As Comcast CEO Brian Roberts prepares to take over NBC Universal, his No. 2, COO Stephen Burke, has met several times with ex-NBCU executive Randy Falco for advice on integrating the companies, including which NBC bosses should stay, The Post has learned.
“Comcast wants to be equipped to move quickly once the deal closes,” said a source with knowledge of the discussions between Burke and Falco. “This is about them picking Randy’s brain to understand as much as they can about the asset and the talent within it.”
Falco, who most recently served as CEO of AOL, has a relationship with both Burke and his father, Dan, that dates back to their days at Capital Cities/ABC. Burke feels that Falco, as a 31-year veteran of NBCU, is in the best position to educate Comcast on the potential of the company’s assets and, more importantly, on who within the executive suite is a star on the rise and “of the Comcast culture” and who’s expendable, sources said.
“Randy’s not a Hollywood guy, he’s a financial guy that knows the broadcast network, cable networks, advertising sales and station group inside and out,” said a second source on the discussions. “What Burke wants from him is an objective view of what happened and who’s responsible for taking NBC from its position at the top to where it is now.”
The sources stressed that Comcast has not hired Falco, and that he isn’t being paid for the advice. However, they noted that there’s potential for his role to grow into something more formal — like an executive position — once the deal closes.
Indeed, former News Corp. executives Peter Chernin and Peter Liquori, both of whom consulted with Comcast during the deal discussions, are no longer working with Comcast, leaving room for someone like Falco, who oversaw all of NBCU’s revenue lines during its boom years.
A Comcast representative declined comment. Falco did not return multiple calls and e-mails seeking comment.
After a not-so-distinguished run at AOL, Falco’s emergence as a player in Comcast’s NBCU takeover could have significant ramifications for CEO Jeff Zucker. The two were close at one time, but sources said they had a falling out when Zucker was tapped to be NBCU’s CEO. Not wanting to be Zucker’s No. 2, Falco left the company.
Comcast leaning heavily on Falco’s knowledge could spell trouble for Zucker, people in the know said.
“Zucker’s got to be running for cover now,” said a fourth source with knowledge of the discussions between Comcast and Falco.
In a sign of what could be in store for Zucker, sources pointed to a regulatory filing last week by Comcast in the wake of NBCU’s disastrous handling of its late-night host shuffling. In the filing, Comcast said that Zucker would “initially” be the CEO of the new venture, after earlier expressing strong support for him.
Separately, Comcast reported fourth-quarter net income of $955 million, or 33 cents a share, which was more than double its year-earlier as the company gained digital cable subscribers. Revenue rose 3 percent to $9 billion. peter.lauria@nypost.com