Shakeup at 'Today': Ann Curry out?
NBC is reportedly negotiating to dump the co-anchor
Shakeup at ‘Today’: Ann Curry out?
David Hiltbrand, Inquirer TV Critic
So much for smooth transitions. With little fanfare, NBC appointed Ann Curry, Today’s longtime newsreader to replace Meredith Vieira when Vieira stepped down as Matt Lauer’s co-anchor exactly a year ago.
Then reality set in. Curry was stiff and unnatural in the role, had no chemistry with Matt and showed little flair for either the human interest or hard news segments.
All that might have been overlooked. But the viewers started to turn away, and that NBC would not stand for.
The New York Times reported yesterday that the network has been working for weeks on a plan to replace Curry on the morning show and find a more suitable job for her in the news division. There is some urgency to this negotiation because NBC wants to have the Today situation resolved and the show running smoothly by the time Olympic coverage begins next month from London.
Curry is apparently not going gently. She has retained Washington attorney Robert Barnett to represent her in talks with NBC. Neither Curry nor Barnett nor any network executives have commented thusfar.
Early conjecture has Savannah Guthrie, who currently co-hosts the show's third hour, as the front runner to replace Curry at the big desk. A formal announcement is expected as soon as next week.
Curry’s fate was essentially sealed when Good Morning America beat Today in the ratings this spring, ending a remarkable string of 852 consecutive weeks as the queen of morning. The two programs have been swapping the top spot since.
What do you think? Is Curry responsible for Today’s decline or is she just a scapegoat?
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I have watched the Today show for years. I like Ann Curry. I thought Meredith was a poor imitation of Katie Couric. Personally I think it is the writer's fault. The news segments are weak. Very little is fresh. Many of the human interest stories are just sad and depressing and the same thing as on the other stations. America is smarter than you think.— mgray- I like Ann, but if you decide to replace her I really like Maria Shriver. She is a classy lady who I have always found interesting.
— mgray - Matt is the problem. He is repulsive. He is toooooooo in love with himself. He needed to go long ago.— pesticide
- Matt is the problem, because Ann keeps showing everyone how dumb he really is. In the end, it's a stupid television show. Read, people, read.— pigday31
- I used to watch the Today show and always liked Ann Curry because of her understated style. At that time the TODAY show team was Matt, Katie, Ann and Al. They seemed to have a nice camaraderie. I've seen the Hoda/Kathie Lee segment but they're too manic for me. Ann Curry is a good reporter and will do just fine wherever she goes.— sooszq
- First of all, Meredith replaced Katie Couric, so I think any replacement would have pleased Matt. Conversely, Matt and Meredith got along so well, I don't think he would be pleased with any replacement. I have noticed for years that Ann has been dismissed, sometimes in a not so kind way. In my opinion, Ann is most passionate about human interest stories and that is her special niche. I can see though her reason for coming into the studio rather than travelling the world the way she has for a long time. All that being said, the Today format changed about the time Ms Curry took over the 2nd seat. I don't know who dreamed up the stupid "flash topic" format for the 3rd (?) hour. It really doesn't work!
I'd much rather they removed Kathy Lee Gifford with her alcohol soaked 4th hour. If they are going to shake it up...cut their losses with that hour and put Hoda Ktobe in the number 2 spot. There, I think I've solved your problem NBC...I've asked ever since she got the position for you to can Kathy Lee...
For crying out loud though...stop using Ann Curry as the scapegoat for ratings decline. What is the problem with on-going training rather than throw her to the wolves and let her hang out to dry? I'm sure she hasn't been with the show as long as she has because she was incompetent.....and she isn't incompetent now. Eager maybe, incompetent no.— AMR1949 - Savannah Guthrie as the replacement?? Talk about stiff. I find it hard to believe she gets as much airtime as she does now. Man, they are really scrambling at the Today Show.— bobby
- For the record, I believe they now have FOUR HOURS to fill every morning. Who has time for that? I've watched Today since Barbara Walters was on for one reason, because they had a big clock in front of the desk and while I ate my cereal or pop tart I knew exactly how many minutes I had to get to the school bus. Now I live in extremely volatile climates so the first hour is useful for local weather and traffic reports. That's all, folks. No real opinion except it's 95% fluff and I do like Bittman. My guess is that if the producer and Lauer don't like Ann, she's a goner.— tdl1501
- Today's problem isn't Ann Curry. Over the years the show has become so comfortable being number one that they have become lazy. Earlier this week their opening on the 7:30 half hour was about somebody being impaled with some sort of spear. This morning they replayed portions of an interview which had run on Rock Center last night.
When Meredith left the show I thought they should have gone for a much younger co-host (20s or 30s) to replace her. Most of the current cast is old enough to have AARP cards.
I'm not impressed with Savannah Guthrie. She was billed as a legal consultant during the Casey Anthony trial. As I watched her daily coverage of the trial I began to wonder how many episodes of Law & Order she had to watch to get that designation. She came across as a real lightweight in covering a trial. Was that the first real trial she had ever attended?
It only makes sense for Ann to bring legal counsel into this process. It is safe to say NBC is getting advice from their lawyers. The lawyers like to get involved when the company is about to break a contract. As a long-time newsreader for The Today Show, Ann Curry should have been a known quantity for NBC. This is likely to become another Today Show bungle similar in scale to the Deborah Norville fiasco. Norville was a very talented and capable newsreader who was tapped to replace Jane Pauley. NBC fumbled the transition and wound up losing Deborah as the situation worsened PRwise.
If NBC came to regret putting Ann in the cohost spot they should have worked out a "promotion" for her behind the scenes. Since this has made the press it is likely to end as another blackeye for the Today Show and for Ann Curry.— Justin Wachin - First, it was a real kick in the teeth for Meradith to replace Katie. That spot should have been given to Ann. Then they should have faded out Matt. Giving Ann the lead and a mucher younger male host who would have better chemistry with Ann. Ann is clear concise and does a fine job.— pesticide
- She is simply horrible she does not belong in this position she would make a good pall bearer— the commodore
