NBC Plans to Replace Ann Curry on ‘Today’ Show, NY Times Reports

NBC executives are preparing to replace Ann Curry as a co-host on “Today,” after the morning show’s lead slipped against ABC’s “Good Morning America,” the New York Times reported.

Curry, 55, began discussing a different job with the network several weeks ago, the Times said, citing people with knowledge of the negotiations. She was elevated to co-host one year ago, opposite Matt Lauer, succeeding Meredith Vieira.

“Today,” which pioneered the morning-show format, has seen its ratings dominance imperiled by “Good Morning America,” which beat it over several weeks this year. The show is important to Comcast Corp. (CMCSA)’s NBC Universal because of the profit generated by its hundreds of millions of dollars in annual advertising revenue, the Times said.

Robert Barnett, Curry’s attorney, and Megan Kopf, a spokeswoman for “Today” in New York, declined to comment.

Comcast, based in Philadelphia, is the largest U.S. cable operator and holds a controlling stake in NBC Universal, the entertainment company that includes the NBC network, Universal Pictures and cable channels USA, CNBC and Bravo.

Comcast shares fell 0.4 percent to $31.19 yesterday in New York. They have climbed 32 percent so far this year.

To contact the reporters on this story: Anthony Palazzo in Los Angeles at apalazzo@bloomberg.net; Andy Fixmer in Los Angeles at afixmer@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Anthony Palazzo at apalazzo@bloomberg.net

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NBC Plans to Replace Ann Curry on ‘Today’ Show, NY Times Reports

Fernando Leon/Getty Images

Ann Curry, seen here, began discussing a different job with the network several weeks ago, the Times said, citing people with knowledge of the negotiations.

Ann Curry, seen here, began discussing a different job with the network several weeks ago, the Times said, citing people with knowledge of the negotiations. Photographer: Fernando Leon/Getty Images