To say it’s been a rough year for the “Today” show, would be an understatement.

The once-dominant morning program is settling in to second place, as new top producers, on-air talent and show segments meld in the hopes of catching on with viewers and regaining the top spot. Meanwhile, star anchor Matt Lauer continues to find himself in the unenviable position of taking the licks — and the responsibility — for the show’s woes.

But last night, Lauer didn’t want to dwell on the downside. Instead it was a night to celebrate with his co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, and hundreds of other media luminaries, at the 18th annual National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association Headlines and Headliners benefit. “Today” national correspondent and news anchor Natlie Morales was the host for the evening which raised more than $75,000 for scholarships and program activities.

Morales delivered a few zingers during her speech, including giving a new name to HLN — “the hysterical ladies network.”

HLN anchor Jane Velez-Mitchell, who hosted this event last year, missed the joke as she was still taping her show. But she took it in stride when we told it to her later. They may be hysterical, but HLN ratings of late, thanks to coverage of the Jodi Arias trial, are nothing to laugh at.

We chatted with ABC’s Amy Robach, whose star has risen at “Good Morning America” since leaving NBC News last year. Robach and husband Andrew Shue are leaving today for a Caribbean vacation. Gayle King represented for “CBS This Morning,” while CNN’s Christine Romans, John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin chatted with guests. We caught up with MSNBC’s Alex Witt, FNC’s Rick Reichmuth and CNBC’s Mandy Drury, who’s heading home to Australia next week to catch up with family. On the local news scene, WABC’s Lori Stokes and WNBC’s Contessa Brewer worked the room. And we couldn’t pass up the chance to talk with The Weather Channel’s Bryan Norcross, the father of the named Winter storms. “Everything needs a hashtag now,” says the longtime meteorologist. “What better way than to name the storms?” Of course, an unending Winter helps. Did you hear Winter Storm Virgil is on the way this weekend?

(l-r) “Today” show publicist Megan Kopf Stackhouse, Andrew Shue, CNN’s Javier Morgado, NBC’s Natalie Morales, ABC’s Amy Robach

More photos after the jump…

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TV news organizations are gearing up for covering Sandy. There is still lots of uncertainty  but here is what we know so far. We will update this story as we get more information.

Cable:

The Weather Channel not surprisingly, has a slew of coverage planned. “Wake Up With Al” will air this weekend starting at 5:30 AM, and 5 AM starting next week.

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Actual news got in the way of last night’s annual New York fundraiser for the journalism group NLGJA. Soledad O’Brien, who was to co-host with her HLN colleague Jane Velez-Mitchell, couldn’t as she moderated CNN’s Trayvon Martin town hall which airs tonight.

• Related: Behind the Scenes at CNN’s Trayvon Martin Town Hall

Don Lemon jetted up from Atlanta to co-host with Velez-Mitchell, who mixed and mingled before making a beeline for Time Warner Center herself to participate in the town hall.

Velez-Mitchell made the biggest splash of the night when, during her welcome remarks to the crowd, she pulled her girlfriend on stage and planted a big kiss on her. “I won’t be doing that!” Lemon joked. “Ben doesn’t like that kind of thing,” he said glancing over to his partner, Ben Tinker, who is a producer in CNN’s medical unit.

CNN managing editor Mark Whitaker talked about his network’s commitment to diversity in the ranks and on the air. CNN was the lead sponsor for the event which was held at the Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams showroom in SoHo.

Also spotted in the crowd: NBC News VP Alex Wallace, former “Today” show co-anchor Meredith Vieira, “CBS This Morning” co-host Erica Hill, MSNBC’s Willie Geist, former MSNBC anchor Contessa Brewer and Fox News meteorologist Rick Reichmuth.

We chatted with FBN’s Gerri Willis who told us she has a new appreciation for the work of the Supreme Court after anchoring her show from Washington during oral arguments on the health care law. We also caught up with Fox News’s Alisyn Camerota and new Fox News political analyst Sally Kohn, who is settling in to her role as progressive pundit both on air and online, which

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This morning on “Fox & Friends,” FNC chief meteorologist Rick Reichmuth and New York Yankees executive Brian Cashman teamed up for the second year in a row to rappel 350 feet down the Landmark Building in Stamford, CT. (Cashman, a Connecticut resident, was doing a “practice run” ahead of the weekend, when he’ll rappel down the building at Stamford’s “Heights of Lights” celebration.)

