NBC-Universal rejects outside investigation of Matt Lauer

NBC-Universal says it will not open an outside investigation into the sexual misconduct allegations against former “Today” show host Matt Lauer, telling The Hollywood Reporter it is “very confident” in how it handled his ouster last year.

The decision comes after former NBC News hosts Megyn Kelly and Linda Vester appeared on Fox News on Wednesday night on separate programs to call on the Comcast-owned network to conduct an outside investigation into its handling of Lauer.

{mosads}”There is no additional investigation being launched. We are very confident in the report that was conducted,” NBC-Universal spokeswoman Hilary Smith told the Reporter.

“We fired Matt Lauer within 24 hours of learning what he did, and promptly launched a corporate investigation,” she added. “Based on our investigative findings, we have swiftly taken appropriate actions to address the situation and improve workplace culture. It is also worth noting that this was a corporate investigation that was conducted by an almost entirely female team, none of whom are part of the News division.”

During her appearance on Tucker Carlson’s program, Kelly called on NBC News to bring in an outside firm to investigate sexual misconduct allegations against Lauer.

“There needs to be an outside investigation into this company,” she said. “They investigated themselves. That doesn’t work. This is how it’s done. You get somebody on the outside who can be trusted.”

Vester, also a former NBC News host, also said in an interview with Fox News’s Shannon Bream that she thought an external investigation needed to be opened.

Fox News allowed an outside firm to investigate sexual harassment allegations against then-chairman and CEO Roger Ailes in 2016, which led to his exit just three weeks after the investigation was launched in July of that year.

—Updated at 1:33 p.m.