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EXCLUSIVE: Another key member of the Katie Couric-Jeff Zucker team from the golden era of Today is joining them on Couric’s upcoming syndicated talk show. No, it’s not Matt Lauer, who recently re-upped his deal at the NBC morning show. Michael Bass, who served as executive producer Jeff Zucker’s No.2 on Today and as interim executive producer on the NBC program when Zucker left to become NBC Entertainment president, has closed a deal to serve as co-executive producer on Katie, Couric’s daytime syndicated talk show, which launches Sept. 10.
Related: Matt Lauer Signs New Deal For ‘Today’
Bass, who I hear has been working behind the scenes on the Disney-ABC Domestic TV-distributed Katie for a month or two, joins fellow co-executive producer Kathy Samuels. Both will report to Jeff Zucker and help him run the show. That is a familiar position for WME-repped Bass who worked as Zucker’s deputy on Today for five years and then briefly served as acting executive producer but left the show in 2001 when he was passed over for the EP job went to Jonathan Wald. He did a stint as Senior executive producer of CBS’ Early Show and CBS Morning News before reuniting with Zucker in 2008 when then-NBC Universal CEO Zucker hired him as SVP strategic initiatives.
TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.
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Katie Couric’s “talents” are probably best suited as a QVC host. Even that may be a intellectual stretch for her. But then again, this is American tv.
Let’s see…Katie is doing a talk show and so far the people running the show (Zucker, Bass and Samuels) have never produced a talk show. Interesting!!! The Today Show and daytime talk are completely different types of shows. Maybe better to hire someone from Jerry Springer or even Ellen….but I guess Zucker knows all. He destroyed NBC’s primetime and now he can start destroying ABC’s daytime.
Mike Bass is an outstanding producer, knows what will work for Katie, and is a quality person – great hire. Good luck “Bass O Matic”. Art
Funny mentioning springer & ellen..one of her eps ed glavin used to ep the trashy jennyjones..watch him testify in murder case on youtube. and springer maury wilkos are among highest rated and renewed four more years. daytime is oversaturated with talk..now add katie steveharvey jefgprobst rickilake then maybe betheeny then latifah…oyvey
While I have zero interest in watching a Katie Couric talker, I am sure it will find some audience for awhile. But she really doesn’t have the journalistic chops to straddle both “hard news” on assignment for ABC and a daytime talker. (If ABC’s coverage of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee counts as hard news.) Anderson Cooper is trying to do this, but if one thing has to go he would jettison his daytime show in a heartbeat to stay with CNN.
I suspect the long-term prospects for Couric’s daytime show do not extend beyond her contract period. And who did that logo? I liked it the first time I saw it in the 1990′s for Seinfeld’s show.