Janelle Rodriguez is leaving her position as Executive Vice President of Programming at NBC News after nearly twelve years with the network. She shared the news in a message to staff on Thursday, reflecting on her time at the company and saying she had decided to leave to pursue what comes next. During her tenure, Rodriguez played a key role in developing NBC News NOW, the network’s 24/7 streaming service. She also oversaw the broadcast of “NBC Nightly News” with Tom Llamas and managed major news coverage events. Rodriguez joined NBC News in January 2015 after previously serving as Vice President of Programming at CNN, according to NBCUniversal.
Rodriguez helped lead the network through several high-profile moments including the Super Bowl, the Olympics, the World Cup, and a presidential interview. She also contributed to the launch of “NBC News Daily,” which became the top afternoon news program. Her leadership helped NBC Nightly News win multiple weeks in the key demographic during her time there. Rodriguez guided major exclusives with Pope Leo, President Trump, Vice President Vance, and Lionel Messi. Tom Llamas also led reporting from places like Rome, Israel, Milan, and China during these events.
Rodriguez was instrumental in the network’s coverage of the 2024 election cycle, including Election Night, conventions, and Super Tuesday. Her team produced more than forty consecutive hours of live election coverage, which led to NBC News NOW reaching its highest audience and most-watched day ever. NBCUniversal said the election coverage generated more than 100 million views.
Catherine Kim has been named the new EVP of Editorial and Content, taking on more responsibilities including NBC News NOW and special programming, according to TheWrap. NBC News President Rebecca Blumenstein also addressed the changes in a memo to staff on Thursday. She praised Rodriguez for her contributions across the organization and highlighted her role in building NBC News NOW into a leading streaming news service. Blumenstein also announced that Matt Carluccio, executive producer of “Today,” will now oversee editorial units including Business, Health, Investigations, and Climate. Matt Frucci, the executive producer of “NBC Nightly News,” will now report directly to Blumenstein. Tammy Fine has also joined NBC News leadership to lead talent recruitment, retention, and development across all platforms. These changes aim to bring together NBC News teams and journalism more closely, ensuring strong reporting can reach all audiences. Blumenstein emphasized that NBC News has an exceptional leadership team and deep talent across the organization. She added that everyone is united by a shared passion for journalism and serving their audience.