CBS News boss Jeff Fager is angry after losing some talent to rival NBC as the Peacock network gears up to launch a prime-time news magazine this fall, The Post has learned.
The magazine, “Rock Center With Brian Williams” — run by former “60 Minutes” executive producer Rome Hartman — is acting as a honey pot for producers and associate producers looking to join the first meaty prime-time news show to launch on a broadcast network in years, sources said.
The newsmagazine is expected to replace one of NBC’s failing prime-time series and already has its own Facebook page and Twitter handle, @rockcenternbc.
Hosted by Williams, “Rock Center” will span hard-hitting investigative pieces and lighthearted subjects.
Fager is “irked” about all the poaching and is trying to block some departures, several sources told The Post.
“CBS is not happy,” one source said. “There was one person from CBS News who was offered a job and CBS kept him, but there are still some people in play.”
NBC is said to have hired three associate producers from “60 Minutes.”
An insider at CBS denied any disputes and said: “These are folks who wanted producer jobs, and there weren’t any. They wanted to go to the next level, and we wish them well.”
The show is already drawing talent from CNN and ABC, in addition to CBS.
In a recent interview, Williams said: “Hopefully our journalism will speak louder than any name. If it doesn’t, perhaps people will tune in to ‘Rock Center’ hoping to see Tina Fey.”
“Rock Center With Brian Williams” hasn’t even aired yet, but it already has a three-year commitment from the network. The show will also be re-versioned for iPad viewing. The show is expected to be NBC News’ answer to CBS’ highly successful “60 Minutes,” which averaged 13.36 million viewers a week last season.
Already signed to the new show are former “Today” host Meredith Vieira, former CBS “Early Show” anchor Harry Smith and Kate Snow.
NBC and CBS declined comment.
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