More Syndie Shifts at NBC Universal

There have been some more executive changes at the new NBC Universal Domestic Television, including the departure of programming-division chief Lisa Hackner.

Linda Finnell will take chrge of programming and Sean O’Boyle will be responsible for all first-run domestic sales.

Arthur Hasson, who was executive VP of sales under former Universal Domestic Television President Steve Rosenberg, will handle all off-net and cable sales as well as sales to Canada. John Hookstratten becomes executive VP of business operations, number two to Barry Wallach, the division’s new president.

Hookstratten remains in Burbank, while Wallach will work out of New York. Exiting is Hackner, who ran Universal’s programming division.

Insiders say she is likely to return to Warner Bros.’ Telepictures unit, where she worked before coming to Universal.

Paige Albiniak

Contributing editor Paige Albiniak has been covering the business of television for more than 25 years. She is a longtime contributor to Next TV, Broadcasting + Cable and Multichannel News. She concurrently serves as editorial director for The Global Entertainment Marketing Academy of Arts & Sciences (G.E.M.A.). She has written for such publications as TVNewsCheck, The New York Post, Variety, CBS Watch and more. Albiniak was B+C’s Los Angeles bureau chief from September 2002 to 2004, and an associate editor covering Congress and lobbying for the magazine in Washington, D.C., from January 1997 - September 2002.