Don’t underestimate simply how vital Hoda Kotb has been to NBC Information and, specifically, the “Right now” present.
Kotb, who has been at “Right now” for almost 20 years, introduced on air Thursday that she was stepping down from the present early subsequent yr. She simply turned 60 in August and mentioned, “I spotted that it was time for me to show the web page at 60, and to attempt one thing new.”
However again to her affect earlier than speaking about what’s subsequent for her and the present.
Kotb was a mainstay within the 10 a.m. hour of “Right now,” and was paired with co-host Kathie Lee Gifford. The 2 meshed completely speaking about every part from carefree superstar gossip to severe matters, notably medical points involving girls.
Then got here the bombshell on Nov. 29, 2017. That morning, Kotb joined “Right now” present co-host Savannah Guthrie on air to inform the world that longtime and widespread “Right now” present co-host Matt Lauer had been fired after a feminine colleague accused him of sexual misconduct.
NBC turned to Kotb to take over as an emergency co-host with Guthrie. Inside weeks, due to her professionalism and on-air chemistry with Guthrie, Kotb was named a everlasting co-host. And partly because of Kotb, the present navigated its means by way of the Lauer mess and continued to attract sturdy viewership numbers.
The New York Times’ Michael M. Grynbaum and John Koblin wrote, “‘Right now’ has a cushty scores lead over ABC and CBS amongst adults underneath the age of 54, the age bracket very important to advertisers. During the last yr, ABC’s ‘Good Morning America’ continues to carry a lead in complete viewers, however ‘Right now’ has received the important thing scores demographic for 58 consecutive weeks, its largest successful streak in additional than three years.”
Kotb, who joined NBC as a correspondent on “Dateline” in 1998, isn’t strolling away altogether. She plans to do different issues for NBC, though that hasn’t been introduced but.
Kotb advised The New York Occasions, “I simply thought the universe was chatting with me. It is a time in life for wanting inside you, and determining what your yearnings are, your callings — the place or what course you’re headed throughout this new decade.”
She additionally desires to spend extra time along with her younger youngsters. She adopted her oldest daughter in 2017 after which her second daughter in 2019.
Kotb advised the Occasions, “I’ve a time pie in entrance of me, and I believe my youngsters deserve an even bigger slice of that pie.”
So what does NBC Information do now? Kotb leaves behind probably the most coveted gigs in TV information — co-host of a morning present. Truly, Kotb is leaving two chairs open. She was nonetheless co-hosting the ten a.m. alongside Jenna Bush Hager.
CNN’s Jordan Valinsky and Brian Stelter reported NBC wouldn’t possible title her successor for a number of months. Not that there’s a rush, since Kotb isn’t leaving till early 2025.
A number one contender to switch Kotb is “Right now” present information anchor Craig Melvin, who typically fills in as co-host when Kotb or Guthrie is out. Different names being floated on the market embrace “Right now third Hour” co-host Sheinelle Jones; Carson Daly, who is an element of the present “Right now” present solid; and “Right now” climate correspondent Dylan Dreyer.
After all, NBC Information may go outdoors the present “Right now” household.
When Mark Thompson took over because the boss at CNN nearly a yr in the past, he was very clear about his imaginative and prescient. CNN, he mentioned, needed to up its digital sport to maintain up with the competitors within the information enterprise.
Nicely, CNN is taking a significant step in its digital sport. Beginning subsequent month, it would experiment with a paywall for its much-read web site.
The New York Times’ Benjamin Mullin reported, “The corporate is planning a so-called metered mannequin, which would require the location’s routine customers to pay after studying a sure variety of articles, (sources) mentioned. Many different publishers, together with The New York Occasions and The New Yorker, have used metered paywalls to generate subscriptions over the previous decade. The beginning value of a subscription is unclear. However the two individuals mentioned that CNN would begin with an affordable providing to gauge buyer demand.”
CNN’s web site attracts tons of of hundreds of thousands of tourists every month. The massive query, in fact, is whether or not those that learn CNN typically are prepared to pay for his or her on-line content material.
ESPN’s layoffs have claimed one other well-known persona.
The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand reports that NBA senior author Zach Lowe has been let go.