The pair talked shop on the way down before being interrupted by a “surprise” visitor (hint: he’s a Christmas-themed cartoon character), and from there, everything went downhill, leading the F&F anchors in the studio to wonder, “Is anyone in control?” Watch:

The plan was that much of today’s cable news coverage would be from London, ahead of tomorrow’s Royal Wedding. That changed as the damage reports came in and the death toll rose from last night’s string of Southern storms.

FNC has devoted a majority of airtime today to the devastation in the South including from correspondents Jonathan Serrie reporting in Birmingham, Rick Reichmuth in Tuscaloosa, Mike Tobin in Smithville, MS and Steve Harrigan in Tennessee. John Roberts anchored from Atlanta today and will be in the field tomorrow. He’ll also anchor the 1pm and 6pm on Saturday from a location to be determined.

Over on CNN today, correspondents Reynolds Wolf, Don Lemon, Martin Savidge, Ines Ferre, Wayne Drash, and Sarah Hoyee are reporting from Alabama while Rafael Romo and Matt Cherry are reporting from Georgia.

MSNBC anchor Thomas Roberts flanked by Fox News anchors Kimberly Guilfoyle and Jamie Colby

TVNewser headed out last night to the annual NLGJA “Headlines & Headliners” fundraiser hosted by MSNBC anchor Thomas Roberts. More than 400 attendees packed the Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams store in Soho for the event.

The primetime outing pulled in the morning show anchors including NBC’s Ann Curry, CBS’s Erica Hill and Marysol Castro, ABC’s Sam Champion and MSNBC’s Chris Jansing. We caught up with NBC’s Natalie Morales and Chris Wragge as they swapped stories about their early morning wake-up calls.

We chatted with ABC’s Andrea Canning, about getting the first of the Charlie Sheen interviews, and about her competitor and friend, NBC’s Jeff Rossen who got the second, and third and fourth. Canning told us even as the story has died down, she’s still getting press requests to talk about it.

FNC’s Jamie Colby, who anchors weekends for Fox, told us about her news-filled Saturdays of late — Libya last weekend, Japan the weekend before. “And the Gabrielle Giffords shooting happened on our watch.”

Curry shared with us her experience in Japan last week, which turned dangerous for those covering the story as the threat from the Fukushima nuclear plant grew. “I’ve taken our crews

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MSNBC anchor Thomas Roberts will host the NLGJA’s 16th annual Headlines and Headliners event in New York tonight. What makes this interesting is that Roberts is the first openly gay TV journalist to host the event which benefits the organization for gay and lesbian journalists.

“I am honored to be this year’s host,” Roberts tells TVNewser. “It is going to be a great night. I really believe in NLGJA and its work and I’m proud to be involved.”

Roberts, who joined MSNBC fulltime late last year, was named anchor of the 11am hour last month.

NLGJA’s annual New York benefit gathers big name TV, radio, print and online journalists –tonight that includes FNC’s Jamie Colby, Rick Reichmuth, Kimberly Guilfoyle and Rick Folbaum; from CBS Erica Hill, Chris Wragge, Marysol Castro and Troy Roberts; from CNN and HLN, Don Lemon and Jane Velez-Mitchell; from ABC News Sam Champion, and JuJu Chang; and Roberts’ MSNBC/NBC colleagues Chris Jansing, Natalie Morales, Contessa Brewer and Carl Quintanilla.

In the past, the New York benefit has been hosted by ABC’s Diane Sawyer, NBC’s Meredith Vieira, and CNN’s Soledad O’Brien. Tickets are still available. Go here for more info.

The National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association’s 16th Annual New York Benefit: Headlines & Headliners will be hosted by MSNBC anchor Thomas Roberts, the association announced today.

Joining Roberts Jamie Colby (FNC), Ann Curry (NBC), Manuel Gallegus (CBS), Chris Jansing (MSNBC), Rick Folbaum (FNC), Natalie Morales (NBC), Erin Moriarty (CBS), Trish Regan (CNBC), and others.

Click here to purchase tickets for the March 24th event, which will take place Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams SoHo Store in New York City.

CNN and Fox News Channel are two of the principal sponsors this year.