‘Today’ exec dismissed by NBC News, Jamie Horowitz, a former ESPN executive hired 10 weeks ago to supervise the “Today” show, has been fired as of Monday after what coworkers said was continuous conflicts with staff members at NBC, the New York Times reported.
“I want to let you know that, effective today, Jamie Horowitz will be leaving NBC News,” Turness wrote. “Jamie joined us in September as General Manager of the Today brand. He’s a talented producer and executive, but, together, he and I have come to the conclusion that this is not the right fit.”
Horowitz was originally expected to join the network in December, but he began taking meetings at “Today” in September. His successor has not been announced as of press time, but Turness said the role “will be filled in due course.” In the meantime, Turness “will work closely with both Don Nash and Jen Brown to oversee ‘Today’.”
Horowitz’s firing was reportedly due to friction between the former ESPN executive and Turness as well as the entire “Today” show staff. He allegedly alienated the crew by asking them which producers should be fired, and told the staff that their colleagues were talking about them behind their backs.
According to TheWrap’s source, his vision to reclaim No. 1 status from ABC’s “Good Morning America” was not met favorably by the show’s anchors, as he spent more time taking talent and producers on a “listening tour” than formulating new ideas for the show.
Horowitz has not responded to request for comment on the story.
Agencies/Canadajournal