​According to an internal memo released today by NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke, Lauren Zalaznick is to leave the company once she transitions her current portfolio. Following her departure, she will continue to consult with NBCUniversal on trends in digital media and technology.

In her 12 years in executive leadership at NBCUniversal, Zalaznick reinvigorated the once-failing Bravo network by launching such iconic series as “The Real Housewives” franchise and “Top Chef,” and was ultimately named NBCU EVP, overseeing around half of the company’s cable channels. She also headed up the digital properties Fandango and Daily Candy, as part of her ongoing efforts to enhance NBCU’s digital and emerging technology efforts.

Some speculate Zalaznick, who has made broad efforts to connect with Silicon Valley, may be up for the empty seat at the top of Yahoo‘s media unit.

Brief Take: Ever since Comcast announced plans to acquire NBCUniversal late 2009, Zalaznick, who built Bravo into a strong reality and digital property, has been fighting hard to remain a top executive at the media conglomerate. Bonnie Hammer has been seen as Zalaznick’s in-house rival, but Hammer appeared to claim victory in that battle when in February she was named chairman, NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment Group. At the time, Zalaznick was seen to have lost power, with Bravo, Oxygen and Style moving under Hammer’s purview, and Zalaznick being named EVP. In that role, she oversaw broad concepts such as digital, innovation, monetization and emerging technology, but no tangible assets.

Read more at All Things D.

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