Well, that was quick.
Only 10 weeks into his role at NBC supervising the "Today" show, television executive Jamie Horowitz has been fired by the network.
NBC News president Deborah Turness broke the news to employees on Monday night.
She had announced Horowitz's hiring earlier this year. He joined NBC News as "SVP and General Manager of the TODAY brand" according to Turness' original memo.
Horowitz, a former ESPN executive, was brought on board to help "Today" reclaim the top morning spot from ABC's "Good Morning America." The Hollywood Reporter claims that he and Turness butted heads during his brief tenure. Sources told The New York Daily News that Horowitz "ran afoul of internal politics and clashed with established executives and talent at the show — who did not like his ideas."
Deadline reports that Horowitz hadn't "technically" even hit his start date yet:
NBC had announced in May that Horowitz would start December 1, overseeing all four hours of the weekday show and the 30 Rock concert series, as NBC News struggles to regain Today’s ratings foothold. According to one insider, that official start date was still on the books so, technically, Horowitz was let go before he started, which has to be some sort of record. In reality, he’d been at the offices about 10 weeks.
The full text of Turness' Monday memo to employees can be read below:
Dear All:
I want to let you know that, effective today, Jamie Horowitz will be leaving NBC News.
Jamie joined us in September as General Manager of the TODAY brand. He's a talented producer and executive, but, together, he and I have come to the conclusion that this is not the right fit.
Because of the hard work of so many of you, and an anchor team that is hitting on all cylinders, the show has great momentum and is closing the ratings gap. The exclusives keep coming and there is a great energy both on- and off-air, and in digital and social. My focus - as always - is to support this special brand and its amazing and dedicated staff, and to position it for continued success.
The role of General Manager remains an important one, and will be filled in due course. In the interim, I will work closely with both Don Nash and Jen Brown to oversee TODAY.
Please join me in thanking Jamie and wishing him the best.
Deborah