NBC News veteran Stone Phillips falls prey to cuts
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Stone Phillips, co-anchor of the TV news magazine "Dateline" since its 1992 inception, became NBC's latest cost-cutting casualty on Tuesday as it was announced he will leave the show, and the network, next month.
Phillips, 52, will not be replaced when he steps down at the end of June, leaving co-anchor Ann Curry as the sole host of the program and some correspondents playing a bigger role in presenting their own stories, an NBC News spokeswoman said.
"It's been a wonderful 15 years," Phillips said in a statement issued by the network. "This is a great news division with a bright future. I wish the people of NBC News all the best."
Phillips, whose impending exit coincides with the expiration of his contract, is the highest-profile member of the NBC News team to fall prey to belt-tightening at the General Electric Co.-owned network.
Last month, the network said it was pulling the plug on "NBC Nightly News" weekend anchor John Seigenthaler, who was replaced by Lester Holt, who also is hosting "Weekend Today."
Phillips, who spent 12 years as an ABC News correspondent, joined NBC and debuted on "Dateline" with Jane Pauley as his co-anchor in 1992, sharing most of his tenure on the show with her. "Dateline" has earned a total of 39 Emmys and four Peabody awards over the years, NBC said.
Airing several editions a week at its peak, the news magazine now best known for its "To Catch a Predator" segments on suspected pedophiles was recently renewed by NBC for one night a week this coming fall.
Reuters/Nielsen
