NBC's Savannah Guthrie this morning announced she would not be traveling to Brazil as part of the net's Rio Games contingent because she is pregnant with her second child and is concerned about the Zika virus. Guthrie on this morning's edition of "Today" said, "The doctors say that we shouldn’t because of the Zika virus, so I’ll miss it. You’re going to have to go to female beach volleyball without me. Try to carry on.” Guthrie had been slated to co-host the Opening Ceremony coverage along with Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira ("Today," NBC, 6/7). Guthrie's decision makes her the "most high-profile TV personality to opt out of the Games." NBCU has indicated that employees "concerned about traveling to Rio are not required to go," and a "handful of employees have declined." NBC News Senior VP Noah Oppenheim, who oversees "Today," said Zika has “not been a source of very much angst” in the news division (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 6/7).
HIT THE LINKS: NBC today announced their plans for Golf Channel's coverage of the Rio tournaments, with Terry Gannon and Steve Sands rotating the lead play-by-play duties for both the men's and women's events. Nick Faldo and Johnny Miller will alternate as lead men's analyst, with David Feherty, Peter Jacobsen, Roger Maltbie, Curt Byrum and Todd Lewis also appearing on the broadcasts. Annika Sorenstam and Judy Rankin will split duties as lead women's analyst and will be joined by Byrum, Lewis, Tom Abbot, Jerry Foltz, Kay Cockerill and Karen Stupples (Golf Channel).
