Matt Lauer's Future At NBC?

[DToTheJ]

Unidentified NBC employees claim his current contract with the network "will be his last."
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/14/business/media/at-nbc-a-struggle-to-revive-the-morning-magic.html

 

[FredLeonard]

Unidentified NBC employees claim his current contract with the network "will be his last."
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/14/business/media/at-nbc-a-struggle-to-revive-the-morning-magic.html

Let's hope so. As in any election, there are swing voters. They hop back and forth between morning shows based on whom they like and who the guests are today. Most viewers are loyal to the franchise and Matt's greatest weakness is not that he isn't pulling in swing viewers but he is weakening the core audience's loyalty to the franchise.

PS: I use the quote button because I've had the experience of reading replies after an original poster changed or removed everything in the original post and I want to be clear what I am replying to.

 

[Joseph_Gallant]

MSN's "TV Blog" is reporting that Matt Lauer is being considered for the host's slot on "Jeopardy!" (assuming current host Alex Trebek retires soon).

The story is at:

http://social.entertainment.msn.com...spx?post=76121ce6-ca4f-412b-b92e-18fc21a60809 .

For Trebek, retiring next year (2014) might make sense: It will be "Jeopardy"'s 50th anniversary (in March), and his 30th anniversary as host (in September). Both are "round numbers" that could make a retirement appealing.

I could see Lauer leave "Today" this Summer, be announced as "Jeopardy!" host to take over in 2014, Trebek retire next year (maybe in a "crossover" show that will see Trebek emcee the first round, the two together co-emcee the "Double Jeopardy!" round, and Lauer emcee the "Final Jeopardy!" round of the particular show that marks the change).

And as for who succeeds Lauer at "Today"?? Two words: Ryan Seacrest.

Seacrest would leave "American Idol" to take over "Today"; in all likelihood, I expect that the "New Year's Rockin' Eve" TV special he hosts will move to NBC so he can continue to host it (and as for Carson Daly, who has had a New Year's special on NBC, look for him to co-host the "Hollywood" segments, which will probably get relocated to Universal Citywalk Hollywood).

Actually, "Jeopardy!" is a very "prim and proper" formatted quiz show, and someone with a news background like Lauer would make a good host for it.

 

[TheBigA]

Seacrest would leave "American Idol" to take over "Today"; in all likelihood, I expect that the "New Year's Rockin' Eve" TV special he hosts will move to NBC so he can continue to host it

Wow, that's crazy speculation. Seacrest would also have to leave KIIS-FM, where he does a daily morning show. He would probably have to give up his syndicated daily radio show. And dick clark productions, which owns New Year's Rockin' Eve, would have to get out of its deal with ABC. And Today would have to move to LA. Considering all the changes required to make what you say happen, I think it's extremely unlikely.

The fact is that Matt Lauer has, according to the article in the OP, a "multi-year deal." We haven't even hit the one year anniversary yet. It's funny how we build these people up, and then knock them down.

 

[FredLeonard]

Jeopardy could be done in New York. It was before in the Art Flemming - Don Pardo era.

There is precedent for Today Show hosts moonlighting on game shows:
Hugh Downs - Concentration
Meredith Viera - Who Wants to be a Millionaire? (daytime)
Joe Garagiola - He Said, She Said; To Tell The Truth; Sale of the Century

Of course, if Matt gets fired, there are no scheduling conflicts. He's actually better suited to be a game show host.

 

[TheBigA]

Jeopardy could be done in New York. It was before in the Art Flemming - Don Pardo era.

Back then the show was owned by a different company. IIRC it was actually done in 30 Rock. Pardo was an NBC booth announcer.

Now the show is owned by Sony and King World, which is distributed by CBS. Slightly different situation. Not to say that it still can't be done in NY, but it would be more expensive, and Lauer would be employed by competing companies. All of that is most likely spelled out in his current contract.

