Noah Oppenheim#Lauer content
{{short description|American television producer}}
{{use mdy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Noah Oppenheim
| image =
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| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date |38 |2016|12|5}}
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| nationality = American
| education = B.A., Harvard University
| known_for = President of NBC News
| occupation = Journalist, television producer, author, screenwriter
| spouse = Allison Oppenheim
| children =
| parents =
| family =
}}
Noah Oppenheim (born 1977 or 1978) is an American television producer, author, and screenwriter. Previously, Oppenheim was the executive in charge and senior producer of NBC's Today Show, where he supervised the 7–8am hour of the broadcast, and head of development at the production company Reveille.{{Cite news|url=https://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2015/01/nbc-finds-new-today-show-boss.html|title=NBC Finds New Today Show Boss|last=Adalian|first=Josef|date=2015-01-16|work=New York Magazine|access-date=2018-08-01}} He became president of NBC News in 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-nbc-news-shakeup-20170214-story.html|title='Today' show executive Noah Oppenheim is named president of NBC News|last=Battaglio|first=Stephen|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=2017-02-15|date=2017-02-15}} The same year, Ronan Farrow claimed that Oppenheim attempted to stop his reporting on the Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse cases, a claim that Oppenheim denied. Oppenheim stepped down as president of NBC News in January 2023 and entered into a film and TV production agreement with NBCUniversal.{{cite news |last1=Weprin |first1=Alex |title=NBC News Shake-Up: Noah Oppenheim Steps Down as News Group Restructures |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/nbc-news-shakeup-noah-oppenheim-steps-down-news-group-restructures-1235268179/ |access-date=12 January 2023 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=11 January 2023}}
Early life
Oppenheim was born to a Jewish family,{{cite web|url=https://www.jewishtampa.com/jews-in-the-news/jews-in-the-news-kirk-douglas-natalie-portman-and-max-cassella|website=Jewish Community Centers and Federation of Tampa|title=Jews in the News: Kirk Douglas, Natalie Portman and Max Cassella|first=Nate|last=Bloom|author-link=Nate Bloom |date=December 5, 2016}} the son of Marcia (née Nusbaum) and Jay Oppenheim.{{Cite news|title=Elaine Nussbaum, a resident of the Jewish Home of Eastern Pennsylvania, died Thursday at the facility. Her husband, Sidney Nussbaum, died March 6, 1983. |newspaper=The Scranton Times-Tribune|date=June 11, 2011 |url= https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/thetimes-tribune/name/elaine-nussbaum-obituary?id=21476150 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170807013240/http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thetimes-tribune/obituary.aspx?pid=151763351#selection-749.89-749.122| archive-date=August 7, 2017}} He attended The Gregory School in Tucson, Arizona, and served as an editor and writer for the school newspaper, the Gregorian Chant.{{cite web|url=https://gregoryschool.org/alumni-1990-1999/item/284-noah-oppenheim-96|title=Gregory alumni|access-date=July 4, 2017|archive-date=October 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191011124043/https://gregoryschool.org/alumni-1990-1999/item/284-noah-oppenheim-96|url-status=dead}} After high school, Oppenheim graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University in 2000. While attending Harvard, Oppenheim was editorial chair of The Harvard Crimson from 1999 to 2000.
