Jamie Horowitz Named SVP/General Manager of ‘Today’ Show

By Chris Ariens 

JamieHorowitzESPN executive Jamie Horowitz is joining NBC News as SVP and GM of the “Today” show. But his ESPN contract won’t allow him to take the job until later this year.

Horowitz, who will report to NBC News president Deborah Turness, will lead the four hours of “Today” on all platforms. Executive producer Don Nash, “Weekend Today” EP Dee Dee Thomas, and Jen Brown the GM of Today.com, will report to Horowitz.

At ESPN, Horowitz is Vice President of Original Programming and Production. He has overseen the launch of Keith Olbermann’s ESPN2 show as well as “First Take,” “Numbers Never Lie,” and “SportsNation.” Before joining ESPN in 2006, Horowitz worked at NBC Sports. He began his career as an NBC Olympics Researcher for the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.

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“I am honored to join Deborah’s team and help guide ‘Today’ into the future,” said Horowitz in a news release. “This is an exciting and invigorating opportunity, and I am humbled to work with one of the most indelible brands in television. I am also grateful to John Skipper and ESPN for the opportunities and support they have given me over the past eight years.”

Horowitz is another in a line of “Today” show leaders who got their start with NBC Olympics. Former EP Jim Bell, now the EP of NBC Olympics, got his start as a producer for NBC’s coverage of the 1992 Barcelona Games. Now CNN Worldwide president, one-time “Today” show EP Jeff Zucker’s first job at NBC was as a researcher at the Seoul Olympics in 1988.

Deadspin first reported back in January that NBC was talking with Horowitz about the job.

See Turness’ internal note to staff, after the jump…

Dear All,
I’m thrilled to share the news that Jamie Horowitz will soon join NBC News as SVP and General Manager of the TODAY brand, starting later this year. Jamie is an incredibly talented producer and executive. He currently serves as Vice President of Original Programming and Production at ESPN where he developed and launched a number of very successful shows.

As I described in my memo about the senior management structure in January — with so much momentum at the TODAY show in recent months, we want to drive even greater integration and growth among all parts of the brand, on all platforms. This requires someone who can lead the various hours of the weekday show, Weekend TODAY, TODAY.com, and the Plaza experience. He will also explore new formats, such as extensions in digital, e-commerce, events and other opportunities to serve the audience beyond the day-to-day execution of the existing broadcast and digital platforms. So, just as Alex Wallace is fulfilling this role with Nightly News, Meet the Press, and the Washington Bureau, Jamie joins us to lead TODAY, working closely with Don Nash, Dee Dee Thomas and Jen Brown.

Jamie is the perfect person for this crucial role — he is a visionary leader, a creative thinker and a seasoned expert in developing and driving brands that truly connect. Please see our press announcement below, and I hope you will join me in welcoming Jamie to NBC News.

Deborah

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