NBC News names new president, buys $30M stake in Euronews

NBC News took a huge step on Tuesday toward taking on CNN around the world when it bought a piece of a pan-European news channel.

Terms were not released but Bloomberg News reported that the Comcast-owned news operation purchased a 25 percent of Euronews for $30 million.

Euronews was formed in 1993 in the aftermath of the Gulf War to compete with Time Warner’s CNN. When combined with NBC News, EuroNews NBC, as it will be called, will be available in 277 million households in 164 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Deborah Turness, the British journalist who was named president of NBC News 3 ¹/₂ years ago amid the turmoil of “Lyin’” Brian Williams and the meltdown of the “Today” show, will move to London where she will oversee Lyon, France-based Euronews NBC.

As Turness leaves, NBC News named “Today” show boss, Noah Oppenheim, 38, the new president of NBC News — a nod to his role in helping to return the morning show to its prior dominance.

Oppenheim is currently working to develop a show for newly imported news anchor Megyn Kelly who is expected to take a 9:00 a.m. slot at “Today.”

Euronews broadcasts in 13 languages and employs 500 journalists.

To be sure, Euronews needs work to improve its ratings before it can truly become a rival CNN and BBC World News.
Euronews is controlled by Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris though his 53 percent stake in the company.

Oppenheim will be in charge of all NBC News operations, outside of CNBC. They include “Meet the Press,” “Nightly News,” “Dateline” and the NBC investigations unit.

Oppenheim also has a successful side job as a Hollywood writer, having penned the script for Fox movie, “Jackie.”

Both Oppenheim and Turness will continue to report to NBC News Chairman Andy Lack.