http://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/meredith-vieira-returns-to-tv-with-new-pbs-series/360427
THe Show is "The Great American Read" and it will air on May 22nd.
THe Show is "The Great American Read" and it will air on May 22nd.
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Meredith Viera to have a show on PBS
- Thread starter Y2kTheNewOldies
- Start date
Or, you know, they're talented journalists and hosts on their own merits.
Not a unique issue, since the taxpayer funded government faces similar internal problems.
Well, maybe in Vieira's case. Curry couldn't seem to land much of anything after NBC dumped her until she became a convenient go to in the wake of the Lauer scandal. If she really was exuding so much talent, it would be hard to accept that she'd have been sidelined for so long. Vieira, OTOH, walked away on her own terms and this PBS gig is likely something she can do without too much of a time commitment. But even in that case, why only now? Likely because PBS's scandal ridden operations have become public.
Ann Curry was held to her contract with NBC, explaining most of her absence from the airwaves. She filled in for Brian Williams on "Nightly News" but that was about it for on-air appearances from mid-2012 (when let go from Today) to mid-2015 (when her contract ended).
In Curry's case, the program "We'll meet again" has been in the pipeline for quite a while, at least since early 2017 but possibly earlier.
In Curry's case, the program "We'll meet again" has been in the pipeline for quite a while, at least since early 2017 but possibly earlier.
Possibly, but I'm confident she would've been released had she asked because she was offered another opportunity. The bad press for NBC would've been dire had they not granted such a request. It's more likely she didn't receive any offers. She did fine as the news reader on Today, but never was a good fit as a co-host.
CNN tried to hire her with only a few months left on her NBC deal. https://www.mediaite.com/tv/ann-curry-in-talks-with-cnn
If NBC chose to enforce the contract, whatever the reason, that's the way it goes. There's also the possibility someone who, being held to the contract, was still making a nice paycheck by most people's standards wanted to take some time to think about what she wanted to do next, and find a good fit. That's not a reflection of talent either way.
The Mediate article said there were 'talks', nothing more. Curry hasn't had a prominent job almost three years after her contract with NBC ended. This is an indication, at the very least, that her door wasn't being beaten down with offers. Considering she had one of the highest profile jobs in television, to argue that talent isn't an aspect of her lack of offers simply doesn't hold water.
We really don't know the circumstances. We don't know about offers. We don't know if she was really looking for something as demanding as what she had done at NBC. The fact that she's in her 60s says more to me. Women of her age are finding it a lot harder to find regular on-camera work. By the same token, when people reach her age, they're not always as interested in pursuing the same kinds of work. I agree with the comments that talent is not always the main issue in these decisions.
Quite unfairly, women of that age are more impacted by discrimination, talent notwithstanding. But there are many an example of once "prominent" people who, for a multitude of reasons, find themselves out of that spotlight and choose to do something they find more personally fulfilling.
Moreover, I'll hardly take Mediaite as the sole source of knowing just what was said or what discussions were had.
We DO know that no offers were announced and, even now, someone who used to helm the top network morning show is relegated to a minor show on PBS.
Several things could be inferred, but I'll infer that she wasn't regarded as a credible enough talent to have a major anchor or hosting role based on her Today show performance.
Brian Stelter wrote a great book about the Today Show, Good Morning America, etc. in 2013 called "Top of The Morning." I read it last year and it had a lot of info about the Curry promotion and demotion, about Robin Roberts' health challenges, about the jockeying for guests and ratings between Today & GMA. Stelter currently hosts the media show on Sundays on CNN "Reliable Sources."
Some folks on TV are like Kelsey Grammer or Julia Louis-Dreyfus, moving from one long-running hit series to another. Some lose their buzz. In addition to Curry and Viera now doing shows for PBS, I notice Katie Couric, another former Today Show host, is now doing a series for the National Geographic Channel, after the failure, like Viera, of a daytime talk show, and being hired and let go from Google News. And other than a weekly sports series for HBO, I haven't seen Bryant Gumble doing much since his days as a Today anchor.
Some folks on TV are like Kelsey Grammer or Julia Louis-Dreyfus, moving from one long-running hit series to another. Some lose their buzz. In addition to Curry and Viera now doing shows for PBS, I notice Katie Couric, another former Today Show host, is now doing a series for the National Geographic Channel, after the failure, like Viera, of a daytime talk show, and being hired and let go from Google News. And other than a weekly sports series for HBO, I haven't seen Bryant Gumble doing much since his days as a Today anchor.
If that fits your preconceived narrative, infer that. But it's not supported by facts.
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