It looks like the “Today” show is reaching back to its very successful past to bring it back to its glory days.
NBC News is in “advanced talks to bring on former ‘Today’ senior producer-turned-screenwriter Noah Oppenheim to serve as senior VP at NBC News, giving him oversight of the morning show and essentially filling the vacancy created by the recent firing of ‘Today’ general manager Jamie Horowitz,” writes Joe Adalian for New York Magazine’s Daily Intelligencer.
Adalian, a former TVWeeker, also notes that Oppenheim, “[C]o-wrote the adaptation of last fall’s box office hit ‘The Maze Runner’ and more recently was tapped to write the third film in the ‘Divergent’ franchise,’ ‘Allegiant.’”
Adds Steve Battaglio in the Los Angeles Times, “During his tenure at ‘Today,’ Oppenheim oversaw the 7 a.m. hour, which is where the bulk of the program’s hard-news reporting runs. But with his background in the entertainment business, he is expected to have a strong point of view on the program’s softer content as well.”
Battaglio also writes, “Oppenheim was a popular figure at ‘Today’ during his previous stint, which ran from 2005 through 2008. NBC News executives said they believe that he will have the trust of staffers and anchors needed to enact a new strategy to challenge ABC’s ‘Good Morning America,’ the current ratings leader.”
By the way, when it comes to the “Today” show, Battaglio really knows what of he speaks, since he wrote the book on “Today.” He wrote the 2011 book “From Yesterday to TODAY: Six Decades of America’s Favorite Morning Show.”
The only way they can salvage this train wreck is to cut the extra 2 hours, get rid of half the hosts, put Al Roker back to where he just did the weather (he’s one of the most annoying people on earth). Focus on the news (why be in the news division) instead of “informing” us about the latest Kate Gosslen plea for attention and things of that ilk. I can’t watch this show anymore it gives me seizures.
Window dressing? My guess is that the “Today Show’s” glory days are over and behind them. Matt Lauer and most of the cast has aged beyond the demo..,new faces on their new faces is not enough to propel them back to number one.
Whatever you do, DO NOT fire Tampon Hall and Al Rocker. They are consummate professionals. Their loss would be detrimental to your ratings. Frankly, I am a big fan of the show as is. All the anchors work well together. They have great chemistry.
Good luck and God speed!
Oops … Tamron Hall. Please correct my post immediately It’s way to early in the morning. This is a major typo. I deeply apologize Tamron.