NBCUniversal has formally announced its deal with former ESPN anchor and corespondent Michelle Beadle. Earlier this month we noted that NBC was the likely destination for Beadle, though the exact role was undefined.

Rather than co-host NBCU’s syndicated entertainment news show “Access Hollywood,” Beadle will serve as a correspondent, and will cover all of the major red carpet events. Beadle will also serve as a correspondent for NBC’s big sporting events, including the NFL Kickoff and the horse racing Triple Crown. The NBC Sports Network will also be developing a new show for Beadle.

The agreement is not unlike another recent deal NBCU made with a high-profile talent, albeit on a smaller scale.

“Similar to the agreement with Ryan Seacrest, this is another great example of attracting a talent who can contribute across multiple NBCUniversal platforms,” said Mark Lazarus, Chairman, NBC Sports Group in a statement.

More information, after the jump.

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On NBC’s “Today” this morning, Matt Lauer interviewed “General Aladeen,” the fictional dictator of the fictional country of Wadiya. Aladeen is actually actor Sacha Baron Cohen, and he was on the show to promote his upcoming movie, “The Dictator.”

Cohen had plenty of fun at Lauer’s expense, including a joke about Ann Curry:

“The billibino girl? what is her name?” Cohen said “You mean Japanese-American, Ann Curry,” Lauer replied. “I know that you are having an affair with her, so ask me good questions and I will not bring it up when we are on the air,” Cohen quipped.

He also brought up Ryan Seacrest:

“I know that Ryan had attempted a coup and take your job, well done for having him executed!”

As expected, Ryan Seacrest is joining NBC News as a “special correspondent” for NBC News, including on “Today.”

Seacrest will continue as the managing editor of E! News, as well as E!’s red carpet host, though his regular hosting duties will likely be cut back. Instead, Seacrest will serve as a “special correspondent” for “Today” and “contributes to NBC primetime news and produces and contributes to NBC entertainment programming.” He will also–as previously announced–serve as a correspondent during NBC’s coverage of the 2012 London Olympics.

Seacrest’s deal is so big, that NBCU CEO Steve Burke was the one quoted in the press release.

“Ryan is an extraordinary talent who has been an important part of the Comcast family for a long time,” Burke said in a statement. “We look forward to his continued role on E! and to having him appear on many new places across NBCUniversal, including the TODAY show and at the Olympics. This is a great example of how NBCUniversal is able to provide the perfect home for some of the best people in the business.”

Last year, the rumor was that Matt Lauer was going to leave “Today,” and Seacrest came up as a possible replacement. As we reported at the time, he was widely expected to land some sort of role on the NBC morning show, even if it was not as an anchor.

More information below.

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NBC Olympics has announced its anchors and correspondents for the upcoming 2012 games in London.

Not surprisingly, Bob Costas will be anchoring NBC’s primetime coverage. This will be Costas’ 10th Olympics, and ninth as primetime host. The network’s weekend and weekday daytime programming will be led by the team of Al Michaels and Dan Patrick. Michaels of course called the famous “Miracle on Ice” game at the Lake Placid Olympics in 1980. It will be his second Olympics for NBC. The games will be Patrick’s first as anchor, though he served as a correspondent in Vancouver.

The late-night action will be led by Mary Carillo, who is making her 11th Olympics appearance, and third-straight as late night anchor. She will also serve as a correspondent for the games.

Other correspondents will include Ryan Seacrest, former gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi and–making his Olympics broadcasting debut–the bad boy of tennis John McEnroe.

NBC News correspondents and NBC Sports contributors will be named closer to the games.

Television legend Dick Clark has died of a heart attack at the age of 82.

Clark was a prolific television host, helming game shows such as “Pyramid,” the famous variety show “American Bandstand” and of course “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,” which has been a New Year’s television staple for 40 years.

Born in Mount Vernon, New York, Clark first gained national attention as the host of “American Bandstand,” which made the jump from a local Philadelphia station to ABC in 1957.

