Megyn Kelly, NBC News: Settlement of a Nearly $ 30 Million Contract – Variety



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Megyn Kelly and NBC News have signed a settlement agreement of an amount of nearly $ 30 million that will cover the total value of the remaining time on his three-year contract.

The news of the official separation between Kelly and NBC was announced Tuesday by the New York Post. A source close to the situation said that the bargain that remained was not about money but the details of the non-competition clause and the non-disclosure agreement that NBC had insisted on. The talks are not expected to end until next week due to Thursday's Thanksgiving holiday.

Representatives from NBCUniversal, NBC News and Kelly declined to comment.

Kelly's impending exit is a black eye for NBC News President Andrew Lack, who is betting a lot of money to make the former Fox News star lose a three-year deal in early 2017.

Kelly was fired nearly a month ago as a "Today" franchise host of NBC News, hosted by "Megyn Kelly Today," after defending Blackface's use of Halloween costumes.

Prior to the Blackface segment, Kelly and NBC News executives were in talks to find her a new role beyond the morning show, putting the ratings to the test, which would make her participate in difficult reporting. These conversations, however, were derailed after Kelly opened her October 23 broadcast with a discussion of Halloween costumes and her defense of the use of the blackface, which had been criticized not only on social media, but also on the part of colleagues from NBC News, including Al Roker and Craig Melvin. .

The tumult made it untenable for NBC to keep Kelly on the air. And it was the last nail in the coffin of the already bitter relationship between Kelly, Lack and many of his colleagues at NBC News.

Kelly had a difficult start at NBC News by launching her television magazine "Sunday With Megyn Kelly" very early. In September 2017, she focused her attention on 9 am. Her first weeks of broadcasting were hectic, as she had uncomfortable exchanges with guests, including Jane Fonda, and the cast of Will & Grace.

After the # MeToo movement began to gain momentum, Kelly found a niche in narrated stories of victims of sexual harassment and abuse. But she never rebounded after declining ratings of her show compared to the previous host rotation "Today".

Kelly's inability to adapt to the NBC News environment after being a tough interviewer on Fox News reflects the balkanized nature of the TV-to-television landscape. Kelly News' Fox News audience never followed her on television. NBC News has been criticized for spending about $ 23 million a year for an information star at a time when information-gathering resources are being squeezed by soaring political and national news and increasing number of platforms to serve.

The announcement of a $ 30 million contract for Kelly's departure also arouses indignation from social media and the world of journalism.

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