Sources Say FX’s Reilly Is in Talks With NBC

Kevin Reilly, president of entertainment at News Corp.’s FX, is in serious negotiations to join NBC in a top programming job, sources said.

Reilly, who started his TV career at NBC in 1988, is being groomed to ultimately succeed Jeffrey Zucker as head of NBC Entertainment, sources said.

Zucker is expected to return to New York within a year possibly to take a bigger post at NBC. Since joining FX in 2000, Reilly has developed shows such as “The Shield” that have brought the cable channel visibility.

In recent months Reilly also has been rumored to be a top candidate to replace Jerry Offsay, who is retiring as head of programming at Showtime. It is unclear whether Ted Harbert will remain as president of NBC Studios when his contract expires this year.

NBC declined to comment. Neither Reilly nor Peter Liguori, the head of FX, returned calls.