NBCUniversal Research Veteran Alan Wurtzel Steps Down

In the US, NBCUniversal's Alan Wurtzel is stepping down from his role as President of Research and Media Development, to become a senior advisor to the company.

Since joining in 1999, Wurtzel (pictured) has led numerous research initiatives, including measuring the effectiveness of TV ads viewed on a DVR, and launching the TAMi (Total Audience Measurement index), designed to analyze the total exposure of any one program across multiple media platforms. He also conducted research around the Beijing and Vancouver Olympics, and helped set up the NBCU Media Research Lab as a venue where NBCU and Comcast businesses can conduct consumer and media research. He also helped spearhead the creation of the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM).

Before joining NBCUniversal, he spent 21 years at ABC in a number of senior roles, including SVP, Media Development, Brand Management and Research; and before this, he taught at the University of Georgia and Queens College, City University of New York.

Wurtzel's entertainment research team will now report to Jeff Bader, President of Program Planning, Strategy and Research at NBC Entertainment; while his Program and Ad Standards group will report to Mark Lazarus, Chairman of NBC Broadcasting & Sports.

Through an internal memo, Bader told staff: 'In the research world, Alan is an institution and we are fortunate that he will still be available to us for a variety of projects. In his more than 40 years in television, Alan has pioneered research and measurement initiatives that have not only changed our company, but have also had a large impact on the industry as a whole. On a personal note, Alan gave me my start in network television in 1988 when he hired me as a research analyst at ABC. For that, I will always be indebted to him and it is an honor to be taking over the department that he built'.

Web site: www.nbcuni.com .