Where micro-managers prevail and creativity goes to die. - Anonymous employee NBCUniversal Employee Review

2.0
Jun 25, 2012
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Given that this is such a large company, you can definitely find some really amazing people here (of course, you can also find some less amazing people...) The work can be super interesting and fulfilling because you're dealing with TV! TVs are stationed at most people's desk. Even if you don't get one, they'll give you this software on your computer so you can access internet-enabled TV. I had a sick office at 30 Rock with an amazing view, flat screen mounted on my wall, and I sat in a $1,000 chair. You get to meet celebs. NBC forces them to sign autographs for us. This was very much a 9am-5pm job, so the hours were great (if you're into that). There are some good training opportunities. They throw pretty swank parties.

Cons

This is such an enormous company that there is just so much red tape and bureaucracy. Nobody seemed all that interested in really making things better or more efficient or in making a real difference. I think my boss really just wanted to leave at 6pm every day. Every time I came to her with a new idea, she would ask me to stick to the template or tell me that wasn't my department. When I stayed late, she asked me not to and told me I had time management problems. It seems extreme micro-management is the management style of preference at this company. While I LOVE TV, the job eventually became pretty soul-crushing. I wasn't given any real responsibility and I'd basically get berated any time I tried to go above and beyond my job description. The people at the top have all been there for decades and there's little room for advancement if you're a newbie.

Explore other reviews about NBCUniversal

5.0
Jun 24, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good environment and location. Easy to assimilate

Cons

Expensive area and not a lot of growth potential

3.0
Jun 29, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

NBCUniversal is full of smart, funny, talented people who genuinely care about the work. I learned a tremendous amount there, especially about programming, production, audience strategy, brand management, budgets, talent, internal politics, and how a major media company actually functions when the glossy press release meets the spreadsheet. The brands are still powerful. NBC, Peacock, Bravo, USA, SYFY, E!, and the broader portfolio have real history, real audiences, and real cultural weight. When the company is aligned, it can move beautifully. You get exposure to major shows, high-level conversations, complex productions, and the kind of institutional knowledge you cannot really get anywhere smaller. It is also a place where you can build real taste and real judgment. You see what works, what almost works, what dies in a conference room, and what somehow survives three leadership changes and a budget cut.

Cons

The biggest downside is instability. NBCUniversal has been through major structural change, including the cable network spinoff into Versant, divestitures, reorganizations, and significant layoffs. That kind of uncertainty changes the job. You are not just doing the work. You are trying to understand which version of the company you work for this quarter. Decision-making can also be slow and heavily layered. There are a lot of smart people, but sometimes too many of them need to bless the same sentence, deck, cut, budget, or idea. The result is that good work can get sanded down, delayed, or rerouted through a maze wearing a lanyard. The company also asks people to do more with less, then less with less, then somehow make it feel premium. That is exhausting. Especially for employees who care deeply and are trying to protect the creative, the business, and their own sanity without being handed a map.

See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All