Is WNBC Kissing Chuck Scarborough Goodbye?

Could ongoing cuts to NBC News Channel 4 go so deep as to bring an end to the city's most beloved anchor team? Gawker reports: "A 'pervasive rumor' is making the rounds at NBC News that the network is putting Chuck Scarborough out to pasture." While a spokesman for WNBC denies it, sources tell the site that the network is looking to buyout big salaries it's carrying—Scarborough's is reportedly $3 million a year. NBC News has been trimming its budget for some time now—longtime reporter Asa Aarons was let go in 2007 and just recently a handful of anchors got the axe. If something this dramatic were to happen, a source says, "NBC is essentially getting out of the local news business." The only thing we can imagine worse is the reaction such a move could provoke out of the majestic enigma that is Sue Simmons.

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By Billy Parker in News on March 30, 2009 4:36 PM

Comments [rss]

Brooklynbobby

They've put Chuck on their new station "NY Non-Stop" and given his old 7:00pm slot to Faggio Lopez and Extra. It seems he's on his way out.

BongoBoy

They'd love to get rid of Sue, but if that happened the Rockefeller Center gendarmes would have to listen to 24-7 Al Sharpton protests.

After that .. personality wise, and yes local tv news is all about personality ... Sir Charles is all they have left.

palestine

I love lamp.

wiseguynyc

I've noticed that NBC has been promoting a lot of segments promoting Scarborough's 35th anniversary. It seems a little fishy to me. 35 gets a special series? I'm not saying he's not a venerable part of the local TV news environment but methinks there's a bigger motive at hand.

That being said, I happen to like his anchoring work - a real class act in a business of too many personalities.

FrankMartin

I agree,

Also, last wed Law and Order had a part for this old washed up news anchor that looked a lot like chuck. Pretty odd for that to be on and then during the commercials they are promoting the 35 years of chuck stuff.

Synergy evil synergy

tmz is evil

What the F*** are they doing?!

Geoelh

Goodbye, Kent Brockman! Hello, recent journalism grad looking for work!

fugothamist

if they want ratings, they should get some people with thick foreign accents reading the news. Like a russian & a japanese. sports by an indian. weather by an italian.

hilarious

Toby von Meistersinger

If they did, they would lose even more viewers. There is a bit of a comfort factor with viewers here, too which would no doubt piss off a lot of people.

whitecastlerock

He looks like he belongs in Madame Tussauds-can him already. Asa Aarons is working @ NY1

ides_of_march

Shouldn't be hard to find someone else to read the teleprompter for a lot less than 3 million a year.

Nyctini11

Hmmm, really?? 3million to be old and spend 1 -2hrs a day on air?? F'ing chr!st when will this BS end.

fugothamist

meh...the news is the news

so long as someone can read & speak well, i couldn't care less

$3M a year? obvious target for cost cutting...get rid of sue too (assuming she makes the same)