Interview: NBCU's Zalaznick: Adding iVillage To Bravo, Oxygen 'Converse Of Synergy'
This story was written by Staci D. Kramer.
Lauren Zalaznick, president, Women and Lifestyle Entertainment Networks builds brands. She also knows what it's like to "auf" themfor instance, saying goodbye to Trio, the network she followed to NBC with the merger of Universal's cable channels into NBC Universal (NYSE: GE). "People said, "But it was your baby," Zalaznick told me. "It actually wasn't. I have a very clear separation between my actual babies and my business babies. Business babies you do have some control over; real, you don't." We spoke after her promotion last week to president, women and lifestyle networks, responsible now not only for Bravo Media and recent multi-platform acquisition Oxygen Media, but for iVillage as well. To be clear, she wasn't threatening to do away with any brands but was responding to my suggestion that nothing was sacred. The impression left was just as clear: sentiment isn't part of the equation.
The same day, NBCU announced the creation of its virtual content-and-ad women's network Women@NBCU. Zalaznick avoided any comments that could be interpreted as criticism of the way iVillage was handled post-$600 million acquisition by Beth Comstock, now back at GE, or by the management of iVillage that continues to be led by Deborah Fine. For most of its first two years, iVillage lived outside the TV programming world of NBCU, connecting for various bursts of synergy that didn't always take but operated independently. When Comstock left, it moved to Jeff Gaspin's Universal Television Group and now, as Zalaznick freely admits, she gets to start without having to go through all of the merger madness. "We have none of the headwind, the nuts and bolts, the actual logistics an acquisition has. ...iVillage is a very strong asset that's been more than holding its own that's ready." More from the interview after the jump
More on iVillage: "My guess is going to take me a very immersive couple of months experience " As for moving it to this group, she sees a two-fold meaninga chance to recreate passion and energy as well as add "this horizontal slice."
Women@NBCU: Zalaznick says the idea "grew very organically from a comprehensive set of discussions this company almost demands of its business leaders." NBCU had "this escalating brand reach without a clear way of communicating value to the market place." The decision to acquire Oxygen was very much a part of it: "We saw the potential to roll it into this mindset." As for approach: "You have to sell affinities. For instance, don't just target mothers of a certain age but remember that women 39, 40, 41 can be first-and-second-time mothers."
Behind the times?: When I asked about NBCU being behind when it comes to setting up something like Women@NBCU, particularly given the various elements already in place with in the company, she replied: "I think you're never behind ...to have the arrogance of a couple-of-years-old industry being late for anything."
Converse of synergy: When I mentioned getting through most of the conversation without hearing the word synergy, Zalaznick called this the "converse of synergyadding value on top by having me and my team just even focusing on a new asset."
Keeping fans between shows: One of the major tasks Zalaznick and others in programming face is how to harness the energy between episodes. Bravo has created thriving show micro-sites that pull viewers in before, after and sometimes during Project Runway, Top Chef, Top Design and the like. "It's a great way of activating these people for whom the one hour a week is fantastic, they love itbut it's the other 6 days and 23 hours they're looking to be fed." She isn't quite sure of te how yet, but sees applying a similar philosophy to iVillage. "Don't view it as posting 6 times a dayit has to be an environment and an experience." No comment about the pending loss of Project Runway to Lifetime, now in court, and how it might affect Women@NBCU.
By Staci D. Kramer