Former “Today” show news anchor Tamron Hall came one step closer to realizing her goal of hosting her own talk show with a huge announcement on Monday.
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“When one door closes…another one opens! @Disney just announced that “Tamron Hall” will premiere in national syndication on 9-9-19! Also proud to share that I will serve as Executive Producer, alongside legendary producer Bill Geddie! #LevelUp #Grateful,” Hall tweeted.
You might remember that Hall, one of the few Black faces in the very white landscape of TV news, was all but fired from “Today” in 2017 to make room for Fox News host Megyn Kelly, whose own show on NBC bombed in the ratings before she was fired over a blackface controversy. During Hall’s NBC tenure, she won a coveted Edward R. Murrow Award as well as an Emmy, prizes every broadcast journalist aspires toward. Still, she was reportedly forced out of her position.
Hall’s new syndicated talk show was expected to reach 50 percent of U.S. TV households through a deal between the program’s producer, Disney, and Hearst Television, Variety reported in December.
“We are excited to once again be in business with our long-term partners and couldn’t be more pleased that Hearst has placed its confidence in Tamron Hall’s return to daytime television,” Jed Cohen, executive vice president and general sales manager, U.S. content sales and distribution, Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer and International, said when the syndication deal was announced.
NBC reportedly suspected that replacing Hall with Kelly was a mistake not long after the network’s executives made the decision to release Hall. Even before Kelly’s debut, they were in “total panic” over the fear that people of color, women and younger audiences will have no interest in watching Kelly’s morning show. She was adept at debating political issues at Fox, which tended to draw a large conservative older White male audience. However, she lacked the right stuff for daytime viewers.
The network ultimately booted Kelly in 2018 from her morning show. The firing was prompted by her panel discussion in which she defended wearing blackface for Halloween.
Meanwhile, Hall has more than landed on her feet.
“I’m so thrilled to partner with Disney/ABC to create a daytime television show that’s unconventional, fun, intimate and sometimes even raw,” Hall said when the show was announced. “My new partners appreciate and respect the relationship I’ve built with my audience and know that if we create television worth watching, they’ll join us for the ride. I’m so grateful and excited for this next chapter. The landing makes the leap of faith so worth it!”
SEE ALSO:
Regret Grows At NBC For Pushing Tamron Hall Out The Door
Black Journalists Slam NBC After Tamron Hall’s Abrupt Departure
