Beatrice Springborn Bryan Steffy/Variety/Getty Images NBCUniversal is combining two of its TV studios into one entity.
The company will merge the streaming-focused UCP and Universal International Studios into a single unit called Universal Global Television. Beatrice Springborn, who has headed both UCP and UIS for the past several years, will remain at the helm of the Universal Global TV.
UCP’s current shows include Ted, The Burbs and the upcoming The Five Star-Weekend for Peacock and Apple TV’s Cape Fear, while UIS productions include All Her Fault, The Day of the Jackal and The Break-In, which recently scored a series order from Peacock. UIS also houses production companies Carnival Films, Working Title Television, Monkey, and Heyday TV.
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The consolidation of UCP and Universal International Studios follows similar (albeit larger-scale) moves in the past year and a half at Disney (where ABC Signature became part of 20th TV) and Paramount (where MTV Entertainment and Showtime were folded into a relaunched Paramount TV Studios).
The merger will combine the creative and business teams from both studios and form one creative slate that NBCU hopes will better compete in the global marketplace and keep the commitment to producing scripted shows in the United States and the U.K. The consolidation is expected to cause a small number of layoffs, sources say.
Springborn’s leadership team will include UIS’ Kelsey Balance as executive vp global series and UCP’s Rebecca Franko as executive vp current. Universal Studio Group executive vp production Mark Binke will continue overseeing global productions, and Rob Howard will continue to head operations in London. Kimberly Hope, head of casting for Universal Television, will take on that role for Universal Global TV as well.
Universal Global TV’s roster of creatives under studio deals includes Seth MacFarlane (Ted), Patrick Macmanus (Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy), Nick Antosca (Cape Fear), Rachel Shukert (The Burbs) and Sue Naegle (The Five-Star Weekend).
UCP, originally Universal Cable Productions, began in 2008 when it spun off from what was then called Univeral Media Studios. As the original name implies, its initial mission was producing shows for NBCU’s cable channels, primarily USA and Syfy. In 2019, NBCU changed the “C” in UCP to stand for “Content” as scripted shows on cable dwindled and streaming — including the ramp-up to Peacock’s launch — took priority.
Universal International Studios was formerly called NBCUniversal International Television Production. It launched in 2005. The studio acquired Downton Abbey producer Carnival Films in 2008 and formed a joint TV venture with Working Title (which was already part of NBCU) in 2010. The name change to Universal International Studios happened in 2021.
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