Thursday, October 11, 2007

NBC to leave Burbank for Universal City

NBC is moving their main studios, their network and local news operations, and the Tonight Show with soon-to-be new host Conan O'Brien (in 2009) to Universal City Studios in Los Angeles from its longtime home in Burbank, Calif. NBC has been operating from the Burbank facility since 1955, when it opened as NBC Color City (aptly named since NBC was the first network to broadcast in color.)

General Electric - NBC's owner since 1986 -purchased Universal Studios in 2004, merged it with NBC and became NBC Universal.

The NBC Studios in Burbank was home to Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, who moved the late-night talk show from New York City in 1972. The facility was also home to numerous TV shows including Wheel of Fortune, Chico & The Man, Sanford and Son, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and the original version of Hollywood Squares.

Current shows taped or filmed at NBC include Access: Hollywood, Ellen, and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

The Burbank studios also house the operations of KNBC-TV, NBC's O&O station in Los Angeles, and its Spanish-language sister station, Telemundo affiliate KVEA-TV.

The moves are expected to be complete by 2011.

Official press release: NBC Universal Announces Long-Term Strategic Plan For West Coast Operations

Official press release: NBC Universal Announces Long Term Plan To Create West Coast News Headquarters And Content Center in Los Angeles

updated 2007-10-11 at 5:42 p.m.

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