Report: Meredith Vieira To Leave TODAY In June, Ann Curry Tapped As New Co-Host

The Hollywood Reporter is citing “sources with direct knowledge of the situation” to report Meredith Vieira, as expected, will be leaving NBC’s dominant TODAY show in June, nearly three months before the end of her contract. Ann Curry will take Vieira’s spot as co-host alongside Matt Lauer, according to the report, and Natalie Morales will replace Curry as newsreader.

Insiders say the moves were made to carefully protect the TODAY brand from a newly invigorated challenge by ABC’s Good Morning America:

By elevating Curry and Morales, Today executives have the benefit of personalities that are familiar to viewers at a time of pronounced tumult in television news in general. Earlier this week, Katie Couric announced that she will step down as anchor of the CBS Evening News. And while she will mount a daytime program with former NBC News executive Jeff Zucker, Couric is also looking for a part-time perch at a news division with ABC News among her suitors. ABC News president Ben Sherwood has already hired several new faces: The Insider’s Lara Spencer and ESPN’s Josh Elliott will join Good Morning America.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!