FishbowlLA writes about the report today in the Los Angeles Times that says NBC paid Maria Shriver between $100,000 and $1 million during each of the past three years as part of an exit agreement. Shriver left her role with Dateline NBC in February 2004 after her husband, Arnold Schwarzenegger was sworn in as governor of California.

Shriver's chief of staff declined to specify an amount in the article, and NBC declined to comment.

"Had the network fired her, NBC would have been obligated to pay Shriver her full salary for the three years that remained on her contract. Instead, Shriver resigned with an option to eventually return to the news division," the article says.

In October, Shriver said that after viewing coverage of Anna Nicole Smith's death, she decided she would not return to TV news.