Today Show Parachutes New Host into Olympics

[jon]

Hoda Kotb flown to London to aid 'Today' show's Olympic coverage
NBC insisted that it had always planned to send Kotb to London. An insider told the Daily News that Kotb's departure was up in the air, and that NBC flew her in because audiences weren’t digging Ann Curry's replacement, Savannah Guthrie.
By Carson Griffith / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Published: Tuesday, July 31, 2012, 2:00 AM
Updated: Tuesday, July 31, 2012, 2:01 PM

Will Ann Curry have the last laugh after all?

An insider told the Daily News that NBC flew Hoda Kotb to London over the weekend to take part in the “Today” show's Olympic coverage because audiences weren’t digging Curry's replacement, Savannah Guthrie.

The show source said that the beloved Kotb, who co-hosts the wine-filled, fourth hour of “Today” with Kathie Lee Gifford, received a call from the network on Thursday after a pre-Olympics broadcast fell short in the ratings department against the network's rival, ABC's “Good Morning America.”

Executives wanted Kotb to join Guthrie, co-hosts Matt Lauer, Natalie Morales and Al Roker, who were already in London.

Guthrie, the show's co-hosts, and special prime-time Olympic correspondents, Meredith Vieira and Ryan Seacrest have all had their beats established for months, the source said.

But "they're just shoehorning her into the show to help bring it alive," the source added. “They called Hoda on Thursday begging her to go to London because they said it wasn’t working like they thought.”

Kotb was set to start a two-week hiatus from the show for vacation, but she cheerfully joined the NBC gaggle in London.

“Packing my bags and heading to London this weekend — thx for all the story suggestions. You know I will do them!” the 47-year-old cheerfully tweeted on Friday after completing her show.

The Kathie Lee & Hoda blog currently says the show is “on Olympic hiatus for a little while.”

Kotb was once rumored to be the forerunner for Curry's position around the time of the former “Today” show anchor's teary June 28 departure. When asked at the time if she was interested in Curry's role she reportedly said, “I'm actually joyful where I am.”

The 40-year-old Guthrie was promoted from host of the 9 a.m. hour.

Since Guthrie filled Curry's role on July 9, “Today” has not beaten “Good Morning America” in the ratings even once.

NBC has the exclusive rights to televise the Olympics in the United States, so the source said the network was hoping to for a quick change.

During the Olympics, on average, “Today’s” audience increases approximately 30 percent, reportedly.

But when Thursday's pre-Olympics coverage didn't beat out “Good Morning America,” it was Hoda to the rescue - literally.

“She didn't hesitate in saying yes,” said the insider.

NBC insisted Tuesday morning that it had always planned to send Kotb to London and pointed to a July 17 on-air announcement by co-host Kathie Lee Gifford and to a blog post on July 20 saying she was definitely going.

"It is well-know that Hoda was traveling to London to participate in the TODAY show's Olympic coverage because we announced it on our show three weeks ago," said "Today" show spokeswoman Megan Kopf.

"She planned to spend a few days in London covering fun Olympic stories, and she talked about it on the show several times," Kopf said. "In fact, we started a well-publicized Facebook campaign on July 9 asking viewers for suggestions on what types of stories she should do at the Games."

The July 9 Facebook page actually asks whether Kopt should go: "Do you think Hoda should go to the Olympics? If you do, what do you think she should see, do, visit or tackle in London?"

And while NBC did say she'd be going July 20, our network insider maintains that Kotb's actual departure was up in the air and that Thursday's call came because of the sub-par ratings for the pre-Olympics coverage against the "Today" show's rival.

NBC asked Kotb to become "much more involved in the show than initially planned," the source said.

ref. - http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainmen ... -1.1125399

[Howaboutthat]

Maybe they're not 'digging' Guthrie because she's smart - and main NBC network coverage has sucked.

http://m.newyorker.com/online/blogs/bor ... erage.html