Fans of the ‘Today’ show have been up in arms following the producers decision to assign Savannah Guthrie a certain story this week.
On Monday, the longtime co-host presented a story on air about an elderly man who had gone missing, but was later found. According to ABC11, Rondy Packard Sr., 70, of California was reported missing after he failed to return from a fishing trip on the morning of June 28. Fortunately, after a six-day search, he was found, much to his family’s relief.
But given that Guthrie’s own mother, Nancy Guthrie, has been missing since late January—with little progress made in finding out what happened to her—many viewers did not approve of the show’s decision to give her that story to read.
“Now why would they make her report on this story?!?” asked one person on X, sharing a screenshot of Guthrie reporting on the case.
In response to the user’s post, one comment read, “Like they’re sick and twisted,” referring to the daytime news program’s producers.
“They had an entire anchor room of people who could report and she was the only one????” grilled another user.
A third person said: “Bosses really out here assigning ‘missing elderly’ stories like it’s not your own mom missing. Heartless.”
Others called the decision “terrible” and “evil.”
One comment even claimed: “At this point the today show is using her trauma and her family’s tragedy for views and you can’t tell me otherwise because otherwise they wouldn’t have done this.”
However, not everyone took issue with Guthrie reporting the story.
“It’s her job… should she also not report on any story that involves a mother?” asked one user.
Nancy Guthrie, 84, has been missing since Jan. 31. The case has been marked by a months-long, agonizing search involving the FBI and local authorities, further complicated by several ransom letters sent to various media outlets.
On June 22, one ransom note received by a media outlet indicated that Nancy had died shortly after her abduction.
In response to the message, Guthrie tearfully made a statement at the “Today” desk the following day. “We are in agony, and we cannot be at peace. We love our mom. We’ll never stop looking for her,” she said.