Matt Lauer and Ann Curry (WireImage)
Matt Lauer’s new $25-million-a-year contract to stay with NBC’s “Today” show could cost Ann Curry her job as co-anchor.
While Lauer’s new multi-year deal ended months of speculation that the top-rated morning show might have to face ABC’s resurgent “Good Morning America” without him, it almost immediately raised questions about Curry’s fate.
Lauer had considerable sway over NBC, which agreed to cut his work week to four days and cover his transportation costs to and from his home in the Hamptons, a source close to the contract negotiations said. In addition to the $25 million pay package, he also received a sign-on bonus.
The source said Lauer’s decision to stay was also driven in part by the prospect of a new co-anchor.
Curry landed co-host duties less than a year ago, taking over from Meredith Vieira, despite internal debate over Curry’s lack of chemistry with Lauer. NBC had passed over Curry for the job five years earlier in favor of Vieira.
Since Curry stepped into the co-host job on June 9, the “Today” show’s lead over ABC’s “GMA” has been on the decline. The Lauer-Curry pairing leads “GMA” by an average of 552,000 viewers, down from 851,000 during the Vieira years.
Industry insiders said that NBC could pursue several options to allow Curry, who joined “Today” in 1997 and is known for her humanitarian journalism, to make a graceful transition.
One option is to make her a roving international correspondent for the show, allowing third-hour co-host Savannah Guthrie to take over as co-host. Another option, considered far less likely, is persuading Vieira to return.
“The question is, are they going to totally get rid of her, make her an international correspondent, minimize and add Savannah Guthrie as a co-anchor, or try and convince Meredith Vieira to come back,” said one source.
NBC News boss Steve Capus denied any suggestion that Lauer’s contract included a provision for a new co-host.
“I’m the guy who signed the contract,” he said. “Any suggestion of any provision of co-anchor is categorically untrue.”
When asked about Curry’s continued tenure, Capus said there were no discussions about changing her long-term contract and pointed to Lauer’s decision to renew his deal.
“This deal is a vote of confidence in the ‘Today’ show, and a vote of confidence expressed by Matt in the team,” Capus said. “The ‘Today’ show team is the No. 1 team in the morning and is fantastic together. They are doing a great job.”
Nevertheless, “Today,” where Lauer has been a fixture since 1994, is facing growing competition from “GMA,” with co-hosts George Stephanopoulos and Robin Roberts.
For his part, Lauer announced his decision to stay on at “Today” yesterday morning, telling his co-host and staff, “I love this job, I love working with you guys and all the people behind the scenes. I’m excited — let’s keep going.”