PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY NBC

ERASING THE 'FACE'

OF THE TODAY SHOW
 About the Today Show
CASE STUDY
A look at how NBC News
handled sexual harassment
claims against their top news
anchor, and "face" of the
Today Show. PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY EVERETT COLLECTION

On June 20, 2019, The Today Show What Happened

celebrated 25 years in their 49th Street
Studio. In celebration of this milestone
moment, they posted a montage of
memories, photos, and videos captured
at Studio 1A. The only problem with their
montage? Matt Lauer was missing. Many
fans called out the Today Show for
omitting Matt Lauer, who was the host
since 1997.
What happened that would cause a
major studio to completely erase one of
their key staff persons of over 20 years?
About the Today Show
Breaking News!
On November 29, 2017, NBC announced that
longtime Today Show host Matt Lauer, was fired
following claims of sexual misconduct (Farhi, 2017).
The story broke at the start of the show, where
Savannah Guthie, joined by her colleague Hoda
Kotb, informed viewers that they just learned about
Lauer’s termination through the memo circulated
by Lack. Savannah read the memo.
Multiple Women Come Forward
Not long after the announcement of Lauer’s
termination, NBC reported that two more
complaints were received against Lauer (Gonzales
et al, 2017).

The Today Show (also called Today) is an

American talk morning show that airs on
NBC and has been running since 1952. The
Today Show is one of the highest rated
shows on television- drawing in millions of
viewers nationwide. Several Today Show
hosts have become household names, and
include Barbara Walters, Bryant Gumble,
Katie Couric, Al Roker, and Matt Lauer
(New York Times). PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY NBC NEWS

Kennedy | 2
 What Happened
An Exclusive Report- Variety Magazine

Later that day, Variety published an exclusive

and included a detailed report following a two-
month investigation that involved interviews
with dozens of current and former staff
members (Setoodeh & Wagmeister, 2017).

The report revealed that Lauer’s termination

was the result of a detailed complaint from a
current NBC employee about inappropriate
PHOTO CREDIT: TODAY SHOW
conduct from Lauer at the Sochi Olympics in
2014 that continued for several months after
(Setoodeh & Wagmeister, 2017). In the report,
multiple women accused Lauer of sexual
harassment, making lewd comments verbally "Despite being married, Lauer was fixated on women,
especially their bodies and looks, according to more than
or through text message, coercion, sexual
10 accounts from current and former employees."
misconduct, and suggestive reference. There (Setoodeh & Wagmeister, 2017).
were also claims that NBC executives were
aware of his behavior but protected Lauer due "Several women told Variety they complained to executives at the network
about Lauer’s behavior, which fell on deaf ears given the lucrative
to the popularity of the Today Show and the advertising surrounding “Today.” (Setoodeh & Wagmeister, 2017).
desire to keep Matt happy.

Public Reaction
The announcement shocked millions of viewers.
Lauer was the show's host since 1994; was
loved by many; considered to be the face of the
Today show; welcomed into the homes of
millions of viewers.
The complaints came during the #MeToo
movement, a time when sexual harassment
involving powerful and high-profile men in
entertainment, politics, and the media was
dominating headlines. This was another
#MeToo story with a powerful man using his
position of authority and influence to abuse and
harass women.
Videos started circulating that showed past
interviews that shined light on Lauer as anti-
women, and pressure mounted on NBC to change
their ways. NBC colleagues came forward
expressing shock, while others shared their own
experiences.
While the announcement was brief and aired live
during the Today Show on November 27, 2017, it
quickly circulated throughout all media channels
for the remainder of the day and weeks following.
The announcement was just the tip of the iceberg
with more to come that included a book exposing
Lauer and NBC's knowledge of his behavior.

Kennedy | 3
Crisis Response
NBC fired Matt Lauer after receiving a complaint
from an existing NBC employee. A statement
was prepared through a memo and shared with
NBC staff. The official statement was read by
Savannah Guthrie which included limited details
about the complaint and did not name Lauer's
replacement. NBC continues to deny any prior
knowledge of abuse or protection of Matt Lauer,
despite the claims and accusations. The network
continued to state 'Mr. Lauer had no complaints
about his behavior in the 20+ years he has been
with the network" (Ortiz & Siemaszko, 2017).
Immediately following Lauer's release, NBC
News chairman Andrew Lack announced that
the network would undertake a "thorough and
timely review" of policies and practices (Littleton,
2017). Lauer's photos and information was
removed from all media channels and the
network continued to distance themselves from
him.
NBC News chairman Andrew Lack also
announcement that the network would
undertake a "thorough and timely review" of
policies and practices (Littleton, 2017).
Matt Lauer broke his silence, responding to the
allegations through a statement read on-air.
(Lindsay, 2019). Lauer’s response expressed
sorry and regret for the pain caused to people.
He also had the following to say about the
situation, ‘some of what is being said about me
is untrue or mischaracterized, but there is
enough truth in these stories to make me feel
embarrassed and ashamed.’
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NBC Official Statement:
“"On Monday night, we received a detailed complaint
from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior
in the workplace by Matt Lauer. It represented, after
serious review, a clear violation of our company's
standards.
As a result, we've decided to terminate his employment.
While it is the first complaint about his behavior in the
over twenty years he's been at NBC News, we were also
presented with reason to believe this may not have been
an isolated incident."
Our highest priority is to create a workplace
environment where everyone feels safe and protected,
and to ensure that any actions that run counter to our
core values are met with consequences, no matter who
the offender.
We are deeply saddened by this turn of events. But we
will face it together as a news organization - and do it
in as transparent a manner as we can.
Public Statements from Matt Lauer:
“There are no words to express my sorrow and regret for
the pain I have caused others by words and actions,”
“To the people I have hurt, I am truly sorry."
“Some of what is being said about me is untrue or
mischaracterized, but there is enough truth in these
stories to make me feel embarrassed and ashamed.
“Repairing the damage will take a lot of time and soul
searching, and I’m committed to beginning that effort.
Media Coverage
Matt Lauer was a household name and public figure who delighted audiences for over 20 years as host of
the Today Show. Major news outlets were covering this story as "breaking news" throughout the day, and
outlets continued to follow the story as new details emerged.

