Company Description

About Us

NBCUniversal is one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment television networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. It is the policy of NBCUniversal and NBCUniversal’s affiliated businesses to consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy) sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.

NBCUniversal News Group Legal Department

NBCUniversal News Group includes NBC News, MSNBC, CNBC, Telemundo Network and NBC and Telemundo Local Stations.  Across digital and television, the News Group reaches more Americans than any other news organization. 

With bureaus around the world and across the United States, NBC News reaches its audience on broadcast television, digital, streaming, and audio platforms.  Its leading and award-winning television news broadcasts include TODAY, NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, Meet the Press, and Dateline NBC.  NBC News Now is the most successful free, ad-supported news streaming channel. NBC News Studios is a full-service production company that develops premium documentary series, specials and films for distribution on NBCU and third-party platforms. NBC News also has several commerce businesses, including ShopTODAY.MSNBC is the #2 cable news network and the premiere destination for breaking news, award-winning content, in-depth analysis, and informed perspectives.  Its programming includes The Rachel Maddow Show, Deadline Whitehouse, The Beat with Ari Melber, the ReidOut with Joy Reid, and All In with Chris Hayes.  MSNBC Films produces and acquires news documentary features and short films for distribution on NBCU platforms.CNBC is the recognized world leader in business news.  Consumed by more than 557 million people per month across all of its platforms, CNBC provides real-time financial market coverage, business and general news content. Among its flagship programs are Mad Money with Jim Cramer, Squawk Box and Squawk on the Street, and Closing Bell.  CNBC offers several subscription services, including Investing Club and CNBC Pro, and has a robust events business. CNBC International is the part of the CNBC business. It creates, disseminates and monestises CNBC content and the CNBC brand outside the USA. From its 2 International headquarters in London and Singapore, it operates six different CNBC feeds, offering a localised service to viewers in UK, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Singapore, Pan-Asia and Australia. It operates versions of the CNBC digital products (eg website, apps, podcasts) and holds events covering business and financial news, markets, investing, politics and tech for the International audience.The News Group also operates NBCU Academy, a free, award-winning education program for developing new skills and advancing careers in journalism, media and tech.  The Academy provides tools and resources for journalists, content creators, media innovators, filmmakers and students, and partners with 45 academic institutions across the country, including four-year universities, community colleges, tribal colleges, tech schools, PWIs, HSIs and HBCUs.

The News Group legal team provides editorial, transactional and production legal support.  The team is located primarily in Rockefeller Center in New York City, with some of the team’s lawyers based in Miami and London.

Job Description

Position Overview

The Legal Counsel, News Group, will work on a broad range of commercial transactions across all News Group properties, with a focus on supporting the work of CNBC International.  The position is based in London.

Responsibilities

 

Draft, review negotiate and interpret a broad range of commercial and licensing agreements, including technology, vendor, content license, distribution, partner, sponsor, affiliate, and venue deals.  Substantive deal areas cover content and brand licensing, digital, streaming, audio, e-commerce, subscription, events, and editorial collaboration.Prepare, analyze and review rights summaries and memoranda. Advise on contract interpretation and pre-litigation dispute resolution.  Conduct legal research as required on discreet issues.Provide advice on UK Broadcast Regulation including the Ofcom Broadcast Code and BCAP Code especially in relation to News and Commercial references.Support the legal team to resolve potential or actual disputes across the region.  This may include conducting research, preparation of instructions to external counsel and summarising and communicating advice to the business.Advise and assist with enforcement of the business’ IP rights and brands (including trademarks and trade names as well as music rights).  Advising the business on registrations and infringements.  Liaising with the NBCUniversal IP team as required and communicating the advice to internal stakeholders.Partner and collaborate with legal colleagues in the News Group and the NBCU legal department, and colleagues in News Standards, Finance, Business Development, Ad Sales, Content Distribution, Litigation and other departments across the company.Contribute to an inclusive, collaborative team culture; take initiative to deliver value; and support the production and distribution of the highest quality news content in the industry.

Qualifications3+ years of commercial legal experience.  Experience in content and brand licensing strongly preferred.    Solid understanding of copyright and intellectual property law and familiarity with Ofcom Broadcast Code.Excellent communication, negotiation, drafting, problem-solving and analytical skills. Strong attention to detail and highly organized.Ability to develop strong working relationships; exercise sound, practical judgment; prioritize a high-volume workload; work independently and part of a team in a fast-paced environment; proactively identify legal issues and resolve them quickly; embrace new or creative legal models and accept reasonable levels of risk; and master new areas of expertise.Demonstrated passion for news.High level of integrity and professionalism. Law degree from an ABA-accredited law school or comparable law school outside of the United States. Member in good standing of the State Bar of New York or another State Bar and registered as in-house counsel or comparable registration in a jurisdiction outside of the United States.

Additional Information

As part of our selection process, external candidates may be required to attend an in-person interview with an NBCUniversal employee at one of our locations prior to a hiring decision.

NBCUniversal's policy is to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, gender identity or expression, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, veteran status, membership in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable law. 

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