Hoda Kotb annonuced her farewell to Today after 20 years as an anchor in September 2024, but apparently her salary may have played a part in her stepping away.
Though the talk show host and reporter has not addressed this report herself, the rumor floating around is that as the legacy anchor, she was denied one of the biggest perks in the game: more money.
Of course, that’s not the reason she’s giving for her departure; far from it, in fact.
But is it possible that negotiations over her pay for the next years on the air was at the heart of the issue? We’ve heard stranger things…
Hoda’s Decision To Leave
Hoda announced that she’d be stepping away from Today on September 26. She revealed her plans to leave the show after she turned 60 in August.
The talk show host announced that she’d be leaving in a memo to staff, which she also read on air. The show also shared the memo on social media. “I know I’m making the right decision, but it’s a painful one,” she wrote.
Hoda Kotb then continued and looked back on the many different positions she held at NBC over the course of her career. She also gave shoutouts to her Today crew and family, including Al Roker and Jenna Bush Hager.
“I love you and it’s time for me to leave the show,” she wrote. “I will miss each and every one of you at Today desperately.”
Hoda then said that her 60th birthday celebration “felt like a shift.” Still, she said that she was “ready and excited” for the next chapter of her life.
“My broadcast career has been beyond meaningful, a new decade of my life lies ahead, and now my daughters and my mom need a bigger slice of my time pie,” she continued.
Hoda concluded by saying that she’d be working through the beginning of 2025. She also said that she’d “remain a part of the NBC family,” but she didn’t say what her role would be.
“I’ll be around. How could I not? Family is family, and you all will always be a part of mine,” she concluded.
What Is Hoda Kotb’s Salary?
While Hoda Kotb’s message implied that she was looking to spend more time with family, it was reported that money was a major factor in her decision by Puck. Sources close to the situation said that she was making over $20 million per year.
The outlet also noted that her co-anchor Savannah Guthrie also makes over $20 million, and former co-anchor Matt Lauer made $25 million. It was reported that cuts to the industry played a factor in the salary cut.
“NBC executives loved Hoda and knew her value to the brand, but also made clear to her agents that such stratospheric contracts were no longer justifiable given the industry’s inexorable decline,” Puck noted.
Puck also explained that this type of “reset” is going to be far more common in TV. “Everyone is getting their pay cut or their jobs eliminated,” a source said.
“In the coming year, some big names will announce they want to spend more time with their kids or families or write new chapters,” the insider told the site. “They also don’t want to work for less money even though they have already made a fortune.”
How Long Was Hoda at NBC?
Hoda won’t be leaving soon, however. She’s slated to stay with the show until early 2025, with no official date of departure announced.
Hoda spent over a quarter of a century with NBC. In her post, she noted all the different roles that she had at the network over the 26 years that she worked there.
The journalist began working for NBC News in 1998. She was a correspondent for Dateline. Hoda joined Today in 2007. Kathie Lee Gifford joined her as a co-host in 2008, and she remained her co-host until 2019. Jenna Bush Hager took over for Kathie after that.
After Matt Lauer was fired in 2017 for sexual misconduct allegations, Savannah had a range of co-anchors with her. In 2018, Hoda was brought up to co-anchor alongside her, and they were the first pair of female anchors in the show’s history.