JournalismTV & Showbiz

Rumor Mill: NBC Can’t Catch a Break, Morning or Night

123RF/NBC

If you believe the rumor mill, NBC is facing a big talent change on two of its longest-running and most well-known franchises.

One report suggests that not only is Matt Lauer on the verge of being kicked off the network’s venerable Today show, but that CNN’s Anderson Cooper was approached by NBC about replacing him. Some sources claimed Lauer was not at all pleased by the move, while others claimed that Lauer has gallantly offered to step down if his bosses feel it’s what is best for the show.

NBC denies that Lauer is going anywhere.

Lauer came under fire after the departure of Ann Curry, who took the co-anchor slot when Meredith Viera left the program. During Curry’s watch, the show lost its #1 status for the first time in 16 years, leading to a very tearful, uncomfortable goodbye. Body language between Curry, Lauer, Al Roker and Savannah Guthrie was interesting: Curry seemed to enthusiastically hug Roker and Guthrie, but it was clear that there was no such intention on her part toward Lauer.

For fans of Curry, whose melodramatic interview style didn’t sit well with everyone, Lauer must have been to blame for Curry getting the boot.

Meanwhile, The Tonight Show is facing yet another awkward changing of the guard. In this scenario, claim the rumors, host Jay Leno will retire some time in 2014. Jimmy Fallon, whose show currently follows Tonight, will move into Leno’s slot and the show is even expected to return to New York City, where it originated when the late Johnny Carson began with it in 1962.

This time around, unlike the Leno/O’Brien debacle, Leno is not moving to prime time and is not expected to come back to take over his old job, displacing Fallon and requiring the Peacock network to hand over a multi-million dollar severance package. (And let’s face it: when you’re a major network that suddenly finds itself in fifth place behind Univision, any money you can save is a blessing.)

Leno, as late-night hosts are prone to do, made fun of his network:

“According to several reports, scientists say they are getting closer and closer to being able to do Jurassic Park-style cloning of extinct species,” he said. “Imagine that —- things that were once thought to be extinct could be brought back from the dead. So there’s hope for NBC. It could turn around.”

NBC continues to refuse to formally confirm the reports, insisting there’s no firm deal in place for Fallon. Leno’s contract is up in September of 2014, so sooner or later, they’ll have to fess up about something, even if it turns out that Leno gets renewed.

I usually watch CBS This Morning because I like Charlie Rose and the newsier format compared to the more feature-driven Today format. Leno’s never been my cup of tea.

Do you watch either the Today or Tonight show? Do you think either change is a good move or a bad one?

the authorPatrick
Patrick is a Christian with more than 30 years experience in professional writing, producing and marketing. His professional background also includes social media, reporting for broadcast television and the web, directing, videography and photography. He enjoys getting to know people over coffee and spending time with his dog.

4 Comments

  • We used to watch Leno quite a bit before our second child was born. We are so far behind on current events that most of the jokes went over our heads.
    Actually, the only show we watch on NBC is hosted by Al Michaels and Chris Collingsworth. Pretty sure they aren’t going anywhere.

  • I used to watch the Today show a very long time ago. Prior to that, I used to watch Good Morning America.  (Joan Lunden and David Hartman were the hosts.  That’s dating myself, isn’t it?)  I don’t watch any morning show now because I work during those hours and I don’t tend to turn on the TV first thing when I’m off work on a weekday.
    I used to watch the Tonight show but I go to bed too early to catch it now. Leno is alright, I suppose.  I prefer Letterman, if I would have to choose, but I don’t watch any late night shows anymore.
    I hope that Anderson Cooper doesn’t move to morning television. I like watching him in the evening sometimes.

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