NBC has fired longtime NBC News anchor Matt Lauer after a “detailed complaint” of inappropriate sexual behavior.”
“It represented, after serious review, a clear violation of our company’s standards,” wrote NBC News chairman Andy Lack in a note to staff this morning.
Lack says while it is the first complaint about his behavior “we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident.”
“We are deeply saddened by this turn of events,” Lack writes, “But we will face it together as a news organization – and do it in as transparent a manner as we can.”
Lauer has been with NBC since 1992 as an anchor for WNBC. He began filling in on the Today show as newsreader, and was named to that post, before taking over as co-anchor in 1997 for Bryant Gumbel.
Lauer, who is NBC’s highest-paid employee earning an estimated $25 million per year, is the second high-profile morning show anchor to lose his job in a matter of days. CBS fired Charlie Rose, co-ahchor of CBS This Morning, 8 days ago after 8 women came forward accusing him of sexual harassment.
Here’s Lack’s full note to staff:
Dear Colleagues,
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. To that end, Noah and I will be meeting with as many of you as possible throughout the day today to answer your questions.
Andy