TV & Video - Dec. 26, 1989

Nuell Pulled From ‘Today’: Dave Nuell, who was negotiating with NBC to take over the troubled “Today” show Jan. 8, is no longer a candidate for the job, the Washington Post reported Monday. NBC News president Michael Gartner notified Nuell by overnight letter Friday that negotiations with him were terminated and that NBC had decided to withdraw its offer. Nuell, 47, guided “Entertainment Tonight” to its current success in TV syndication. He was stunned when reached in Santa Barbara. “We had a three-year firm deal that NBC reneged on. I intend to take every remedy I have to try to repair the damage,” the 20-year broadcast news veteran said. “We have tried at NBC News to conclude an agreement with Mr. Nuell since the earliest days of September,” NBC News executive vice president Dick Ebersol said. “Our efforts to do so seem to have been continually thwarted. Our needs at the ‘Today’ show are such that we have to move on.” NBC sources said that Marty Ryan, executive producer of the program, will remain in charge for now.