'Today' Show's Matt Lauer May Get Big Cut in $25M Salary After Ratings Drop
NBC may cut Matt Lauer's $25 million salary if ratings for the "Today" show don't improve in November, according to the latest report.
A source told Radar Online, that "Matt Lauer will be asked to take a significant cut in his $25million salary if TODAY doesn't win the key November sweeps," the site notes quoting a source familiar with the situation.
"The May and November sweeps dictate how much the networks can charge for advertising and they are extremely important to the bottom line," the source added. "The TODAY show had always been a cash cow for NBC, generating hundreds of millions of dollars of revenue."
According to the report, Lauer's salary is the biggest part of the "Today" show's budget and NBC Universal is taking steps to cut budgets of its shows.
Another big change that the "Today" show is expected to do is adding Willie Geist to the 9 am hour alongside Natalie Morales, Al Roker and Savannah Guthrie.
Lauer is facing strong backlash from Ann Curry's firing, as reports claimed he was the one behind the decision to oust Curry from "Today."
Lauer's "likability" has declined 25 percent over the past year, according to ratings service Q scores.
