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NBC’s attempt to push “Today” back into first place ahead of ABC rival “GMA” by hiring top ESPN programmer Jamie Horowitz has ended in turmoil after he was fired Monday night amid a climate of “instability and insecurity,” sources tell Page Six.Horowitz, who was hired last year following a negotiation with ABC to allow him out of his ESPN contract early to take the reins as SVP of “Today,” was fired by NBC News President Deborah Turness. She had said at the time of his hiring, “Jamie has the skills, the talent and the experience to lead the Today brand into the future. He is first and foremost a great producer … [and] he comes at things from unexpected angles and has a popular touch combined with real intellectual creativity.”Horowitz, who has recently been on a “listening tour” taking in the opinions of “Today” staff, was released from his job even before his official Dec. 1 start date when he was due to oversee all four hours of the show.An NBC source said, “There was a lot of insecurity and instability created when he walked in the door. He would pit anchors against anchors and producers against producers and it created a lot of internal problems. He would ask the staff who they wanted to be their seniors and who were the weakest links in the organization. While a fresh eye was welcomed to help beat ‘GMA,’ everybody felt their jobs were on the line. Jamie is a smart guy, but this approach didn’t work on such a big, tight-knit show. The show has been through a very tough time in the last few weeks.”While Page Six reported that Natalie Morales and Tamron Hall had recently been feuding over their positions at “Today,” other sources suggested that Horowitz’s longtime friendship with Josh Elliott, who is now in a sports role at NBC and will appear on “Today” regularly, was also seen as a problem. A second source said, “Josh is a talented and welcome part of the ‘Today’ team, but the idea that he would get Matt [Lauer]’s job in the immediate future is just wrong. Matt has just signed a new long-term contract.”But other sources point to larger issues at play within the NBC News division. One TV insider said, “This is just another example of personality clashes and witch hunts in an organization which is on the back foot.” It is believed that NBC will have to pay Horowitz around $3 million for the remainder of his contract.Turness said in an NBC memo Monday night:Quote‘Dear All: I want to let you know that, effective today, Jamie Horowitz will be leaving NBC News. Jamie joined us in September as General Manager of the TODAY brand. He’s a talented producer and executive, but, together, he and I have come to the conclusion that this is not the right fit. Because of the hard work of so many of you, and an anchor team that is hitting on all cylinders, the show has great momentum and is closing the ratings gap. The exclusives keep coming and there is a great energy both on- and off-air, and in digital and social. My focus – as always – is to support this special brand and its amazing and dedicated staff, and to position it for continued success. The role of General Manager remains an important one, and will be filled in due course. In the interim, I will work closely with both Don Nash and Jen Brown to oversee TODAY. Please join me in thanking Jamie and wishing him the best. Deborah’NBC did not immediately comment and Horowitz could not be reached Monday night.
‘Dear All: I want to let you know that, effective today, Jamie Horowitz will be leaving NBC News. Jamie joined us in September as General Manager of the TODAY brand. He’s a talented producer and executive, but, together, he and I have come to the conclusion that this is not the right fit. Because of the hard work of so many of you, and an anchor team that is hitting on all cylinders, the show has great momentum and is closing the ratings gap. The exclusives keep coming and there is a great energy both on- and off-air, and in digital and social. My focus – as always – is to support this special brand and its amazing and dedicated staff, and to position it for continued success. The role of General Manager remains an important one, and will be filled in due course. In the interim, I will work closely with both Don Nash and Jen Brown to oversee TODAY. Please join me in thanking Jamie and wishing him the best. Deborah’
Matt Lauer was behind the firing of top “Today” executive Jamie Horowitz after he found out about a plan to replace his co-anchor Savannah Guthrie with Hoda Kotb, sources exclusively tell Page Six.We’re told Lauer went to NBC News President Deborah Turness amid an anchor revolt sparked by rumors that, under a possible plan by Horowitz which had been discussed with NBC brass including Turness, Guthrie would be replaced by fourth-hour co-host Kotb and Natalie Morales could be eventually unseated as news reader by Josh Elliott.An NBC source said: “Savannah, Natalie and Willie Geist heard about the plan and talked to Matt, who went to Turness and told her, ‘I want to keep these people,’ so she fired Jamie. Once again, Matt Lauer calls the shots at ‘Today.’ The idea of bringing Jamie in was to bring change to the show to help beat ‘GMA,’ but how can you fix it if nobody can make any changes?”NBC announced Monday night that after weeks of turmoil at “Today,” Horowitz, a former ESPN programmer hired less than three months ago as general manager and SVP of the show to halt its ratings slide, was fired after what sources described as conflicts with staff, producers and NBC brass.Horowitz, who has been on a “listening tour” taking in the opinions of “Today” staff and talent, was released from his job even before his official Dec. 1 start date.NBC will have to pay Horowitz about $3 million for the remainder of his contract.Turness held a 1:30 p.m. meeting Tuesday with “Today” talent to explain Horowitz’s abrupt departure. A source tells us of the meeting, “Some of the staff did ask, ‘Now what are we going to do to win?’”When asked about the anchor uproar, Turness told us, “We have the best anchor team and the best show in morning television, and we are solely focused on the future.”
Who gives a flip what NBC does? NOBODY watches them anymore! NOBODY!
