Vice President, Standards, Versant

Company Description

NBCUniversal is one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies. We create world-class content, which we distribute across our portfolio of film, television, and streaming, and bring to life through our theme parks and consumer experiences. We own and operate leading entertainment and news brands, including NBC, NBC News, MSNBC, CNBC, NBC Sports, Telemundo, NBC Local Stations, Bravo, USA Network, and Peacock, our premium ad-supported streaming service. We produce and distribute premier filmed entertainment and programming through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group and Universal Studio Group, and have world-renowned theme parks and attractions through Universal Destinations & Experiences. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.

Our impact is rooted in improving the communities where our employees, customers, and audiences live and work. We have a rich tradition of giving back and ensuring our employees have the opportunity to serve their communities. We champion an inclusive culture and strive to attract and develop a talented workforce to create and deliver a wide range of content reflecting our world.

Comcast NBCUniversal has announced its intent to create a new publicly traded company ('Versant') comprised of most of NBCUniversal's cable television networks, including USA Network, CNBC, MSNBC, Oxygen, E!, SYFY and Golf Channel along with complementary digital assets Fandango, Rotten Tomatoes, GolfNow, GolfPass, and SportsEngine. The well-capitalized company will have significant scale as a pure-play set of assets anchored by leading news, sports and entertainment content. The spin-off is expected to be completed during 2025.

Job Description

Position Summary:

A key and integral member of the news leadership team, the Vice President, Standards will be responsible for guiding editorial teams at MSNBC and CNBC to decisions that lead to the best journalism outcomes, ensuring compliance with ethical guidelines, and fostering a culture of accuracy, fairness, and transparency in news reporting. They will report to the Senior Vice President, Standards, to help lead the Versant News Standards Team and devise and execute strategic priorities for the team. They will collaborate with journalists, producers, and reporters at Versant’s news platforms to maintain editorial integrity while adapting to the evolving media landscape.

Key Responsibilities:

Editorial Guidance:

• Establish and implement editorial policies and guidelines for news content across digital, broadcast, and streaming news platforms and shows
• Ensure accuracy and fairness in reporting while adhering to ethical and journalistic best practices
• Review and approve sensitive or high-stakes stories, providing guidance on language, framing, and sourcing
• Provide real-time guidance on breaking news stories to ensure coverage is accurate and ethical 
• Guide the news organization to onboard new technologies with an eye toward risk management and responsible adoption
• Serve as the point of escalation for editorial disputes and ethical concerns, offering clear and decisive recommendations
• Supervise director-level members of the News Standards Team
• Stay ahead of industry trends, emerging technologies, and regulatory changes affecting news production and distribution
• Work closely with journalists, editors, producers, and reporters to implement best practices in storytelling, sourcing, fact-checking and more
• Partner with Legal, HR, and compliance teams to ensure journalistic practices align with corporate policies and legal and regulatory requirements
• Support, guide and hold senior editorial leaders accountable across all platforms
• Advise on editorial decisions during breaking news and crisis situations to minimize legal and reputational risk
• Manage corrections, retractions, and responses to complaints or challenges to published content
• Monitor and address misinformation or disinformation threats impacting the news organization

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• 20+ years working experience within the journalism field – including broadcast, cable, digital, or print
• Proven background in network TV management or news production experience 
• Prior experience as a people manager – ideally leading a team of seasoned journalists.

Desired Characteristics:

• Must have ability to communicate and collaborate across all-levels
• Must have exceptional news and editorial judgment
• Adept in all forms of storytelling – both on traditional media, as well as emerging platforms
• Should be open and able to adapt to new approaches to content and storytelling.
• Ability to communica