NBC did not report on the specifics of the allegations against Matt Lauer, but other news outlets provided a
closer look into the specific claims, Lauer's behaviors, and details provided by the women who claimed to
have been harassed by Lauer.

Following Lauer's termination, more colleagues, women, and insiders spoke about Lauer's behavior not
being a "secret" amongst other employees (CBS, 2018). The continual release of information about this
situation kept the fire burning for many years. New exclusives were released by Variety, revealing more
problems with NBC's culture and the need for change (Setoodeh & Wagmeister, 2017).

Prepared for a Crisis

NBC fired Matt Lauer before sexual allegations were made public. This initial move allowed the network to take
some control of the narrative and situation. The News Chairman, Andy Lack, submitted the memo to employees and
also to the press about Lauer's termination, citing 'inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace' (Littleton, 2017).

The network acted preemptively by taking swift action against Lauer, and breaking the story only two days after they
received the complaint from an employee. In addition, the network utilized their own journalists, Guthrie and Kotb
to make the announcement and to share the video and clips to all owned media.

NBC may have been prepared for the crisis because of either past experiences or the national dialogue happening
around sexual harassment. "The outpouring of sexual harassment stories across the industry during the past two months
had already spurred NBCUniversal to develop plans for expanded training for managers and more mechanisms for
employees to bring forth complaints" (Littleton, 2017).

Lessons Learned
NBC News Chairman, Andy Lack, wrote in the memo on November 27, 2017, "there is reason to believe this
may not have been an isolated incident." This demonstrates an acknowledgement that there may be a
culture of inappropriate behavior in NBC. An internal audit conducted by NBC found there to be no culture
of or systemic pattern of harassment in the news division (CBS News, 2018). The findings suggest that the
problem was found with Lauer specifically. Lack has stated that he is trying to create ways for employees to
make complaints to a figure outside the company (Littleton, 2017).

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I think that NBC should have taken more accountability for the behaviors exhibited by Lauer. The culture
should be one that empowers managers and supervisors at all levels to encourage staff to speak up.
Numerous reports suggest that staff didn't come forward because of Lauer's influence, clout, and fear of
retaliation. While NBC took swift action to terminate Lauer, they had opportunities when more stories
surfaced to respond to allegations and show support for victims of sexual harassment and abuse. Failure
to do so continues to erode or break trust with the public.

References
1. CBS News (2018, May 9). After Matt Lauer firing, NBC internal investigation finds no culture of sexual
harassment in news division. CBSNews.com. Retrieved from https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nbc-matt-lauer-
investigation-no-culture-of-sexual-harassment-in-news-division/

2. Farhi, P. (2017, November 29). ‘Today’ show host Matt Lauer fired after claims of ‘inappropriate sexual
behavior.’ Washingtonpost.com. Retrieved June 5, 2022, from
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/today-show-host-matt-lauer-fired-after-claims-of-inappropriate-
sexual-behavior/2017/11/29/ee85bf42-d4fd-11e7-b62d-d9345ced896d_story.html

3. Gonzales, R. & Doubek, J. & Domonoske, C. (2017, November 29). NBC News Fires Matt Lauer After Complaint
of ‘Inappropriate Sexual Behavior.’ NPR.org. Retrieved June 3, 2022 from https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-
way/2017/11/29/567145816/nbc-news-fires-matt-lauer-over-inappropriate-sexual-behavior

4. Lindsay, K. (2019, October 16). A Timeline of the Growing Allegations Against Matt Lauer. Refinery29.com.
Retrieved June 1, 2022 from https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2019/10/8579583/matt-lauer-accusations-
timeline-sexual-harassment

5. Littleton, C. (2017, December 5). Who Knew What – and When – About Matt Lauer at NBC News? Variety.com.
Retrieved June 1, 2022 from https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/nbc-news-matt-lauer-who-knew-what-
1202630569/

6. Ortiz, E., & Siemaszko, C. (2017, November 29). NBC News fires Matt Lauer after Sexual Misconduct Review.
NBCNews.com. Retrieved June 5, 2022, from https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/sexual-misconduct/nbc-news-
fires-today-anchor-matt-lauer-after-sexual-misconduct-n824831

7. Setoodeh, R. & Wagmeister, E. (2017, November 29). Matt Lauer Accused of Sexual Harassment by Multiple
Women (EXCLUSIVE). Variety.com. Retrieved June 1, 2022 from https://variety.com/2017/biz/news/matt-lauer-
accused-sexual-harassment-multiple-women-1202625959/

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