Ann Curry’s departure from NBC’s “Today” show continues to play out in the news. According to an April 18 report in the New York Times, the perky former “Today” show co-host was devastated over her departure.
Revealing excerpts from reporter Brian Stelter’s book, “Top of the Morning: Inside the Cutthroat World of Morning TV,” the New York Times wrote, “Curry felt that the boys’ club atmosphere behind the scenes at “Today” undermined her from the start, and she told friends that her final months were a form of professional torture.”
Continuing his dissection of morning television, Stelter observed that Curry, who was a former NBC television fixture, is now barely seen on air. “Curry was now NBC’s “national and international correspondent” and the anchor at large for “Today,” but these titles seemed honorary,” said Stelter.
“Curry had appeared on “Today” only a handful of times since her ouster. She had no role in NBC’s coverage of election night or Inauguration Day. She taped a few stories for “Rock Center,” the prime-time newsmagazine show, but as she explained on Twitter, her bosses kept rescheduling them.”
While it has been almost a year since her ouster, the effects of Curry’s departure were immediately felt by the network. “Just one day after Curry signed off, the advantage “Today” had over its top rival, ABC’s “Good Morning America,” turned into a 600,000-viewer deficit. Millions in advertising revenue vanished.”
From claims of sexism to just blunt good old boys network, Curry’s departure was a media frenzy, blamed on her reported lack of chemistry with co-host Matt Lauer –a claim she reportedly refutes.
For Curry, all this media attention and the aftermath of her exit took its toll, according to Stelter.
He wrote, “Curry, who spent much of the past year lying low at her home in New Canaan, Conn., had not yet recovered, either. She still often woke before dawn as if she were about to go on the air. Some mornings, she cried as she read e-mail and Twitter messages from fans.”
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