Career
=Writing=
In October 2006, Oppenheim and David Kidder co-authored the Rodale, Inc. series The Intellectual Devotional.{{cite news |last1=Grove |first1=Lloyd |last2=Cartwright |first2=Lachlan |last3=Kirell |first3=Andrew |title='Disgusting': NBC Staffers Furious About News Chief Noah Oppenheim's Self-Dealing |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/disgusting-nbc-staffers-furious-about-news-chief-noah-oppenheims-self-dealing |access-date=23 February 2021 |publisher=The Daily Beast |date=23 October 2019}} The series’ volume "The Intellectual Devotional, American History" made The New York Times Best Seller list for political books in 2007.{{cite news |last1=Buddo |first1=Orville |title=Search The Caucus SEARCH Final Poli-Book Best Seller List for 2007 |url=https://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/22/final-poli-book-best-seller-list-for-2007/ |access-date=23 February 2021 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=22 December 2007}}
As a screenwriter, Oppenheim wrote the film Jackie, for which he won best screenplay at the 73rd Venice International Film Festival,{{cite news |last1=Johnson |first1=Ted |title=PopPolitics: Noah Oppenheim on the Limits of Dramatic License in 'Jackie' |url=https://variety.com/2016/film/news/jackie-noah-oppenheim-1201945020/ |access-date=28 January 2021 |work=Variety |date=18 December 2016}}{{cite news |last1=Ellwood |first1=Gregory |title=Noah Oppenheim On 'Bizarre' Back And Forth Of Making 'Jackie' And Covering The Election |url=https://theplaylist.net/noah-oppenheim-bizarre-back-forth-making-jackie-covering-election-20161202/ |access-date=28 January 2021 |work=Playlist |date=2 December 2016}} and co-wrote the scripts for The Maze Runner and The Divergent Series: Allegiant.{{cite news |last1=Ford |first1=Rebecca |title='Divergent' Threequel 'Allegiant' Taps 'Maze Runner' Writer (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/maze-runner-writer-adapt-divergent-717276/ |access-date=28 January 2021 |work=Hollywood Reporter |date=9 July 2014}}{{cite news |last1=Anderson |first1=Soren |title='The Divergent Series: Allegiant': A descent into sci-fi action, confusion |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/movies/the-divergent-series-allegiant-a-descent-into-sci-fi-action-confusion/ |access-date=20 January 2022 |work=Seattle Times |date=17 March 2016}}
In November 2022, Variety reported that Oppenheim and Eric Newman co-wrote a political thriller series in production for Netflix called Zero Day, starring Robert De Niro as a former US president.{{cite news |last1=Otterson |first1=Joe |title=Robert De Niro to Star in Netflix Political Thriller Series 'Zero Day' From Eric Newman, Noah Oppenheim, Jonathan Glickman (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/robert-de-niro-netflix-series-eric-newman-noah-oppenheim-1235443642/ |access-date=13 December 2022 |work=Variety |date=30 November 2022}}
=Television=
== CNBC/MSNBC ==
Oppenheim started his television career at MSNBC in 2001 as a senior producer on Hardball with Chris Matthews.{{cite news |title=Noah Oppenheim, executive-in-charge of TODAY |url=https://www.today.com/about/noah-oppenheim-executive-charge-today-t105807 |access-date=22 February 2021 |agency=NBC |publisher=Today |date=9 December 2016}}{{cite web |title=Noah Oppenheim |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3834300/ |website=IMDb |access-date=22 February 2021}} He then became the executive producer of Scarborough Country when it launched in 2003.{{Cite news|url=https://deadline.com/2015/01/noah-oppenheim-today-show-jamie-horowitz-nbc-news-tca-1201351604/|title=Noah Oppenheim Named 'Today' Show Chief|last=de Moraes|first=Lisa|date=2015-01-16|work=Deadline|access-date=2018-07-27|language=en-US}}{{cite news |title=Joe Scarborough suspended from MSNBC for campaign donations |url=https://www.politico.com/news/stories/1110/45411_Page2.html |access-date=22 February 2021 |agency=Politico |date=19 November 2010}}
Later in 2003, Oppenheim wrote an op-ed criticizing the media's coverage of the Iraq War.{{cite news |last1=Hagan |first1=Joe |title=Dean TV Performance Eviscerated On Air: 'Worst Since Quayle' |url=https://observer.com/2004/01/dean-tv-performance-eviscerated-on-air-worst-since-quayle/ |access-date=22 February 2021 |publisher=Observer |date=19 January 2004}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZrtFq9_QuegC&pg=PA187|title=Military Life: Military culture|last1=Britt|first1=Thomas W.|last2=Adler|first2=Amy B.|last3=Castro|first3=Carl Andrew|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|year=2006|isbn=978-0-275-98304-8|pages=187–|access-date=2 March 2012}} NBC Nightly News executive producer Steve Capus and anchor Tom Brokaw complained about an opinion article being written by an NBC-affiliated producer.{{cite news |last1=Hagan |first1=Joe |title=Dr. Bob Arnot's Parting Shot |url=https://observer.com/2004/02/dr-bob-arnots-parting-shot/ |access-date=23 February 2021 |publisher=NY Observer |date=16 February 2004}}
