Ann Curry finally leaves NBC for new media gig

It may surprise some people that Ann Curry still has been on the NBC payroll following her unceremonious dumping from “Today” back in the summer of 2013.

But now, the peacock network veteran is leaving NBC News after nearly 25 years, though she still will have something of an NBC connection.

The 58-year-old broadcaster is heading off to found a media startup that will be funded by NBCUniversal, the parent company of the NBC television network. The announcement Tuesday indicated Curry will now be free to report non-exclusively for any outlet. She also will be no longer paid an estimated $12 million annual salary.

In a statement Curry explained, “This is about reaching for the edge of the future in journalism, which we know is undergoing an irrevocable transition. I am excited about working to become a valuable link between traditional media and what is to come. In today’s world of fragmented media, this is the time to seize the opportunity to improve the way we distribute and even tell stories.”