“Today” star Savannah Guthrie has more than a year left on her current $7 million-a-year contract and will remain at NBC's Studio 1A for the time being, industry sources tell Page Six.
Rumors are circulating that Guthrie's co-anchor, Hoda Kotb, announced her sudden departure from the show last week, giving Guthrie, 52, a total blowout.
“After the election, there were rumors that Savannah was planning her own exit strategy for next year, but Hoda made that nearly impossible,” a TV source told Page Six.
NBC staff said Guthrie, who will take over the reins of the network's election night coverage next month, is the author of the New York Times bestseller “What God Doth: Thoughts on God's Acts.'' , I suspected that I was paving the way to a future other than “today.” Seeking and Finding” is said to date back to February.
“Savannah has often talked about how she didn't want to overstay her welcome on Today. I honestly took this book as an indication of what her life would be like after Today.” ” said one highly placed NBC staffer.
“My hunch is that Hoda has scooped her up completely.”
A TV source said, “Of course, no one at NBC wants Savannah to leave. If her bosses have their way, I think she'll be here for the rest of her life. She's the heartbeat of 'Today.' It's central and she has a lot of support.
“There aren't many people who can dress up as Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders for Halloween, interview the president, and cover major breaking news stories.”
Ms Kotb, 60, gave a speech to Today staff after emotionally breaking the news of her resignation on air, saying Ms Guthrie followed her to “rally the troops”.
“We had a staff meeting right after the announcement. Hoda spoke, the bosses spoke, Savannah spoke, and it was beautiful,” a Today source said. “[Guthrie] They provided the Today team with the care they really needed at that moment. ”
“Today” has surpassed ABC rival “Good Morning America” in total viewers for the past two months and has won in the key news demo (adults 25-54) for the past eight years.
pack news Kotb, who was making more than $20 million a year, decided to leave after NBC executives offered him a pay cut, according to Friday's report. The media also reported that Guthrie's annual salary is more than $20 million.
But a senior source at NBC estimates that Mr. Guthrie and Mr. Kotb currently earn about $7 million to $8 million a year. Before leaving in 2017, disgraced Today anchor Matt Lauer was under contract for an estimated annual salary of $25 million.
“Matt Lauer was making all that money, and when he left, he also took that kind of paycheck,” a senior NBC source said.
As for who will replace Kotb when he leaves the show next year, industry insiders say the frontrunners are Craig Melvin, the new “Today” anchor, and NBC News. Laura Jarrett, senior legal correspondent, says it appears they are already co-reporters. He hosts Saturday's “Today” show.
Jarrett is the daughter of Valerie Jarrett, who served as a senior adviser to President Barack Obama.
“Today's audience is politically right-leaning, so the question will be whether they'll welcome Valerie Jarrett's daughter into Hoda's seat,” a TV source said.
But multiple NBC officials said there is no clear front-runner yet.
“A lot of different people know they need to step up,” said one NBC source. “When a global crisis is unfolding, you have to be able to look up and trust the people watching on the airwaves.”