He left MSNBC in 2004, returning NBC News in 2005, where he helped create CNBC's Mad Money with Jim Cramer, and worked as the senior producer of The Today Show until 2008.{{cite news|last1=Steel|first1=Emily|title=NBC Names a 'Today' Veteran to Lead the Show|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/17/business/nbc-names-noah-oppenheim-to-oversee-today-show.html|access-date=2018-08-01|work=The New York Times|date=2015-01-16}}{{cite web|url=http://www.today.com/about/noah-oppenheim-executive-charge-today-t105807|title=Oppenheim at Today|date=December 9, 2016 }}
== Reveille ==
In 2008, Oppenheim joined Los Angeles entertainment group Reveille as its vice president of development.{{cite news |last1=Emily |first1=Steel |title=NBC Names a 'Today' Veteran to Lead the Show |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/17/business/nbc-names-noah-oppenheim-to-oversee-today-show.html |access-date=19 February 2021 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=15 January 2015}} He oversaw development of various television shows including The Buried Life and It's On with Alexa Chung
{{cite news |last1=Ibarra |first1=Sergio |title=On the Horizon: Noah Oppenheim |url=https://www.tvweek.com/in-depth/2009/06/on/ |access-date=19 February 2021 |publisher=TV Week |date=22 June 2009}} He left in 2010.{{cite news |last1=Sperling |first1=Nicole |title=Black List showcases the best overlooked screenplays |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-dec-13-la-et-black-list-20101214-story.html |access-date=23 February 2021 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=13 Dec 2010}}
== NBC News ==
In January 2015, Oppenheim returned to NBC as senior vice president of "Today." Oppenheim was made president of NBC News in February 2017.{{cite news|last1=Marcin|first1=Tim|title=In the wake of the Matt Lauer firing, meet NBC News president Noah Oppenheim|url=http://www.newsweek.com/who-noah-oppenheim-matt-lauer-nbc-news-president-726515|work=Newsweek|date=29 November 2017|language=en}}
Under Oppenheim, in May 2019 NBC News launched a streaming service called NBC News Now.{{cite news |last1=Munson |first1=Ben |title=NBC News Now ad-supported streaming service launches |url=https://www.fiercevideo.com/video/nbc-news-now-ad-supported-streaming-service-officially-launches |access-date=24 January 2022 |work=Fierce Video |date=29 May 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Perez |first1=Sarah |title=NBC's free news-streaming service, NBC News Now, will launch in May |url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/03/11/nbcs-free-news-streaming-service-nbc-news-now-will-launch-in-may/ |access-date=24 January 2022 |work=TechCrunch |date=11 March 2019}} In December 2021, Oppenheim said competition was intensifying to become the preferred new streaming service as consumer habits shifted toward dedicated streaming platforms.{{cite news |last1=Steinberg |first1=Brian |title=TV's Biggest Newsrooms Poised for 2022 Surge in Streaming Wars |url=https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/tv-news-streaming-wars-cnn-fox-news-abc-news-1235143944/ |access-date=20 January 2022 |work=Variety |date=28 December 2021}}{{cite news |last1=Steinberg |first1=Brian |title=NBC News Has Ambitious Streaming Plans For Election Night |url=https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/nbc-news-streaming-election-night-chuck-todd-kristen-welker-1235097343/ |access-date=20 January 2022 |work=Variety |date=26 October 2021}}
In June 2019, Oppenheim was one of three heads of U.S. broadcast news outlets to promise that coverage of the 2020 presidential election cycle to be more in-depth and "nuanced." Oppenheim said NBC News was hiring a large number of journalists to cover the election campaign, including journalists from local papers around the country who were knowledgeable about their region.{{cite news |last1=Steinberg |first1=Brian |title=Broadcast News Chiefs Vow Deeper Coverage in 2020 Election |url=https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/tv-news-2020-election-cbs-abc-nbc-zirinsky-1203234909/ |access-date=20 January 2022 |work=Variety |date=6 June 2019}} In August 2020, Oppenheim said NBC News had doubled the number of staff tasked with covering election security and misinformation.{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Ben |title=How the Media Could Get the Election Story Wrong |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/02/business/media/election-coverage.html |access-date=20 January 2022 |work=The New York Times |date=2 August 2020}} But he said he was trying to avoid a "self-fulfilling prophecy of [electoral] chaos and confusion." "Frankly, the well-being of the country depends on us being cautious, disciplined and unassailably correct," he told The New York Times.{{cite news |last1=Grynbaum |first1=Michael M. |title=Networks Pledge Caution for an Election Night Like No Other |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/31/business/media/election-night-tv-networks.html |access-date=20 January 2022 |work=The New York Times |date=31 October 2020}}
