Entertainment

Ann Curry to replace Meredith Vieira on ‘Today’ show

Amanda Carey Contributor
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Television’s dominant morning news show is headed for a major personnel change this June, news reports said Sunday. Ann Curry is said to be replacing Meredith Vieira as co-anchor of NBC’s the “Today” show.

The change is expected to be officially announced in a news conference Monday morning. She will be joining Vieira’s co-anchor, Matt Lauer.

Curry has been a part of “Today” since 1997. Since 2005, she has been co-anchor of the network’s prime-time show, “Dateline.” She was reportedly passed over for the job in 2006 when Vieira took over after Katie Couric’s departure.

Along with the Vieira-Curry shuffle, NBC is also expected to announce that Natalie Morales, a “Today” anchor, will replace Curry as news anchor. Savannah Guthrie, a White House correspondent and MSNBC anchor, will then take over in Morales’ spot.

The announcement comes on the heels of several other major personnel changes in network news. Couric recently announced she will be leaving her post as evening news anchor at CBS when her contract is up next month. “Sixty Minutes” correspondent Scott Pelley will reportedly succeed her.

Elsewhere, Erin Burnett of CNBC is moving to CNN.

Originally airing in 1952, the “Today” show not only leads all other network morning news programs, but is the longest. A fourth hour was added in 2007.

Vieira’s decision to leave the show is reportedly all her own. The departure was suspected last year, when Vieira opted to sign a one-year contract, rather than something more long term.