Norville Answers Her Detractors : Television: ‘Today’ show co-anchor says she’s not to blame for series ratings slump.

Deborah Norville, who replaced Jane Pauley as co-anchor of NBC’s “Today” show, said Monday that it’s been “hurtful” to be “portrayed as some person who would stoop to any level to get a job.”

She also said that she’s not to blame for the ratings slump of the venerable morning series because it’s happened when other new anchors took over, including her daily partner, Bryant Gumbel.

“Today” has lost to ABC’s “Good Morning America” for 10 consecutive weeks in the ratings, coinciding with the start of Norville’s reign following Pauley’s departure at the end of last year.

The New York-based “Today” will originate in Los Angeles from Wednesday through next Tuesday, winding up its trip with coverage of Monday’s Academy Awards.

Norville said that her assignments here will include reports on an environmental initiative, the cleanup off the Santa Monica coast and backstage at the Oscars “with the requisite interviews after the winners come off stage. We’ll also be looking at the film industry in general.”

A research executive of the J. Walter Thompson ad agency said recently that “the ‘Today’ show has experienced a serious decline, about 15% on average, since Deborah Norville took over. There was a clear reaction to the change in casting. We could see no other reason for the needle really moving.”

“It’s not unexpected,” Norville said in a phone interview from New York. “Every time there’s been a major personnel change on the program, the numbers have reflected that. I think if anyone thought there wouldn’t have been a change in the numbers, that would have just been naive.

“I’m sure there are some people around this place that are just panting to see what the latest week’s ratings are going to be. I am not among them.”

What’s more, she added, “It’s nothing to get worried about.” And the show’s new executive producer, Tom Capra, former news director of KNBC Channel 4, hasn’t told her to do anything different, she said.

“Me personally? No.”

But she admitted that she’s been stung by seeing herself depicted “in such ugly ways” as the person who aced the admired Pauley out of her anchor seat after 13 years.

“It would be one thing if I had been that kind of player,” Norville said. “But I can’t help how this situation was managed. I guess I was surprised by the level of negativity directed at me when it was announced that I would be succeeding Jane.

“I always thought that if I ever wrote a book, the title would be something like ‘I Got There by Playing Fair.’ And here I’ve been portrayed as some person who would stoop to any level to get a job. And I think, come on, this job is not worth it to me.

“You know, I became a born-again Christian when I was 15, and I’m faithful to my husband, and he to me, and I work hard, and I feel like hard work eventually pays off.”

Some viewers were offended by NBC’s decision to sit Norville alongside Pauley and Gumbel when her predecessor was still on the show--thus making it appear she was pushing her out. Others thought Pauley, 39, was being edged out by Norville, 31, because of demographics showing “Today” was losing to “Good Morning America” among younger viewers.

Norville said that she understands why the audience may be reacting--besides the simple fact of a change. For one thing, she said, “Pauley is an institution in television.”

But, she added, “The ‘Today’ show is also an institution, and the program has continued to be good and watchable.”