During his tenure as president of NBC News, articles and opinion pieces Oppenheim wrote while attending Harvard resurface, which raised concerns about the culture Oppenheim is cultivating at NBC and whether it is accommodating to female employees.{{cite web|last1=Cartwright|first1=Lachlan|first2=Andrew|last2=Kirell|first3=Maxwell|last3=Tani|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/nbc-news-noah-oppenheim-accused-of-downplaying-lauer-rape-claims-once-bashed-nbc-for-firing-marv-albert|title=NBC News Chief Noah Oppenheim's Harvard Writings on Women and Sexual Assault Horrify Staffers|work=The Daily Beast|date=October 11, 2019}}{{cite web|last=Oppenheim|first=Noah|url=https://www.thecrimson.com/article/1999/12/17/considering-womens-issues-at-harvard-pthank/|title=Considering 'Women's Issues' at Harvard|work=The Harvard Crimson|date=December 17, 1999}} He has been accused of self-dealing by repeatedly promoting children's books co-authored by his wife on the Today Show.{{cite news |last1=Grove |first1=Lloyd |title='Disgusting': NBC Staffers Furious About News Chief Noah Oppenheim's Self-Dealing |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/disgusting-nbc-staffers-furious-about-news-chief-noah-oppenheims-self-dealing?ref=home |work=The Daily Beast |access-date=8 November 2019|date=2019-10-23 }}
In 2021, Oppenheim served as executive producer on the NBC News Studios projects The Thing About Pam{{cite news |last1=Andreeva |first1=Nellie |title='The Thing About Pam': Jenny Klein Named Showrunner Of NBC Limited Series As Jessika Borsicsky Exits |url=https://deadline.com/2021/08/the-thing-about-pam-jenny-klein-named-showrunner-jessika-borsicsky-exits-nbc-limited-series-1234821099/ |access-date=14 December 2022 |work=Deadline |date=24 August 2021}}{{cite news |last1=Garrett |first1=Diane |title='The Thing About Pam': How NBC Took the Twisty Murder Case From 'Dateline' to Renee Zellweger TV Series |url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/features/thing-about-pam-nbc-news-adaptation-renee-zellweger-1235196124/ |access-date=15 December 2022 |work=Variety |date=4 March 2022}}{{cite web |title=Noah Oppenheim |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3834300/ |website=IMDb |access-date=16 December 2022}} and Memory Box: Echoes of 9/11.{{cite news |last1=Steinberg |first1=Brian |title=Why NBC News Is Going to the Movies |url=https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/nbc-news-studios-tiff-memory-box-1235060929/ |access-date=14 December 2022 |work=Variety |date=10 September 2021}}
In March 2022, Oppenheim told Variety that NBC News Studios was launching in the United Kingdom as the first phase of a planned overseas expansion for the streaming service outside of North America, explaining that the UK was chosen in part because it was “a hub of our global news gathering operations.”{{cite news |last1=Ramachandran |first1=Naman |title=NBC News Now Launches in the U.K. on Sky and Virgin Media, Sets International Expansion Plans (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/global/nbc-news-uk-launch-sky-virgin-media-1235198633/ |access-date=15 December 2022 |work=Variety |date=March 2022}}
On January 11, 2023, NBC said that Oppenheim would be stepping down as president of NBC News and had entered into a film and TV production agreement with NBCUniversal. According to Variety, Oppenheim expanded NBC News during his tenure, including by introducing streaming services, podcasts and digital products based on the morning show Today. He also hired many print journalists for its digital and traditional news operations and “helped steady” the Today show.{{cite news |last1=Steinberg |first1=Brian |title=Noah Oppenheim Leaves NBC News in Unorthodox Shake-Up |url=https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/noah-oppenheim-leaves-nbc-news-reorganization-rebecca-blumenstein-1235486142/ |access-date=31 March 2023 |work=Variety |date=11 January 2023}}{{cite news |last1=Weprin |first1=Alex |title=NBC News Shake-Up: Noah Oppenheim Steps Down as News Group Restructures |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/nbc-news-shakeup-noah-oppenheim-steps-down-news-group-restructures-1235268179/ |access-date=31 March 2023 |work=Hollywood Reporter |date=11 January 2023}}
== Harvey Weinstein ==
In 2017, it was Oppenheim's idea to put Ronan Farrow on the story about the Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse allegations, which were credited with popularizing the Me Too movement; NBC News ultimately, however, failed to publish it, a decision Farrow blamed on Oppenheim.{{cite book|last=Farrow|first=Ronan|title=Catch and kill: lies, spies, and a conspiracy to protect predators|publisher=Little, Brown and Company|location=New York|year=2019|isbn=978-0-316-48663-7|oclc=1121593969|quote="NBC says that, you know, you didn't- that the story wasn't publishable, that it wasn't ready to go by the time you brought it to them," she said, referring to Oppenheim's and Kornblau's suggestions that I'd pitched the story, come up empty, then gone off to report it elsewhere of my own volition. Maddow pressed an inded finger on her Lucite desk. Her real eyebrows arched up, and, in the desk, her reflected ones plunged down: a Cirque du Soleil of skepticism. "But obviously it was ready to go by the time you got it into The New Yorker." I'd been clear with Oppenheim that I'd avoid, but wouldn't lie. "I walked into the door at The New Yorker with an explosively reportable piece that should have been public earlier, and immediately, obviously, The New Yorker recognized that," I said. "It is not accurate to say that it was not reportable. In fact, there were multiple determinations that it was reportable at NBC."