Wolff says that the problems are manifold, from too many executives with too little power, to the digital transformation of the news, and the fact that NBC’s parent company Comcast is really “a pipes and infrastructure company” with little or no experience in running a network.
Of course, it could simply be bad product, too.
Today is stretched across four hours, as opposed to two for the other two networks, meaning that they have to fill more time with less meaningful content. Solutions: spin off
Kathie Lee and Hoda as its own show and cut
Today from its three remaining hours back to two. Also: Matt Lauer is proving himself to be more and more of an idiot every day. Bring someone in who is actually knowledgeable.
GMA is successful because it knows the daytime audience:
women. To a man like me, that show is unwatchable, but most people in my demographic won't ever watch, usually because we're at work. CBS is a laggard because it doesn't care about that and generally has tried to put out a better product regardless (Sharyl Atkisson aside). So if
Today wants to regain momentum, they need to craft their product to those who can and will watch.
Meet the Press benefited greatly from the stability Tim Russert brought to the channel. With him gone, it's been a downhill slide ever since, and now
Face the Nation (which likewise has the stable hand of Bob Schieffer, the likewise stable lead-in of
Sunday Morning, and the expensive but lucrative NFL contract as a lead-out) has the lead. There's not much NBC can do about that, other than hope Charles Osgood and Bob Schieffer retire or die.
I'd also venture to guess that MSNBC's hard-left turn the past few years is not helping the NBC News reputation as an impartial media outlet, which could very well be dragging down the rest of the network. Solution: shut it down. In fact, there are a couple Comcast channels that could either be integrated or closed entirely. (CNBC only airs new stuff during the day, NBCSN's prime content plays at night. Do a Nickelodeon-style time split.)
