Matt Lauer signs new pact with 'Today'

Matt Lauer -- the single most important person at the single most important show at NBC, "Today" -- has signed a new long-term deal to remain with the program.

The new pact will be announced Friday morning on "Today," ending the Week That Was for "Today," which is in a morning TV dogfight with "Good Morning America," the other morning franchise now so close to toppling "Today's" 16-year reign that it can taste it.

"Matt is the franchise, and our franchise player has decided to keep leading our team," said Steve Capus, NBC News president in a statement.

Lauer and NBC have been expected to close this deal for weeks, and as such, this morning's announcement is both anticlimactic and also something of ratings stunt. Yes, it's another one, followed by a so-called "co-host" turn by Sarah Palin and other assorted gimmicks involving former co-host Meredith Vieira and "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest. All appeared on the program this week following aggressive promotional announcements by NBC beginning last Sunday in an effort to divert viewer and press attention away from the temporary co-host at archrival "GMA," Katie Couric.

Lauer's longtime partner at "Today" became a temporary co-anchor at "Good Morning America" on Monday -- an aggressive and still possibly successful coup-de-main by ABC to end "Today's" 16-year reign as TV's most viewed morning program. Couric's turn is yet another promotional gimmick engineered to get some traction for her new ABC daytime show that will bow in the fall. (Robin Roberts is on vacation.)