New York – Already flashing signs of an easy rapport with Matt Lauer four months after their first “blind date,” Meredith Vieira was introduced Thursday as his new “Today” show partner.
NBC moved swiftly to get Vieira, 52, in place one day after Katie Couric announced she was taking a job as “CBS Evening News” anchor.
It’s the first on-air personnel change in a decade on television’s dominant morning program.
Vieira has spent the past nine years on the daytime chat show “The View” but also has an extensive news background, including a stint on “60 Minutes.”
“If you were building a morning show host from scratch, she would be the prototype,” said Jeff Zucker, chief executive of the NBC Universal Television Group. “She has the perfect combination of news background and talk background. She’s got intelligence, grace, humor, and those are the qualities you look for when you’re trying to fill this role.”
NBC chose Vieira over several internal candidates, including weekend “Today” anchor Campbell Brown, newswoman Natalie Morales and “Today” newsreader Ann Curry.
