Matt Lauer is finally releasing details to the media about former co-anchor, Ann Curry's departure from the position.
"I don't think the show and the network handled the transition well," he told the Daily Beast
"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," he added.
Matt Lauer admitted to sources that Ann Curry was not his first choice to be his co-anchor; instead he preferred Katie Couric. She decided to sign with ABC instead. According to Business Insider, Katie has a reported $40-million contract hosting a daily talk show on ABC.
Matt Lauer experienced a decrease in ratings however "Today's" Show rivalry is doing quite well. According to Mediabistro.com, "Good Morning America is now a solid #1 in the mornings and with an added boost brought by the Oscars and Robin Roberts return, "GMA" was up +7% vs. the November 2012 Sweep."
According to Newsday, Matt Lauer offered to leave his position as anchor on The "Today" Show. The Daily Beast reported, NBC Universal chief Steve Burke he would quit if Burke thought the show was better off without him. Lauer's offer was rebuffed, with Burke telling him, "You're the best person who's ever done this. We'll get through this."
Ann Curry's biography states that she graduated from the University of Oregon's School of Journalism in 1978. Ann Curry's achievements include becoming the first female news reporter for KGW in Portland. In 1990, she began working for NBC; it took 15 years for her to become the anchor of Dateline NBC. She became an anchor for Dateline NBC in 2005. She became Matt Lauer's co-host on the "Today"show in 2011. In 2012 she left the show.
Matt Lauer has been working with NBC since 1992. According to Biography, he began co-hosting two shows, Live at Five and Today In New York. In 1994, he gained huge notoriety when he became host of "Today" Show.
Ann Curry's departure from NBC was quite turbulent, however her former co-host Matt Lauer is finally talking about it to sources.
