An NBC executive who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the plan is not finalized said Monday that Jim Bell will be replaced as the show's executive producer. Veteran NBC News executive Alexandra Wallace will oversee management of Today and a search is under way for Bell's successor.
Alexandra Wallace In, Jim Bell Out At ‘Today’
NEW YORK (AP) — NBC is changing the backstage leadership at its struggling “Today” show, which has consistently been behind ABC’s “Good Morning America” in the ratings since replacing Ann Curry as an anchor this summer.
An NBC executive who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the plan is not finalized said Monday that Jim Bell will be replaced as the show’s executive producer. Veteran NBC News executive Alexandra Wallace will oversee management of “Today” and a search is under way for Bell’s successor.
NBC Sports said Bell will become executive producer of NBC’s Olympics coverage, a role he took on this summer for the network’s successful coverage of the London Olympics.
The “Today” show had a 17-year winning streak in the morning ratings, the last six under Bell’s tutelage. But its ABC competitors made inroads this spring and after the decision was made in June to have Savannah Guthrie replace Curry as Matt Lauer’s co-anchor, “Today” has fallen consistently behind in the ratings. The only exception was when NBC was in London for the Olympics, though “Today” recently has been closing the gap with “Good Morning America.”
Bell came forward several weeks ago to say that removing Curry was his decision. At the time, many viewers seemed to believe that Lauer was involved.
Wallace, top deputy to NBC News president Steve Capus and a former “NBC Nightly News” executive producer, only recently was picked to replace the executive producer of Brian Williams’ low-rated newsmagazine, “Rock Center.”
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The change at the morning news show was first reported by The New York Times.
Comments (5)
Dale Godfrey says:
November 13, 2012 at 8:45 am
NBC needs to replace practically everything on the Today Show. Population changes, the aging of the ‘old’ Today audience, i.e., 15 years ago, and the new crop of younger viewers are less attracted to ‘old bald geezers’ (as they see him) like Matt Lauer. Perhaps CBS has it best….recrafting their morning show to be about 85% NEWS, and that’s spelled N-E-W-S, and 15% fluff. Today is about 90% fluff, 5% news, and 5% features. Ain’t gonna fly as they go forward. BTW ABC, take heed.
Leigh Diamond says:
November 13, 2012 at 9:33 am
Could not agree more Mr. Scanlan, one additional point on the N-E-W-S highlight…it would be wise for the newly produced Today Show…whenever that occurs…to be a bit less LIBERAL…just the facts please….something so fundamental to the business…”…keep the audience balanced, well informed and and wanting to know more…from your broadcast” BTW…where is Ann Curry?
Gregg Palermo says:
November 13, 2012 at 10:21 am
I am in total agreement. Matt Lauer must go. Hey, the 90’s just called. Please return the Today Show to the Seinfeld/Frasier wing of the Broadcast Museum.
Dirk Lammers says:
November 13, 2012 at 10:21 am
DigitalDog2 shared my question. “Where is Ann?” In flipping channels during coverage of Sandy, I only saw Ann one night – on Nightly News and later on Rock Center. But during the rest of the disaster coverage, she seemed absent. Odd, since she has been so terrific covering disasters around the world. So where was she? On Jim Bell, I hate to see anyone lose their job – especially when I still believe Matt was behind it. Savannah might be the greatest person in the world, but whenever she shows up on Nightly News or anywhere else, I switch channels. She may have had nothing to do with Ann’s departure, but in the eyes of the American public, she (and Matt) were the ones behind Ann leaving. In addition to the content, I think that Savannah & Matt are a big part of the “Today Show” slide — the public sees what transpired in June as a messy divorce, and sees S & M as the reason for the break-up.
S Toland says:
November 13, 2012 at 2:43 pm
While I enjoyed Ann, I think Savanah is much, much better on Today. She’s representative of the brand they are trying to become: smart, bright, fresh, exuberant and tasteful. Ann just seemed glum in the morning anchor role. Ann is definitely at her best when she’s covering serious news. No doubt ABC needs to keep their head on a swivel with all the fluffy crap they’re serving up. People will get sick of a diet of ‘candy’…