}} Farrow took the story to The New Yorker which published it soon afterwards.{{cite news|last1=Koblin|first1=John|title=How Did NBC Miss Out on a Harvey Weinstein Exposé?|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/11/business/media/nbc-news-harvey-weinstein.html|work=The New York Times|date=11 October 2017}}{{cite news|last1=Guthrie|first1=Marisa|title=Why Ronan Farrow's Harvey Weinstein Bombshell Did Not Run on NBC|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/why-ronan-farrows-harvey-weinstein-bombshell-did-not-run-nbc-1047671|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=October 11, 2017|language=en}}{{Cite news|last=Ohlheiser|first=Abby|title=The woman behind 'Me Too' knew the power of the phrase when she created it – 10 years ago|language=en-US|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2017/10/19/the-woman-behind-me-too-knew-the-power-of-the-phrase-when-she-created-it-10-years-ago/|access-date=2021-03-28|issn=0190-8286}}
The NBC News organization and Oppenheim were criticized for not publishing the Weinstein story, criticism that intensified when news broke of the sexual harassment claims against Matt Lauer.{{cite news|last1=Koblin|first1=John|title=After Firing Matt Lauer, NBC Executives Move to Control the Damage|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/01/business/media/matt-lauer-firing-nbc-news.html|work=The New York Times|date=1 December 2017}} Ronan Farrow later said that Oppenheim played a major role in refusing to allow NBC News to report on those allegations in 2017. Oppenheim denied Farrow's claim and said that the reason NBC News chose not to report on the story was that the available evidence did not meet their journalistic standards. However, other accounts of contemporary discussions within NBC News are consistent with Oppenheim preventing NBC journalists from reporting on Weinstein.{{cite magazine|first1=Rich|last1=McHugh|date=October 11, 2019|access-date=2019-10-19|title="You Are to Stand Down": Ronan Farrow's Producer on How NBC Killed Its Weinstein Story|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/10/how-nbc-killed-its-weinstein-story|magazine=Vanity Fair|quote=In Oppenheim’s mind, he was somehow the victim here. He had launched an amazing and important investigation, only to be saddled with two journalists who just didn’t live up to his exceptional standards. Never mind that the New Yorker found a way to publish the same investigation he had killed. Never mind that he was continuing to sit on the results of that investigation while every other news outlet in the country pursued it. He, Noah Oppenheim, was the hero of the tale.}} Oppenheim denied that NBC hid the Matt Lauer accusations over the years and calls Farrow's book a "smear" though many on his staff remain skeptical.{{cite news|last1=Tani|first1=Maxwell|title=NBC News Chief Unleashes on Ronan Farrow in New Staff Memo|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/nbc-news-chief-noah-oppenheim-unleashes-on-ronan-farrow-in-new-staff-memo|work=The Daily Beast|access-date=16 October 2019|date=2019-10-14}} Farrow also reported that NBC News hired a "Wikipedia whitewasher" who removed references to NBC's role in the Weinstein case from several Wikipedia articles, including Oppenheim's.{{cite news|last=Farhi|first=Paul|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/ronan-farrow-overcame-spies-and-intimidation-to-break-some-of-the-biggest-stories-of-the-me-too-era/2019/10/10/9cc46c9a-eac1-11e9-85c0-85a098e47b37_story.html|title=Ronan Farrow overcame spies and intimidation to break some of the biggest stories of the #MeToo era|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=October 10, 2019}}
Personal life
Oppenheim is married to Allison Oppenheim.{{cite news |last1=Leitereg |first1=Neal J. |title='Today' chief Noah Oppenheim lists Westside place for lease |url=https://www.latimes.com/business/realestate/hot-property/la-fi-hotprop-noah-oppenheim-20150403-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |date=3 April 2015}}{{cite news |last1=Corbett |first1=Sue |title=BookExpo 2017: Rethinking Royal Garb: Savannah Guthrie & Allison Oppenheim |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bea/article/73791-bookexpo-2017-rethinking-royal-garb-savannah-guthrie-allison-oppenheim.html |work=Publishers Weekly |date=2 June 2017}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.nbcumv.com/executive/noah-oppenheim/bios_read_more?division=1&network=33130 Noah Oppenheim] at NBCUniversal
- {{IMDb name|3834300}}
{{Presidents of NBC News}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oppenheim, Noah}}
Category:American television producers
Category:20th-century American Jews
Category:American male screenwriters
Category:The Harvard Crimson people