Sue Simmons' contract with NBC is not being renewed
The breaking news about Sue Simmons was that she has not had her contract renewed. When her current one is up in June, she will be gone. According to New York Post columnist Cindy Adams, Simmons would have happily stayed. She has been with NBC since 1980.
The reasons why are not being given. However, she shares the anchor desk with Chuck Scarborough and has done that for years. He is 68 years old. Sue Simmons is 68 years old. Reportedly, his contract has been renewed.
For those who are not familiar with that name, Ms. Simmons is a well-known evening news anchor in the New York City area on the NBC network. She has been in the spot for 30 years. To some of us, she has been like a part of the family. I remember when she introduced “Live at Five” which was one of the first news shows to take a format that is very popular now, news stories before the main news broadcast. When my father retired, he was thrilled to watch Sue every night in that “Live at Five” show. He readily admitted he watched because he liked her and how she handled herself on tv.
Looking back, there was only one incident in 2008 that could even be possible; but it was so slight, it blew over quickly with little notice. Simmons thought she and Scarborough were off air when she used a word that gets bleeped. All kinds of people use that on air with no mention so would it be that? If it is, then a double standard is in play for different people.
The NY Times said this:
Ms. Simmons’s role on WNBC had been diminishing. She has not been on the 6 p.m. broadcast regularly since she returned to work after back surgery at the end of 2010 .
The change at the anchor desk comes at a time of rebuilding at WNBC. After going through years of cutbacks in staff and spending, the station has been adding news people and trucks that can do live remote segments. The changes have come at the direction of the station’s new owner, Comcast, which is trying to improve the standing of the NBCUniversal stations it acquired from General Electric last year.
So what is happening here? Is it gender discrimination, change in culture of this workplace, or is she considered an older worker whose time to go has come?
Sue Simmons has continued to be in the Top Five of the Yahoo! trends all day. That is hardly someone who has no relevance.
I hope I get to update this story with a better ending than I have right now.
