Jim Bell, Who Fired Ann Curry, Is Replaced As NBC's 'Today' Executive Producer
Jim Bell, the man responsible for firing Ann Curry from NBC's "Today" show, has now been reassigned, according to reports from the Los Angeles Times.
The morning show’s ratings have continued to decline even with Curry gone, indicating that the morning anchor was not to blame for "Today’s" low ratings.
Curry was replaced with Savannah Guthrie, but "Today" has fallen even farther behind rival “Good Morning America” on ABC.
The show had been first in morning ratings for 16 years until this year, according to the L.A. Times.
Bell has been replaced as executive producer by NBC News VP Alexandra Wallace, who becomes the first woman to lead "Today" in its 60-year history, Perez Hilton wrote.
According to an insider who spoke to the celebrity blogger, Wallace's arrival could be key for co-host Matt Lauer because if the ratings don’t recover, he allegedly faces a massive pay cut.
NBC Universal reassigned Bell, who had been executive producer of the show for seven years, to be the full-time executive producer of NBC's coverage of upcoming Olympic Games on Tuesday.
The network believes he’s a good fit after being in charge of the London Olympics coverage.
In a statement NBC Sports said of Bell’s new role within that he will have "editorial and creative control over NBC’s Games.”
“There is no doubt that Jim is the right person to be our Olympic production leader into the future,” Mark Lazarus, NBC Sports chairman, said in a statement. “Jim has worked with the best in the Olympic television world, and we’re excited to have him join us as the full-time executive producer.”
Maybe bringing Ann Curry back could help with ratings, too.
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