Anchor Stone Phillips Out At NBC News
Network Is Dropping The "Dateline NBC" Anchor In A Cost-Cutting Move
9NEW YORK, May 22, 2007 | by Alfonso Serrano
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Stone Phillips, co-host of "Dateline NBC," poses on the show's set at NBC's headquarters in New York on April 16, 2002. NBC News said on May 22 that it is dropping Phillips in a cost-cutting move when his contract expires at the end of June. (AP)
(AP) NBC News is dropping "Dateline NBC" anchor Stone Phillips in a cost-cutting move when his contract expires at the end of June.
Phillips won't formally be replaced. His co-anchor, Ann Curry, will continue and other "Dateline NBC" reporters will serve as on-air hosts when the newsmagazine presents stories they're working on, the network said Tuesday.
"It's been a wonderful 15 years," Phillips said in a statement issued by NBC. "I'm profoundly appreciative of the many friends and colleagues, past and present, who have been a part of the 'Dateline' family. This is a great news division with a bright future. I wish the people of NBC News all the best."
He didn't immediately return a call for further comment.
Phillips was teamed with Jane Pauley, who left NBC is 2003, for much of his time at "Dateline NBC." At its peak, the newsmagazine churned out as many as five episodes a week.
The newsmagazine is probably best known now for reporter Chris Hansen's "To Catch a Predator" series nabbing suspected pedophiles. On NBC's fall schedule, the newsmagazine has only one permanent time slot, on little-watched Saturday night. It will be on three times a week in June.
NBC News has been restructuring to cut costs. Earlier this spring, it didn't renew the contract of "Nightly News" weekend anchor John Seigenthaler.
The Phillips move was similar in that the network is concentrating money on reporting and more versatile personalities. Seigenthaler, for example, was replaced by Lester Holt, who's also host of "Weekend Today." Curry is a newsreader on "Today" and reporter for "Dateline."
NBC News is a division of General Electric Co.
© MMVII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Best of luck to him and ALL the people who've lost their jobs thru no fault of their own.
My thoughts go out to all those who are unable to think about anything but politics. I hope they know that when all is said and done, what is really important is that they realize that happiness is a choice and not a result of self validation of their own views.
I enjoyed Stone. Hope he either wanted this or will bounce back and find happiness elsewhere.
I don't agree with the ignorant rant on this board about NBC being on a hate kick - they are merely balancing the rest of the Republishit love-fest on the other networks, crowing about how Bush and Cheney are the best thing since sliced pickles. Fox and the rest of the Republicrap tools.
A journalist reports the news...good and bad. NBC is crazy for firing Stone Phillips. I hope CBS hires him. He can return CBS to its glory days.
[Posted by FARTKNOCKER2 at 05:10 PM : May 22, 2007]
who do they hate?
Stone Phillips will do well doing the weather on a locl UHF affilaite for the WB or something.
Rosie O is on the other side, by the way. (pst: she's gay and supports gay rights)