This got here as a shock, contemplating ESPN simply misplaced NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, who stunningly left to take a job within the athletic division of his alma mater, St. Bonaventure. Lowe and Wojnarowski don’t do the very same factor, however it’s curious ESPN would half methods with one high-profile member of their NBA protection so quickly after shedding one other. And despite the fact that it was left off the hook for Wojnarowski’s $7 million a yr wage, ESPN nonetheless determined to trim its payroll by shedding Lowe.
Marchand wrote, “Lowe’s wage, which was in extra of seven figures yearly, was the most important consider ESPN’s determination, in accordance with sources briefed on the phrases of his contract. He’s anticipated to be the ultimate layoff of this spherical.”
Lowe, one of many extra revered NBA voices on the market, had been at ESPN for 12 years. Lowe’s layoff follows different notable cuts that claimed NFL analyst Robert Griffin III and NFL host Samantha Ponder in August.
The Washington Post’s Ben Strauss wrote, “Lowe has been a mainstay of NBA protection on the community since he was employed by Invoice Simmons to cowl the league for Grantland, the now-defunct on-line journal. He was a part of a gaggle of progressive-minded writers whose protection targeted on statistical evaluation, and he was one of many first sportswriters to incorporate detailed video breakdowns in his columns.”
Simmons now runs The Ringer, and Lowe typically seems on Simmons’ podcast. So, maybe, Lowe may be a part of The Ringer. Lowe additionally was internet hosting his personal podcast, “Lowe Put up.”
- The professional-Trump, right-wing cable station Newsmax has settled its huge defamation lawsuit with the voting machine firm Smartmatic simply because the trial was about to start. Phrases weren’t instantly disclosed. CNN’s Marshall Cohen wrote, “A loss at trial may have put Newsmax on the hook to pay tens of hundreds of thousands of {dollars} to Smartmatic, placing the small cable channel in monetary peril.” Smartmatic had accused Newsmax of amplifying false claims that its machines rigged the voting rely to sway the 2020 presidential election to Joe Biden over Trump. Newsmax remains to be dealing with a defamation swimsuit from Dominion Voting Programs. Dominion, you’ll bear in mind, obtained $787 million when Fox Information agreed to settle a defamation lawsuit. Far-right channel One America Information settled with Smartmatic earlier this yr. And Smartmatic nonetheless has a pending swimsuit in opposition to Fox Information, which has denied Smartmatic’s allegations.
- Right here’s the assertion from Smartmatic: “We’re very happy to have secured the completion of the case in opposition to Newsmax. We at the moment are wanting ahead to our court docket day in opposition to Fox and Fox Information for his or her disinformation marketing campaign. Mendacity to the American individuals has penalties. Smartmatic is not going to cease till the perpetrators are held accountable.”
- CNN’s Hadas Gold with “Murdoch family holds its breath as future of media empire hangs in the balance.”
- The BBC’s Nick Marsh with “Hong Kong jails two journalists for sedition.”
- Former first girl Melania Trump gave a uncommon interview, speaking with Fox Information’ Ainsley Earhardt for a phase on “Fox & Pals.” The New York Occasions’ Katie Rogers broke it down with three takeaways from the interview.
- Following Donald Trump posting on social media that he hates Taylor Swift, my Poynter colleague Roy Peter Clark writes “Breaking down Donald Trump’s use of the word ‘hate.’”
- The New York Occasions’ Katie Robertson and Mike Isaac with “Spurned by Social Media, Publishers Chase Readers on WhatsApp.”
- The Baltimore Banner’s Tim Prudente, Brenna Smith and Daniel Zawodny with “Down in that metal nightmare: Untold stories of the Key Bridge disaster.”
- NewsNation is producing a documentary on President Invoice Clinton. “Clinton: Portrait of a Presidency,” is scheduled to air at 8 p.m. Jap on Nov. 3. The 2-hour doc will probably be narrated by actor Blair Underwood.
- Writing for The Washington Put up, Will Leitch with “The new ‘Matlock’ is for old people. That’s why Gen X loves it.”
- The Los Angeles Occasions’ Meredith Blake, Matt Brennan, Amy Kaufman, Ashley Lee, Mark Olsen, Mark E. Potts and Glenn Whipp with “17 actors, writers, directors and ‘SNL’ alumni choose their top sketch of all time.”
Have suggestions or a tip? Electronic mail Poynter senior media author Tom Jones at [email protected].
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