Cheapskate NBC Drops Its Stone

NETWORK CITES ‘COST CUTTING’ AS REASON FOR DEPARTURE

NBC, America’s (barely) number four TV network, announced Tuesday that it will not renew Stone Phillips’ contract when it expires this June.  Phillips has been co-anchor of ‘Dateline NBC’ (originally with Jane Pauley, currently with Ann Curry) since the show began in 1992.  Now that NBC can barely eke out more than one hit TV series per season the purse strings have tightened, leaving a trail of bloody corpses from its news division in its wake.

NBC released a statement quoting Phillips as saying “It’s been a wonderful 15 years, I’m profoundly appreciative of the many friends and colleagues, past and present, who have been a part of the `Dateline’ family. This is a great news division with a bright future. I wish the people of NBC News all the best.”