Ann Curry

It seemed a long time coming and now veteran journalist Ann Curry has finally announced she is leaving NBC News. After being sidelined for nearly two years, Curry is moving on to a new venture with NBC Universal which will see her develop her own media start up.

It's a goodbye to NBC News for Ann Curry

In a statement Curry said, “It has been a privilege to work with so many good and talented people at the network. At the same time, I can’t wait to expand my reach and work with people I admire in other places.”

Continue reading: Ann Curry Announces NBC News Departure To Develop Her Own Media Start Up

Matt Lauer's contract with NBC's Today show has been extended, laying rumours to rest surrounding his dismissal. The network received a number of complaints after Lauer's co-anchor on the morning show, Ann Curry, left. However, NBC has offered its official endorsement of the 56-year-old anchor and released a public statement making clear their intentions to keep Lauer on the show.

Matt Lauer's contract on the Today show has been extended.

The statement, issued on Thursday (12th June), announces Lauer has been signed as host for a number of years to come, at least two according to the NY Times. The NBC executives have released the news that Lauer's contract has been extended but the specific terms are uncertain. It is rumoured his salary could be anything between $20 and $25 million.

Continue reading: Matt Lauer's 'Today' Show Contract Extended By NBC

Sometimes it's fun to take a break from the humdrum of city life and get back to nature but for Ann Curry a weekend away from the high pressures of the NBC newsdesk in New York's Harriman State Park ended in high drama last month. The weekend could have been a total disaster for the NBC journalist, who broke her ankle after taking a tumble, had it not been for a quick-thinking unit of scouts who rushed to her aid.

Ann Curry Was Rescued By Boy Scouts After Breaking Her Ankle Whilst Hiking.

Curry was with her husband and son when she injured her ankle but Scouts from Troop and Crew 368 from Berkeley Heights, NJ, who were on a training hike, spotted the Emmy-winning journalist sitting on the side of a trail with her leg extended, according to Scouting Magazine. Curry told the troop that she thought her ankle was broken but said they didn't need to stop for her.

Continue reading: NBC's Ann Curry "Enormously Lucky" To Be Rescued By Boy Scouts After Hiking Accident

NBC journalist Ann Curry was saved by a group of New Jersey boy scouts after she was injured during a hike.

The scouts of troop 368 carried the news reporter down Harriman State Park's Bear Mountain after they crafted her a splint and stretcher.

Scouting Magazine reports, the New Jersey scouts spotted Curry and her family on April 5th and asked if they needed assistance as it was obvious they were in some distress.

Continue reading: New Jersey Boy Scouts Rescue NBC Journalist Ann Curry

Matt Lauer opened up about his frankly horrendous year on television during an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Thursday (May 2, 2012). Many viewers perceive Lauer to be the sole reason why former Today show host Ann Curry was replaced on the show, which fell behind ABC rival Good Morning America in the ratings for the first time in years.

"It's been an interesting year - no question about it," Lauer told Leno when asked how he was doing. "I'm not a guy who complains. I love this job, I really do." Lauer - who is reportedly paid $25 million a year - was said to have been "100 per cent" behind the decision to axe Ann, according to sources who spoke with Us Weekly. In an excerpt from Brian Stelter's new book on morning television, it is suggested that the plot to get rid of Curry was titled "Operation Bambi," with one production assistant apparently overhearing Lauer say, "I can't believe I am sitting next to this woman," while on set.

Leno avoided going into detail about the Ann Curry saga, though was asked about a full page ad taken out by Kathie Lee Gifford this week, defending Lauer. "Kathie Lee did something very sweet a couple of weeks ago," he said. "She went around and she just passed around a note and had members of the staff sign it just saying, 'Things are going to be okay."

Continue reading: Matt Lauer Tells Leno, "I'm Not A Guy Who Complains" - REALLY?

The alleged extent to the bullying of Ann Curry in her final months at the 'Today' show has been revealed in an explosive excerpt from New York Times writer Brian Stelter's upcoming book 'Top of the Morning'. In it, Stelter reveals how Curry described her final months at the breakfast television show as "professional torture," with colleagues regularly mocking her outfit choices before she was publically fired and replaced.

Executive producer Jim Bell even names the plot to oust Curry, 56, as 'Operation Bambi' after a friend told him firing the journalist would be like "killing Bambi." In the new excerpt posted on the New York Times' website, Stelter reveals that Curry felt bullied and belittled by the 'Today' show crew, who clearly wanted rid of her from day one. "Curry felt that the boys' club atmosphere behind the scenes at 'Today' undermined her from the start, and she told friends that her final months were a form of professional torture," he writes. 

