This week has been full or rumors and reports of people leaving their seats as TV journalists and presenters, the latest comes in the form of Matt Lauer who is supposedly leaving The Today Show when his contract expires next year.
Entertainment Tonight report that Lauer’s contract expires on December 31st 2012 and he has no intentions to sign the dotted line on another contract. This comes hot off the heels of the news that his co-presenter Meredith Vieria may not renew her contract for Today when it expires later this year. Today show bosses released a statement saying:
“There seems to be an awful lot of speculation around news anchors these days, and it’s not our practice to comment on any of it. Matt Lauer has a long term contract with NBC News and ‘Today.’ The Today Show anchors are currently under contract and firmly in place.”"
This all comes with the news that Matt’s former Today Show co-host, Katie Couric, is also leaving her gig on the Evening News after joining the show back in 2006.
Now there are rumors that both Matt and Katie are planning on teaming up with Jeff Zucker, the former Today Show exec producer, and launch their own show. I guess time will tell how this all pans out.
The resignation this week of ABC entertainment honcho Steve McPherson was surprising enough, but now the affair has taken an ugly turn.
The Hollywood Reporter claims McPherson, who’s led the network for six years, resigned as he was the subject of an ongoing, formal investigation surrounding charges of sexual harassment. The resignation comes just as the networks are preparing to showcase their fall lineups for TV critics.
McPherson’s attorney, Tom Hoberman, issued a statement to the Reporter, which, curiously, didn’t include specific denials of the rumors surrounding an investigation:
“Upon Steve McPherson returning to work from his vacation on Monday, he made a voluntary decision to resign and ABC accepted his resignation. It is not uncommon for high level executives to be the subject of gossip and innuendo. That would include rumors of internal situations which can easily be misinterpreted or misrepresented. Seems like it goes with the territory, and there is nothing further to discuss.”
ABC also didn’t deny the rumors, and responded to questions by simply re-issuing the statement they made when McPherson resigned on Tuesday:
“Steve McPherson today submitted his resignation as President, ABC Entertainment Group, and the Company accepted. Mr. McPherson said, ‘I want to thank the wonderful team of individuals who have worked with me throughout my time here and wish them nothing but the best.’ A replacement for Mr. McPherson will be announced shortly.”
McPherson’s resignation was particularly surprising given the timing, as ABC and the other broadcast and cable networks are presenting their fall programming lineups to TV critics this week in Los Angeles during the annual summer Television Critics Association tour.
But THR’s sources say several complaints of sexual harassment had been filed against McPherson, and that a formal investigation had begun three weeks before he resigned.
The complaints are said to involve both network executives and on-air talent at ABC, and to include e-mails as well as an incident that took place during a company retreat.
As for McPherson replacements, ABC Family head Paul Lee is thought to be the main contender.
Next up, the other woman, the baby… and the sex tape. Not necessarily in that order.
For months now it has been a topic of conversation in America. Is Rush Limbaugh the de facto leader of the Republican party?
Following the defeat of John McCain in the November election, an executive vacuum formed at the top of the party. The same was true when John Kerry failed to best George W. Bush back in 2004, and returned to his old day job in the U.S. Senate. But after McCain’s thumping, Limbaugh stepped up to fill the leadership void.
Much to the delight of Democrats, Limbaugh offered his prescriptions on how the GOP should go about rebuilding itself. His insights often clashed with those of other Republicans–Colin Powell and Michael Steele among them–and generated a ton of publicity.
While his unofficial spot atop the Republican pop-charts was great for radio ratings, it put many within the party in a difficult position. Those who dared criticize Rush aloud routinely found themselves apologizing in the next breath. Others simply adhered to Ronald Reagan’s 11th commandment, hiding Republican-on-Republican strife from the light of day.
Well, Limbaugh’s stormy tenure as the “titular” head of the party is now, officially over. Here’s Rush, giving his resignation, and taking more swings at Colin Powell in the process.
I thought Limbaugh was more interesting when he was bagging scripts for Oxycontin.
source: Rush Limbaugh Resigns Post As Republican Leader? [politics daily]
