Ryan Seacrest In Talks To Take Matt Lauer's Spot on 'Today'
It Looks like Ryan Seacrest may have yet another job.
Fox News reports receiving information that NBC is pursuing Ryan Seacrest to replace Matt Lauer on the "Today" show, should Lauer relinquish his co-anchor position next year.
NBC executives - including "Today" show’s Executive Producer Jim Bell, NBC News President Steve Capus and Senior Vice President for Marketing and Communications of NBC Lauren Kappmet - met with Seacrest on Tuesday evening to discuss the possibility of him joining the show.
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The talks may just be preliminary or a negotiating tactic for NBC’s executives, who need a quick yet feasible alternative should Lauer leave the position. Lauer has been a regular on “Today” when several long-time anchors including Katie Couric and Meredith Vieira have moved on. He has hinted to executives that he may leave the show.
Comcast has taken a majority stake in NBCUniversal this year and has been having meetings with Seacrest over the past few months about his progressing with the company. Currently, Seacrest hosts and produces a daily news show on NBCUniversal's E! Network. In addition, Seacrest hosts E! red-carpet specials. His company, Ryan Seacrest Productions, produces popular shows for E! including “Keeping Up With The Kardashians” and spinoff’s like “Khloe and Lamar” and Kourtney and Kim Take New York”. Seacrest's deal with NBCUniversal is set to expire in early 2012.
Ryan Seacrest also hosts American Idol fracnchise shows along with his own radio show, 102.7 KIIS FM in Los Angeles.
No comment from Seacrest or Lauer’s representatives have been made regarding the "Today" show rumors.
