Inside NBCUniversal's Female-Led TV Empire: "We Cheer Each Other On"

At NBCUniversal, women hold the reins across much of the television business — from Donna Langley to Pearlena Igbokwe to Frances Berwick to Liz Jenkins. That leadership extends deep into the company's scripted television operations, where a predominantly female team oversees NBCU's studio imprints, including Universal Television, Universal Global Television, and Universal Television Alternative Studio, alongside scripted programming for NBC and Peacock. Erin Underhill leads Universal Television. Beatrice Springborn heads Universal Global Television. Liza Katz serves as president of scripted content for NBCUniversal Entertainment. Toby Gorman is the only man currently leading a Universal TV production imprint, overseeing Universal Television Alternative Studio. A Culture Built on Collaboration According to Springborn, the environment across NBCUniversal's television operations stands out for being unusually collegial, largely because everyone is working toward the same shared goal: producing great television. She said fostering a genuinely creative environment helps every team member feel invested in the broader mission, calling it a defining characteristic of Universal's culture — one built on surrounding yourself with talented colleagues who are similarly committed to collective success. Executives credit much of that culture to Igbokwe, who serves as chairman of Universal Television Studios, NBC Entertainment and Scripted. Her leadership style, they say, helps teams stay focused and aligned rather than working at cross-purposes. Underhill, whose division spans everything from Dick Wolf's procedural dramas to HBO Max's "Hacks" to Reba McEntire's NBC sitcom "Happy's Place," said the sense of mutual support across teams makes a meaningful difference. She noted that having colleagues who are transparent, genuine, and supportive creates a healthier environment overall. Springborn echoed that sentiment, contrasting NBCUniversal's culture with past workplaces where internal competition was common. She said Igbokwe doesn't tolerate that kind of rivalry among colleagues, and that the broader team has embraced the same collaborative approach. A Studio Lot Reinvigorated Katz, who has been with NBC since 2016, said morale across Universal City has been strong recently, particularly following a substantial renovation of the historic studio lot completed in 2024. She credited the current leadership under Langley and Igbokwe with creating a sense of shared direction, where everyone is focused on producing strong work rather than competing internally. A Head Start in Global Television That collaborative culture has also translated into forward-thinking business strategy. Springborn, who joined Universal in 2020 after working at Hulu, noted that NBCUniversal was an early mover in recognizing the value of international television. Her division currently oversees high-profile series including Peacock's Emmy-nominated "All Her Fault," along with "The Five Star Weekend," "The Day of the Jackal," and the upcoming "Dungeon Crawler Carl." NBCUniversal began investing in the UK television market roughly two decades ago through Working Title and Carnival Films and Television, steadily building out its international production capabilities. That investment paid off significantly in 2011, when NBCU and Carnival partnered with Julian Fellowes on "Downton Abbey," which became a major hit for ITV and PBS. The franchise has since expanded to six seasons and three feature films, released in 2019, 2022, and 2025, and continues to serve as a valuable intellectual property engine for the company. Springborn said other domestic studios have increasingly taken notice of NBCUniversal's international success, with some reaching out directly to ask how the company approaches global television. She pointed to "Downton Abbey" as a defining example that proved international programming could be both creatively and financially successful. Communication Across Divisions Katz emphasized that strong communication between departments keeps decision-making transparent across the company. Universal Television continues to sell shows to outside networks in addition to supplying NBC, Peacock, and Bravo — meaning even NBC doesn't automatically secure every project it wants internally. She said the broader team remains mindful of how their work affects sibling units within the company, framing shared success as mutually beneficial. While she acknowledged it can be disappointing when a strong project ends up going to an outside network instead of staying in-house, she said those decisions are always handled openly and fairly. Underhill added that having supportive colleagues matters most on difficult days, saying it helps to have people around who genuinely understand the challenges of the work and can offer encouragement when things aren't going smoothly.