 

[CleveFan]

Seacrest would leave "American Idol" to take over "Today"; in all likelihood, I expect that the "New Year's Rockin' Eve" TV special he hosts will move to NBC so he can continue to host it

Wow, that's crazy speculation. Seacrest would also have to leave KIIS-FM, where he does a daily morning show. He would probably have to give up his syndicated daily radio show. And dick clark productions, which owns New Year's Rockin' Eve, would have to get out of its deal with ABC. And Today would have to move to LA. Considering all the changes required to make what you say happen, I think it's extremely unlikely.

The fact is that Matt Lauer has, according to the article in the OP, a "multi-year deal." We haven't even hit the one year anniversary yet. It's funny how we build these people up, and then knock them down.

I personally can't see Seacrest as "Today" co-host. NBC would have to get someone more seasoned in news, but can also balance with lighter segments. As for Lauer, he would be better on "Jeopardy!" and him leaving "Today" would help boost the show and those dark clouds would exit too.

 

[mgsports]

Lester Holt or JACK Ford

 

[FredLeonard]

Jeopardy could be done in New York. It was before in the Art Flemming - Don Pardo era.

Back then the show was owned by a different company. IIRC it was actually done in 30 Rock. Pardo was an NBC booth announcer.

Now the show is owned by Sony and King World, which is distributed by CBS. Slightly different situation. Not to say that it still can't be done in NY, but it would be more expensive, and Lauer would be employed by competing companies. All of that is most likely spelled out in his current contract.

Meredith did the Today Show while hosting Millionaire over at ABC on the Upper West Side.

Jeopardy may be distributed by CBS but it's carried on ABC owned stations.

Several non game shows not otherwise connected with NBC have been produced at 30 Rock. They just rented the production facility. Networks do this all the time: Show is produced by one network (or its corporate sibling) and sold to and carried by another network.

Besides, these shows are not done live. A host could go to California and take a month's worth in a couple of days. Said host could be away from the Today Show for a couple of days, or do segments from LA.

Several historic game shows were produced at the Ed Sullivan Theater. Heck, they used to do "What's My Line" live an hour and a half after the Ed Sullivan Show. They just needed to put up some stage flats. They can do the same in front of the Letterman set.

 

[TheBigA]

Several non game shows not otherwise connected with NBC have been produced at 30 Rock. They just rented the production facility.

We're not talking about a show owned by a network, but rather owned by Sony, and produced on the Sony Pictures lot. That's where the staff is also based. Doubtful they'd blow up the entire production staff just because a host leaves.

A host could go to California and take a month's worth in a couple of days. Said host could be away from the Today Show for a couple of days, or do segments from LA.

That's more likely, but the question is if he wants to travel that much anymore.

The reality here is if the viewers don't like him on Today, they aren't going to like him on a game show either.

 

[FredLeonard]

One other factor: Taxes. NYC has been aggressively wooing production to New York. Getting Jeopardy back would be a nice coup. And a tax break could make the move profitable. Production staff: People who write questions and office staff don't have to be where the show is taped. And the few people who do have to be on the set, can fly to New York a couple of times a month if they don't want to move.

 

[Kenny Atkinson]

Seacrest would leave "American Idol" to take over "Today"; in all likelihood, I expect that the "New Year's Rockin' Eve" TV special he hosts will move to NBC so he can continue to host it

Wow, that's crazy speculation. Seacrest would also have to leave KIIS-FM, where he does a daily morning show. He would probably have to give up his syndicated daily radio show. And dick clark productions, which owns New Year's Rockin' Eve, would have to get out of its deal with ABC. And Today would have to move to LA. Considering all the changes required to make what you say happen, I think it's extremely unlikely.

The fact is that Matt Lauer has, according to the article in the OP, a "multi-year deal." We haven't even hit the one year anniversary yet. It's funny how we build these people up, and then knock them down.

Thats nuts......Seacrest has it made.He's got th potential to be the next DICK CLARK.......When does AMERICAN BANDSTAAND return?

Seacrest would do an awesome job with that too.

 

[FredLeonard]

Dick Clark Productions does not own Times Square.

NBC was doing the traditional New Year's Eve broadcast from Times Square, with Ben Grauer, before anybody heard of Dick Clark.

