Don Nash, the new executive producer of "Today," spoke out about the show's ratings struggle in a new interview published Wednesday.
2012 has been a tumultuous year for the show, which saw the messy ouster of Ann Curry in June and a drop in the ratings. "Good Morning America" bested "Today" in April, ending the NBC News program's sixteen-year streak as the country's number one morning show.
"We all hate being No. 2," Nash recently told Broadcasting and Cable's Andrea Morabito. He said that the loss has motivated the cast and crew to "[fight] as hard as they can to help get this show back to its rightful place."
He also praised the "chemistry" between the hosts, and lamented "some of the snarky press" that the show has gotten. Former executive producer Jim Bell and other network executives have had to defend Matt Lauer — whose popularity took a hit after Curry's departure — in recent months. Just last week, the network shot down rumors that Lauer could be fired if "Today" continues to lag behind "Good Morning America."
Bell recently left the executive producer position for a new role at NBC Olympics. Alexandra Wallace has taken over as lead executive in charge of "Today," while Nash serves as new executive producer.