14 DAY TRIAL // The same New York Magazine expose that reveals how Matt Lauer tried to move from NBC to ABC in the aftermath of Ann Curry’s abrupt departure, also shows how far NBC would go not to give the rival network any kind of leverage in the ratings war.
After she was fired from The Today Show, more or less because Lauer did not want to speak up for her, the piece explains, Ann wanted to send a tweet of support to ABC’s anchor Robin Roberts, who had just announced she was taking a leave of absence to receive treatment for myelodysplastic syndrome.
They literally barred her from reaching out to Roberts because, the piece suggests, they were already thinking ABC was “exploiting” Roberts’ diagnosis for ratings.
“Ann Curry was gone but not gone, which created a situation of spectacular awkwardness. Any trust that had existed between Curry and Today was shattered,” the 8-page piece reads.
“When Robin Roberts left Good Morning America a month later to get treatment for MDS, Curry asked NBC if she could tweet a note of sympathy for the ABC co-host. NBC said no, afraid she was trying to aid the enemy,” adds the same expose.
Curry complied – not because she wanted to but because she had no other choice, not if she wanted to keep her job with the network.