'The Meredith Vieira Show' to end after two seasons; WNBC to add news at 4

Meredith Vieira's daytime talk show which airs on NBC-owned stations will end later this year. Credit: Meredith Vieira
After a mere two seasons, it's a wrap: "The Meredith Vieira Show" will end after the current one concludes later this year. NBC has not yet formally announced -- and likely won't -- but doesn't need to: Vieira herself confirmed the cancellation in a statement:
“I am so sorry to see our show come to an end after this season, but I am also incredibly proud of the work our staff has done and forever grateful to our supportive viewers. We promise to spend our final weeks producing the best broadcast we know how. And have a blast doing so!"
This conclusion was not in fact unexpected: Ratings have been low, buzz absent and NBC already has its eye set on another newcomer, a daytime talk show (with comedy elements) hosted by Harry Connick Jr., which has already been sold to Fox stations.
"Vieira's" exit represents the second quick end for a highly anticipated talk show hosted by a highly skilled and widely admired personality (who also happened to have once hosted "Today.") Katie Couric's Disney deal lasted just two seasons as well. Vieira's talk show launched Sept. 8, 2014.
Meanwhile, WNBC will not specifically fill its afternoon schedule with another talk show but instead go to a late afternoon newscast at 4 p.m. In the wake of the "Vieira" cancellation, the NBC-owned station group said it will launch a 4 p.m. newscast here and in three other cities this May. "Ellen" will move from 4 p.m. to 3 p.m., while "The Steve Harvey Show" will move from three to 2 p.m. "Vieira" has aired at 2, and will continue there through conclusion.
A 4 p.m. newscast at Ch. 4? WABC/7 won't have the time period all to itself: "Eyewitness News First at 4" in fact launched after Couric's show left the air.
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