs in April tied to the Versant spinoff, which moves cable networks like E!, Syfy, MSNBC and USA Network to a standalone company.
They also followed executive restructuring in January that gave Pearlena Igbokwe oversight of NBC and Peacock scripted programming on top of leading Universal Studio Group, which consists of studios Universal Television, UCP and Universal Alternative Studios.
