NBC Nightly News
executive producer Bob Epstein has been named vice president of NBC News
Specials, effective immediately. There is no official word on who will succeed
him at the Brian Williams-helmed newscast.
Epstein will join Mark Lukasiewicz, who has been promoted to
senior VP in an expansion of the Specials unit. The duo will oversee a
portfolio that includes all special news productions on NBC News and MSNBC such
as political debates, long-form specials and breaking news reports.
In the new structure, Epstein will report to Lukasiewicz,
who reports to NBC News President Steve Capus. Epstein will be responsible for
all live breaking news coverage and producing major live events, while
Lukasiewicz will spearhead all "Decision 2012" coverage.
"With these promotions, we are recognizing the critical role
of NBC News Specials in our organization and creating a foundation for an even
bigger role, and more programming, in the future," said Capus in a statement.
Epstein had been EP of Nightly
since December 2008 and first joined NBC News in 1996 to help launch MSNBC
(read a 2011 B&C profile of Epstein
here).
