via Wikimedia

As of January 2, 2018, Hoda Kotb is now the new co-anchor for the popular morning show “Today”. Kotb immediately became the co-anchor after chairmen Andy Lack dismissed Matt Lauer from his duties on November 29. Although she is new to the job as co-anchor, Kotb is no stranger to the viewers of NBC. She first started with the channel in 1998 as the “Dateline” correspondent and since 2008 has been co-hosting on the 10 a.m. hour of the “Today” show. She still remains on the 10 a.m. hour alongside her partner Kathie Lee Gifford but has added the 7 and 8 a.m. hours.

Kotb may be working more hours then Lauer ever has but, according to Post, she is getting paid $18 million less. Reportedly, she will earn $7 million a year and after fans had heard the news, they took to Twitter to express their feelings. One user wrote, “Hoda is making $0.28 to every $1.00 Matt made.”

Lauer had a significant amount of power given to him by the Universal boss of NBC, Steve Burke. He was given a say in which events would be covered that day and even received helicopter rides from his house in the Hamptons to work and back, all paid for by NBC.

Despite this, for the first time in history, the faces of “Today” are two women. Alongside Kotb is Savannah Guthrie, and both women are more than happy to be working next to each other for 2018.

Guthrie stated, “You are a partner and a friend and a sister and I am so happy to be doing this.” The two women are extremely comfortable with one another and their chemistry on screen transfers to their connection with the audience which is exactly what the “Today” values.

Lack stated, “Hoda has seamlessly stepped into the co-anchor role alongside Savannah, and the two have quickly hit the ground running”. The was uncertainty about how the show would do without Lauer as the lead but the views only grew after he had been fired. Ratings even surpassed “Today” competition, “Good Morning America.”