If Seacrest goes with NBC and the Today Show, NBC could start its own New Year's Eve broadcast.

 

[TheBigA]

If Seacrest goes with NBC and the Today Show, NBC could start its own New Year's Eve broadcast.

As I said in a previous post, Seacrest would have to give up all of his daily radio work, and the Today show would have to lower its host standards to hire him as host. Seacrest was given a shot during the Olympics, and he didn't do serious interviews. Sure you can bring up J. Fred Muggs, but I don't think Today really wants to go there again.

 

[FredLeonard]

The Today Show never was a serious news show for the most part - and it's far further from being one now than ever in the past. Seacrest's resume does not suggest lower "standards" than previous hosts including...

Dave Garroway: DJ. Jazz-variety show host.
Hugh Downs: Staff announcer. Game show host. Tonight Show announcer-sidekick.
Bryant Gumbel: Sports announcer.
Matt Lauer: Local host of PM/Evening Magazine. Local daytime talk show host.

Chancellor, McGee and Brokaw had news credentials. Not the rest.

Most people consider network TV a big step up from radio work.

 

[TheBigA]

The Today Show never was a serious news show for the most part

It remains a production of NBC News. I can't see NBC News hiring a guy who's never done a serious interview. The other names you bring up had the ability to ask incisive questions, and proved it before they got the gig. Seacrest never has. He's seen as a lightweight, and has done nothing to change that image.

Most people consider network TV a big step up from radio work.

Ryan Seacrest has already made that jump, and owns his own successful TV production company. So I think that comment is dated.

 

[FredLeonard]

The Today Show never was a serious news show for the most part

It remains a production of NBC News. I can't see NBC News hiring a guy who's never done a serious interview. The other names you bring up had the ability to ask incisive questions, and proved it before they got the gig. Seacrest never has. He's seen as a lightweight, and has done nothing to change that image.

Most people consider network TV a big step up from radio work.

Ryan Seacrest has already made that jump, and owns his own successful TV production company. So I think that comment is dated.

You had said Seacrest would have to give up a local radio show in LA to do Today. Clearly, Today is a step up, whatever else he has going on the side.

The hosts' questions are as "incisive" as the people who write them for the host, or who whisper them in the host's ear piece. None of the people I mentioned did serious interviews pre-Today. Hugh Downs didn't do them when he got the job (which provided an opening for Baba Wawa). In Garroway's case, the show did few serious interviews and when they did, they brought in Martin Agronsky or somebody else from news to do them.

No need to mention J. Fred Muggs to illustrate NBC's "standards." We've got Jenna Bush, Chelsea Clinton, Kathy Lee, Willard Scott ....

 

[TheBigA]

The hosts' questions are as "incisive" as the people who write them for the host, or who whisper them in the host's ear piece.

The audience has to BELIEVE that a question is coming from the host, or he loses credibility. He's just a tool. No one would believe a serious or hard question coming from Seacrest. It's just not his style.

No need to mention J. Fred Muggs to illustrate NBC's "standards." We've got Jenna Bush, Chelsea Clinton, Kathy Lee, Willard Scott ....

None of them were ever promoted to host.

 

[formeraa]

The Today Show never was a serious news show for the most part - and it's far further from being one now than ever in the past. Seacrest's resume does not suggest lower "standards" than previous hosts including...

Dave Garroway: DJ. Jazz-variety show host.
Hugh Downs: Staff announcer. Game show host. Tonight Show announcer-sidekick.
Bryant Gumbel: Sports announcer.
Matt Lauer: Local host of PM/Evening Magazine. Local daytime talk show host.

To be fair, Matt Lauer was a local news anchor on TINY on WNBC before joining The Today Show full time. As for Bryant Gumbel, he didn't ever claim to be a "news" person. In fact, there are well-documented stories that he declined to subsitute anchor NBC Nightly News because he realized that he wasn't a "hard news" journalist.

 

[Rube Dali the DodoHorse]

It's time for NBC to cancel the Today show. In fact, ABC and CBS should cancel their morning shows too, as all of them probably have lower ratings when you compare them to the local morning shows on most Fox stations.