Matt Lauer TODAY Anchor "Obsessively Watches Good Morning America" Says Source
Matt Lauer has been "obsessively watching Good Morning America" to understand why the rival morning show has attracted more viewers than "TODAY," the show he co-anchors.
A show insider has revealed that Lauer has "recorded ("GMA") on his DVR on his television at his office "to help him understand why GMA continues to beat the TODAY Show."
"Matt pays particular attention to the chemistry of the cast and focuses more on the first hour of the show, which tends to focus more on news and hard hitting interviews," a source told Radar Online. "Matt thought that once Robin Roberts went on medical leave, TODAY would resume first place in the ratings race, but that hasn't happened, and he just doesn't understand why. Matt takes this very personally," the source added.
Lauer, 54, reportedly "just doesn't seem to grasp is that viewers of the TODAY show have been tuning out in droves because of him," the source continued. "The numbers don't lie, and he can watch GMA, and any other news show but it just doesn't change the fact."
Last month, a source claimed that Lauer, who earns a whopping $25 million a year, was at risk of being fired from NBC if ratings did not improve by February, 2013.
"News executive Alexandra Wallace has told NBC bosses she will have to replace Matt if the ratings continue to tank," a show insider claimed. "If viewers continue preferring Good Morning America over the TODAY show that revenue will decrease and cuts will have to be made."
Wallace later spoke came forward to debunk the claim. She defended Lauer and said "there is absolutely no truth" to the report.
"There have been some recent outrageous claims regarding Matt and the 'Today' show, and an awful lot of piling on from nameless, faceless sources," Wallace told New York Post. "These stories are wrong and irresponsible."
Nielsen ratings showed that "G.M.A." averaged 466,000 more than NBC's "Today" show during the November sweeps, according to The New York Times.
