Janelle Rodriguez To Depart As NBC News Exec VP Of Programming; Catherine Kim Expands Role To Oversee Streaming Channel And Specials

Janelle Rodriguez, who has been a key figure in building streaming platform NBC News Now and also has overseen NBC Nightly News and breaking news and specials, is departing the network.

Rodriguez, who has served as executive vice president of programming, wrote in a memo to staffers pn Thursday, “I’ve spent a long time thinking about what comes next, and I’ve decided to leave now to pursue it. It’s the right moment.” She did not go into details of her next move. She has been with the network for 12 years.

Rebecca Blumenstein, NBC News president, editorial, said in a memo to staffers that Catherine Kim would become executive vice president, editorial and content, and expand her duties to include NBC News Now and specials, adding to oversight over streaming and newsgathering. Kim will continue to lead digital publishing, digital docs, social, the network’s Here’s the Scoop team and Decision Desk, as well as work in partnership with David Verdi leading bureaus and newsgathering.

Matt Carluccio will get added duties overseeing editorial units, including business, health, investigations and climate, and will continue to lead editorial initiatives like Common Ground and Business in America, as well as the weekend editions of Today. He will report to Blumenstein and Libby Leist, the executive vice president of Today and lifestyle.

In addition, Matt Frucci, the executive producer of NBC Nightly News, will report to Blumenstein.

Blumenstein wrote in a memo that the changes “will build on the significant progress we’ve made over the past year bringing NBC News closer together — connecting the strength of our coverage, talent and teams across broadcast, streaming and digital.”

She credited Rodriguez for playing a central role in building NBC News Now into “the leading streaming news service it is today and helping lead NBC Nightly News, Specials and some of our most significant coverage.”