Has Matt Lauer become an unfair target? How he fell from grace…
Matt Lauer is officially hated. Everyone desperate to get him to ‘retire.’
At last! Matt Lauer is getting fired!
Matt Lauer to be scaled back from Today show cause no one likes him anymore.
Matt Lauer refuses to take a pay cut as 500 at NBC fear for their jobs.
Matt Lauer might now be replaced at Today show.
Oh really? Ann Curry firing leads to Today Producer Jim Bell being fired after ratings slump.
Ann Curry firing not Matt Lauer’s fault insist Today crew. A turn of attitude?
Insiders at NBC have been trying to get a handle on the large scale defections since Ann Curry was fired early summer and if some of the former viewers have anything to say why they suddenly stopped watching the show most of them agree although Ann Curry may have been less than effective when it came to interviewing serious guests (she seemed to be conspiratorial and chalk and cheese offer some) it’s the way that she was ousted that finally did many viewer’s regard of the show which they once revered before they sunk into callous disregard.
While Ann Curry’s interviewing style has been said to grate viewers and perhaps Matt Lauer (who it is openly known to have demanded her ouster earlier this year before singing on with a new deal) alleviating that problem suddenly became a big problem for NBC who many felt had been mean spirited and out of sorts with their previous homey image.
huffpo: Suddenly, a problem for NBC became a BIG problem. Even people who didn’t particularly like Curry loathed the way she was dispatched. Except for two weeks during the Olympics, “Today” hasn’t sniffed first place in the ratings since. During the first six months of 2012, “Today” averaged just under 5.2 million viewers each weekday. Since July 2, the audience has dropped to 4.59 million, according to Nielsen, the company that measures TV audiences. Without the two weeks of the London Olympics, the average is 4.3 million. That’s a stunning drop, even accounting for typical lower viewership in the summer.
Other explanations offered as to why the show has faltered with viewers includes a feeling that the show has become much more tabloid centric (alas welcome to the sad decline of journalism, where content providers are forced to serve up the dribble in huge dollops to maintain advertising dollars and viewership) and leaning too much with lighter pop culture fare.
Then there’s this thoughtful reflection courtesy of William Runge, a once former viewer:
“The PR machine at NBC spent an enormous amount of time and effort convincing me that the ‘Today’ show team was actually part of my family, ‘America’s First Family,” said Runge, 46, citing the show’s advertising slogan. “Guess what? They were right. These did feel like family members. So this is how you are going to treat a member of your family?’
“You can debate for hours whether Ms. Curry was right for the role,” he said. “That’s not the point. She was doing her job and was barely 11 months into it when they canned her in the most humiliating way possible.”
And although the homey feeling was suddenly lost (cause in corporate America it now always comes down to dollars, forget loyalty wenches) the fortunes of the show were further saddled after it became widely perceived that Matt Lauer had been mean spirited with his dealings with his former co anchor (it was obvious Ann Lauer was not dealing with Matt Lauer on any level of genuine empathy as it by now all felt forced and contrived as the rumors of her imminent ouster made the media rounds) and suddenly viewers felt they could no longer stand Matt Lauer whom they felt at one stage could do no wrong and was the perennial big brother everyone adored until that is he was perceived to have become a bully.
That said the show still has its diehard fans, case in point Miriam Sajecki despite some of her present misgivings:
“What I loved about the show were the hosts, reporters and the stories,”
“It was always delivered in a friendly, engaging and informative manner. Some of that has changed in that I miss the chemistry that was displayed with the prior hosts … and some of the stories ‘Today’ was known for. It has evolved into forgettable reports without giving me the important news and educational stories.”
That said Ms Sajecki is hopeful the show’s fortunes will turn around and for now still regularly tunes in to the show. Which might be hopeful stuff as CBC is now routing hard to get its edge on the morning talk show circuit and ABC’s ‘Good Morning America’ continues for now pulling ahead of its once unbeatable competitor, NBC’s ‘Today’ show. Of course it will be interesting to hear what viewers have to say come the close of the year and whether NBC can regain its past momentum or whether it will have become a victim of its own very high standards?
via huffpo
Matt Lauer absence on Today show leads to huge sigh of relief from staff.
The Today show is groveling to have Ann Curry back.
Ann Curry firing now leads to Today show defending Matt Lauer.
Ann Curry gets her revenge as Matt Lauer now said to be forced to take huge pay cut…
Ann Curry fired. Matt Lauer is looking very bad as Today ratings plummet further.
Matt Lauer urged to take a pay cut off his $25 million deal as Today show falters.
Ann Curry fired: Katie Couric slams NBC. But why?
Ann Curry Fired. Looks like Matt Lauer is hated even more as mini revolt at Today heats.
Ann Curry firing. Al Roker now calls Matt Lauer out…
Ann Curry fired: Reunites with Matt at London. Refuses to engage him.
Ann Curry: Now reckons she was fired cause of her flat shoes, gray hair and too multi colored style.
Ann Curry Today show: At last NBC Today show gets a rating boost with Olympics.
Ann Curry fired. Reckons that The Today show are not living up to promises made to her.
Matt Lauer calls Meredith Vieira an ‘Indian giver.’
Ann Curry fired: Feels vindicated as NBC ratings falter at the London Olympics
Ann Curry to return to The Today show after James Holmes shooting.
Ann Curry replacement Savannah Guthrie said to be having debilitating migraines.
Ann Curry fired. Media pundits anxiously await new Nielsen ratings.
Ann Curry live interview with Ladies Home Journal released.
Ann Curry is not missed as NBC insists that they are thrilled with the new anchor team.
Ann Curry Fired: Can NBC still save itself?
Ann Curry Fired: Savannah Guthrie’s ‘Today’ Debut tanks!
Ann Curry’s replacement Savannah Guthrie waxes girlish charm with giggly Matt Lauer
Ann Curry fired: Surfaces with new tweets, inspires more controversy.
What’s wrong with media today?
Ann Curry Fired: Matt Lauer was 100 % behind her ouster from Today show.
Ann Curry fired: NBC executive comes out bashing former Today anchor.
Ann Curry fired and the capitulation of the Today show.
Ann Curry Fired: Matt Lauer and his crocodile tears.
Ann Curry Fired. ‘I’m sorry I couldn’t carry the ball over the finish line…
Matt Lauer’s wife threatened to divorce him if Natalie Morales became Today co anchor.
Ann Curry fired: Officially leaving Today, to make farewell speech imminently.
Ann Curry fired. Lap dances, grumpy fits and behind the scenes back stabbing…
Ann Curry Fired: More upheaval as passed over Natalie Morales set to leave Today show.
Ann Curry Fired: Ann haggling for $20 million exit money and NBC confirms Savannah Guthrie.
Ann Curry Fired. Backstabbed by NBC.
Ann Curry Fired. Refuses to take the hint now fed up NBC will go public.
Ann Curry doesn’t care that she’s fired. “I’m here to stay!’
Ann Curry Fired: ‘Am I not good enough?’
Ann Curry turns up to Today show, acting as if she hasn’t been fired.
Ann Curry fired cause NBC hates her.
Matt Lauer re-signs with the Today show whilst Ann Curry is a goner.
Ann Curry rumored to be fired because her co host Matt Lauer hates her guts.
