Lauer began his television career in 1979 as a producer of the noon news for WOWK-TV in Huntington, West Virginia. By 1980, he had become an on-air reporter on the 6 and 11 o'clock newscasts. He eventually began moving around the country to further his career, hosting a number of weekly information and talk programs in Boston, Philadelphia, Providence, and Richmond. He was also host of PM Magazine from 1980-1986. He also worked for ESPN in the 1980s. Lauer got his first job in the New York area when he was tapped to host a three-hour live interview program, WWOR-TV's 9 Broadcast Plaza, from 1989-1991. He moved to WNBC-TV in 1992, where he became co-anchor on the early weekday news show Today In New York, alongside Jane Hanson. After a year, he also filled the role of Live at Five co-anchor with Sue Simmons, and held that role until 1996. Lauer's on-camera presence provided him with many opportunities with NBC's national news organization while working in their New York affiliate. Lauer filled in as the newsreader on The Today Show for Margaret Larson when needed from 1992 to 1993. This "audition" allowed him to join The Today Show full-time in January 1994 as news anchor, while still co-anchoring Today in New York and Live at Five. Lauer pinch-hit for NBC newscasters Scott Simon, Mike Schnieder, and Jack Ford as the co-host of Weekend Today, and for Ann Curry as anchor of the former NBC News program NBC News at Sunrise from 1992 to 1997. Lauer had also filled in for Tom Brokaw on NBC Nightly News. As the Today Show news anchor, he also stepped in for Bryant Gumbel and Katie Couric in the Today Show's hosting chair when required before being named the official co-anchor on January 6, 1997 after Gumbel stepped down. In addition to his duties on the Today Show, Lauer has also hosted programming on the Discovery Channel and MSNBC. Career Highlights Over the past several years, Lauer has embarked on a once-yearly five-day logistical nightmare called "Where In The World is Matt Lauer?" This segment of the Today Show has Matt sent to the far reaches of the Earth, where he does segments on the importance of the location from where he is broadcasting. In recent years, he has broadcasted from locations such as Easter Island, the Panama Canal, and the Great Wall of China. In a June 2005 interview with Matt Lauer, Tom Cruise got into an argument with Lauer about psychiatry and called Lauer "glib." That same month, he hosted The Greatest American on the Discovery Channel, which used Internet and phone voting by viewers to select the winner. Lauer was rather critical of his own program, since it tended to favor well-known figures over others who had less influence in pop culture. Lauer will most likely step down as co-host of Today at the end of 2007 when his contract with NBC News expires and also when he turns 50. Lauer said that instead of seeking an evening news position he plans on working part-time once he leaves the Today show.

He was married from 1982 until 1989 to Nancy Alspaugh (1955-), a television producer. The marriage ended in divorce; the couple had no children. From 1989 until 1996, he dated Kristen Gesswein, a television newscaster. They were briefly engaged. In 1997, he met model Annette Roque, who went by the professional name Jade Roque. They married a year later. Born in the Netherlands, she is Dutch, Chinese, and Indonesian by heritage. They have two children: a son, Jack Matthew, and a daughter, Romy. In the summer of 2005, Lauer and his wife separated. They have reconciled, and are currently back together. Preceded by: Bryant Gumbel and Katie Couric Today Show Host with Katie Couric 1997–present Succeeded by: Incumbent