NBC Giving Silverman the Boot?

Rumor has it that NBC’s current co-chairman Ben Silverman, the instigator of bringing back “Knight Rider” and “Crusoe,” may be given the heave-ho if the new NBC 2008-2009 Fall television falters as badly as expected.

This “rumor” first got exposure from L.A. Weekly columnist Nikki Finke. She even goes as far to say that Silverman has been removed from the day-to-day operations of the network.

All this and a juicy scandal from Silverman’s progamming executive, Teri Weinberg, who is reported to have allegedly put several of her boyfriend’s projects on the fast-track for development without the financial approval from NBC’s top brass. This has forced NBC to have to pay him for the projects “to the tune of millions of dollars,” according to Finke.

“I’m told that NBC is hoping that Silverman jumps before he is pushed,” stated Finke in her article. “And several sources have information to believe [that] he may start negotiating his out with an eye to exiting before December.”

NBC has made no official statements to substantiate Finke’s claim.