Hoda Kotb, fourth hour co-host of Today, came home to her roots in New Orleans on Friday. (Kotb worked as a reporter and anchor of WWL-TV, a CBS affiliate, before landing a job at Dateline in 1998.)

Kotb was the keynote speaker during the Festigals‘ luncheon, an annual empowering women’s getaway weekend in the Big Easy, amidst a banquet room bursting with energy and buzz.

As she took the podium to the Commodores’ hit, “Brick House,” and raised a wine glass (red, not white) to toast the audience, Kotb doled out several tips about life, careers, mojo and a whole lot of moxie. Read more

- Condè Nast employees received quite the email today, when a company-wide alert was sent out saying “We have received reports that a firearm has been discharged on the 10th floor of 750 building, 3rd Avenue in New York. If you are in a safe location, remain where you are,” reports Gawker. Minutes later, staffers received another alert, saying “Conde Nast Security Operation Center apologizes for a message received initially of reports of an active shooter at 750 3rd avenue. The message was sent in error. It was a department drill. Please accept our apologies. Please disregard.” Worst drill ever? Possibly.

- Publisher of the Denver Post Dean Singleton really wants to give his son, 18, every opportunity to get into the journalism game. He even went as far as to email people within the paper, asking for their help in showing the kid the ropes (as long as it’s not too late on a school night). According to the email obtained by Westword, “He [the son] can work a later shift, but Mon-Thur are school nites, so the aim is not to be too late getting him to bed — say 9 p.m . the latest…He does not drive, so it needs to be an assignment easily accesible via public transportation… or the staff member needs to pick him up and return him to the Post building.” Jeez, asking much? Who’s not going to jump at that opportunity?

- After 30 years at Bloomberg Businessweek, managing editor Ciro Scotti has decided to step away from the magazine. He didn’t specify where he would head next, but it seems like he’s leaving on good terms. “I’m going to skip the boilerplate about a great ride and smart people,” said Scotti in his farewell email. “The richness of my memories at BusinessWeek deserve more than a passing line, and if you weren’t brimming with brains and possibilities, believe me you wouldn’t be here.” Now that’s how you exit.

- Two other high-profile departures occurred today. First CNN fired its president of U.S. operations Jonathan Klein and replaced him with Ken Jautz, head of CNN’s sister channel HLN. Klein had stood at the top for six years, but CNN’s ratings decline meant this was only a matter of time. Also CEO of NBC Universal Jeff Zucker announced he would step away from the company once NBC completes the sell with Comcast. I just wonder how this will be worked into 30 Rock’s storyline?

Some moves in TV, advertising, and magazines today:

NBCU is prepping to be taken over by Comcast; CEO Jeff Zucker has announced the transition team.

As TVNewser reports: “The Operational Transition Team will be led by Salil Mehta, NBCU’s President of Business Operations, Strategy and Development while John Eck, President of NBC TV Network and Mediaworks will be NBC’s rep on the Administrative Transition Team.”

NY-based agency Chiat has made two new hires; Carla Serrano joins as Chief Strategy Officer and Stephanie Retcho will be Managing Director.

The Magazine Publishers of America has cut five positions; its staff now numbers 30. It’s always a downer when the associations that support your industry can’t support themselves.

Redbook‘s adding six columnists to its personal advice section. The writers: “mommy blogger” Alice Bradley, personal finance expert Beth Kobliner, and health and food blogger Lisa Lillien (aka “Hungry Girl“), women’s health specialist Alice Domar, OB-GYN Hilda Hutcherson, and stay-at-home dad Aaron Traister.

Nancy Paulsen will head a new imprint at Penguin, and it’s got her name on it: the first Nancy Paulsen Books will arrive in 2011.

Last, Food Network Magazine‘s announced several appointments, including Glamour executive managing editor Maria Baugh as managing editor.

NBCU CEO Jeff Zucker at the All Things Digital conference in San Diego today: “We have bottomed out.” He says broadcasters may post better-than-expected sales for the upcoming season.

Not time to start celebrating just yet: analysts project broadcast network ads will fall another 10 percent this year to $12.8 billion, while cable advertising will drop 3 percent to $20.9 billion.

Zucker also spoke about some of the issues broadcasters face, that we’ve all heard before: for example, networks don’t make as much money off reruns anymore because the shows are now available online. But Hulu and iTunes, et. al., aren’t making up the difference: “You do have to have 10 businesses like this to make up for the ones that you lost,” he said.