The incidents that Curry encountered included a blooper reel making fun of her on-screen gaffes, moving boxes of her belongings being placed into the coat closet and the mocking of her outfits. One unidentified Today staffer told Stelter that "a lot of time in the control room was spent making fun of Ann's outfit choices or just generally messing with her." After Curry wore a bright yellow dress one morning, members in the control room apparently Photoshopped a picture of Big Bird next to her, asking Today staff "who wore it best?" According to Stelter, Bell never wanted Curry to get the job in the first place, though his weak-minded assumption that she would probably end up on another network as a direct competitor delayed the decision to fire her. 

Continue reading: Torture And Bullying: Ann Curry's Final Months At The 'Today' Show

It's taken him far too long, though Matt Lauer has finally opened up about the firing of Ann Curry, his former Today co-host who was replaced by Savannah Guthrie. NBC caused outrage after appearing to coax Curry out of the door, and Lauer accepts that much of the criticism was justified.

"It was a hard time for everybody," Lauer told The Daily Beast, almost a year to the day that Curry left the show. "We were getting kicked around a lot. Some of it was self-inflicted and perhaps deserved." The host - one of the highest paid on television - concedes the transitional period was not handled properly. "You don't have to be Einstein to know that. It clearly did not help us. We were seen as a family, and we didn't handle a family matter well."

Today has suffered from the mis-management, taking a backseat in the ratings to big rival Good Morning America, something Lauer suggests could be a good thing. "In some ways being No. 2 in the ratings is a real shot in the arm, a kick in the pants," he explained. "It makes you hungrier...I don't think it's a bad thing to have a fire lit under your ass."

Continue reading: Matt Lauer On Ann Curry's Sacking: "We Didn't Handle It Well"

There could be trouble ahead for NBC’s Today show. The breakfast programme is already suffering with flagging viewer figures and has been a talking point, ever since Ann Curry’s departure earlier this year. Now, host Matt Lauer is said to be furious at the appointment of Alexandra Wallace as the show’s new executive producer.

According to RadarOnline, there have already been some rather terse discussions between the two, regarding the future of the show and what’s more, Wallace is known to have a pretty close relationship with Ann Curry. Curry and Lauer, for the record, do not get along, it would seem. A source has told RadarOnline “Matt Lauer is NOT happy that Jim Bell who had been the executive producer of the Today show since 2005 has been forced out… Alexandra Wallace, who will be Bell's replacement, and Matt have never had a good working relationship. Matt doesn't like the fact that Alexandra is a big advocate of Ann Curry's.” Sounds as though there could be some frosty times ahead. Just cast your minds back to the moment that Matt had to introduce Ann’s segment as she reported from the London Olympics. It was pretty obvious back then that there was no love lost between them.

The source also confirmed that Wallace intended to “shake things up on the show” so that they could get it back on top of the ratings. The outgoing executive producer, Jim Bell, has been blamed for much of the show’s recent ill-fortunes.

A Hurricane Sandy: Coming Together Telethon was held last night in the hopes of bringing relief to the millions affected when Hurricane Sandy ripped through the East Coast of America.

NBC aired a commercial-free telethon last night (Nov 2) live from storm-ravaged Staten Island, with Matt Lauer helming the celeb fest that urged viewers across America to pledge what they could and help the millions suffering from the storm.

Christina Aguilera got things started, entering a dark stage and delivering a powerful, stripped down version of ‘Beautiful.’ After the Staten Island native’s performance, a rolling montage of just some of the destruction was played, ending with a still of the once bustling Jersey Shore, after which Jersey native Jon Bon Jovi gave acoustic performances of ‘Who Says You Can’t Go Home’ and ‘Living on a Prayer’ with guitarist Bob Bandiera and Lorenza Ponce on the violin.

Continue reading: Stars Show Support For Hurricane Sandy: Coming Together Telethon

Willie Geist has been named as the new co-host of the 9am hour of NBC’s morning show 'Today'. Jim Bell, the show’s executive producer made the announcement, revealing that Geist will start in his new role as of November 12, 2012. Geist, 37, will join Al Roker, 58 and Natalie Morales, 40 as co-presenter of 'Today'. In his statement, Jim Bell said “"We are thrilled to add Willie to the 'Today' team… He brings a solid news background with a keen sense of creativity and humor. From politics to pop culture, Willie is a skilled and versatile reporter who will make a great addition at 9 a.m. and contribute to the entire broadcast.

According to US magazine, he’s going to carry on working as one of NBC’s main News contributors, as well as the NBC Sports Group. He’s also going to remain as co-host of MSNBC’s 'Morning Joe', where he has been covering national politics since 2007. Geist has long had a decent reputation amongst NBC’s ranks but excelled himself this summer, when he anchored NBC Sports Network’s coverage of the 2012 London Olympics. Earlier this year, Today show veteran Ann Curry, 55, was fired from her post on the show as Matt Lauer’s co-anchor. She had been with the show for 15 years and was replaced by Savannah Guthrie, 40.

Willie Geist‘s wife is his childhood sweetheart, Christina Sharkey. They wed in 2003 and have two children together.