US Magazine published an exclusive story on Wednesday announcing that Today anchors Natalie Morales and Willie Geist were told they were to be kicked to the curb. But the US exclusive was the old story. When NBC News President Deborah Turness shockingly announced the firing of new Today Show SVP/GM Jamie Horowitz it was to prevent the Today Show anchor shake-up.

NBC News president Deborah Turness responded to the US Magazine exclusive by saying (via a press release) “the rumors are wrong — period:”

NBC’s Today has the best anchor team in morning television. The entire Today show anchor team — Matt Lauer, Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker, Natalie Morales, Willie Geist, Carson Daly, Tamron Hall, Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb — are incredibly talented, valued and have our support. In response to the false rumors that have been circulated about our anchor team, NBC wants to be absolutely clear: The rumors are wrong — period. This is the team we are committed to. And this is the team that our viewers turn to in the morning.

Apparently, the story would have been true before Monday. According to "Page Six:"

Savannah Guthrie was due to be replaced with Hoda Kotb, and Natalie Morales moved out for Tamron Hall or possibly Josh Elliott, who is expected to take a larger role at “Today” with a possibility that he could unseat Matt Lauer much further down the line. Lauer recently extended his $20 million-a-year deal through 2016.

As the drama was building, Guthrie, Morales and Geist caught wind of the upcoming bloodbath and went to Matt Lauer with their concerns. Lauer went to NBC News President Deborah Turness and told her, "I want to keep these people," so fearing a full-on Today Show anchor revolt, Turness fired Horowitz on Monday, two weeks before he was to officially take over the job (he had been unofficially working there awaiting his December first start). Horowitz had been hired away from ESPN by Turness and given the job to turn around the sliding Today ratings.

Turness was fully aware of Horowitz’s plan to shake up the anchor roster on the show, sources said, but, “Once the talent complained, she sided with them,” and Horowitz was fired after 10 weeks on the job. Insiders said his direct approach had offended some show staffers, who feared for their jobs.

NBC will have to pay Horowitz about $3 million for the remainder of his contract.