Former Today
co-anchor Meredith Vieira has joined Rock
Center ith Brian Williams as a special correspondent, NBC News said
Tuesday.
In her new role she will contribute reporting to the new
primetime newsmagazine as well as Today,
NBC Nightly News and other NBC News programs, in addition to special network
programming like the 2012 London Olympic Games.
The appointment was expected, as Vieira said at the time of
her Today show exit in June that she
would like to remain with NBC News in some capacity. "If there's a way for me
to stay here, that is where my heart will be," she said at the press conference
last May announcing her departure.
"We would like it to be that she has a ticket back to report
for the Today show anytime she
wants,"
Steve Capus, NBC News president, said at the time. "And there are other
projects that we're working on that we think could be perfect for her skill
set."
Vieira first joined the top-rated morning program as
co-anchor in 2006, replacing the departing Katie Couric. She also currently
hosts the syndicated Who Wants to Be a
Millionaire, a position she's held since 2002.