“New Years Rockin’ Eve” first appeared on NBC in 1972, moving to ABC in 1974, where it has remained ever since. Clark has led the countdown to the new year every December 31, with the exception of 2004, when he was recovering following a stroke.

Leading that New Year’s countdown was incredibly important to Clark, as he recounted in a 1999 interview:

“The key is, it is very nice to be welcomed into people’s celebrations,” Clark said. “Though we are probably wallpaper in the background for a lot of people, when that five minutes to midnight hits, it is for all the people, counting down with you.”

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As we told you on Monday, “Today” was the winner for the week of April 2. With Sarah Palin, Ryan Seacrest and the news of a new contract for Matt Lauer, NBC increased its Total-Viewer lead on ABC’s “Good Morning America” to 190,000, the highest it has been in three weeks.

ABC’s “Good Morning America” was the only show to improve on its year-ago averages, +3% in Total Viewers and +3% in A25-54 viewers with Katie Couric filling in for Robin Roberts. “Today” was down -5% and -12%, respectively.

Although “CBS This Morning” was down -5% in Total Viewers and -4% in A25-54 viewers, the show saw a year-over-year gain of +11% in women A25-54. Oprah Winfrey was the marquee guest on CBS’s morning show last Monday.

The averages for the week of April 2:

• Total Viewers: NBC: 5.11M / ABC: 4.92M / CBS: 2.47M

• A25-54 viewers: NBC: 2.14M / ABC: 1.83M / CBS: 1.01M

On Friday, NBC’s “Today” show held off ABC’s “Good Morning America” to win the day, and the week that saw highly-publicized ratings stunts we haven’t seen in a long time. According to Nielsen Fast National data, GMA got within +25,000 Total Viewers on Friday (it won in Total Viewers on Wednesday). “Today” won the demo each day. The news about the news culminated Friday with Matt Lauer announcing he’s signed a contract extension.

Compared to the same week last year, “GMA” was up +2% in Total Viewers and up +3% in A25-54 viewers, while “Today” was down -5% in Total Viewers and down -12% in younger viewers. Last year the gap was +567,000 Total Viewers. This year “Today” leads by less than half that, +210,000. The younger viewer gap has also been cut by more than half.

For the week of April 2, 2012:

• “Today” — 5,109,000 / 2,135,000

• “GMA” — 4,899,000 / 1,829,000

Here is a look at the week, day-by-day. The “Today” show’s best day in Total Viewers was Tuesday, when Sarah Palin guest co-hosted. The best day in the demo was Wednesday, when Ryan Seacrest was on. GMA’s best day in both Total Viewers and the demo was Wednesday, the morning after the “Dancing with the Stars” results show.

As has been rumored for a few weeks now, Matt Lauer has officially signed a new contract with NBC, one that will be keeping him at the helm of “Today” for the “long-term.”

Lauer is expected to make the news official tomorrow morning on the program.

Newsday reported last month that Lauer was closing in on a new contract in the $25 million a  year range. Terms of the new deal were not disclosed, but according to the New York Times the $25 million figure was “complete silliness.”

After Meredith Vieira announced that she would be leaving, rumors swirled around Lauer’s future at the program. Ryan Seacrest came up as a potential replacement, spurring on a funny interview earlier this week. Seacrest announced that he would be contributing to NBC’s Olympics coverage, not mentioning any sort of role on “Today.”

Friday morning update: Video of Lauer’s announcement is after the jump.

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Regis Philbin on Thursday’s “Good Morning America.”

On day three of Katie Couric‘s return to mornings it was a split decision for the #1 and #2 morning shows.

According to Nielsen Fast National ratings “Good Morning America,” with Couric as a fill-in co-host, topped her old show by +87,000 viewers (5.236M vs. 5.149M). But “Today” prevailed in younger viewers with +319,000 more viewers than “GMA.”

“Today” won Monday and Tuesday in both Total Viewers and the A25-54 demo.

NBC’s promotable segment Wednesday was with Ryan Seacrest who discussed a possible future role at the show as well as announcing that his new contract with NBCUniversal includes coverage at the London Summer Olympics.

Last week, “GMA” beat “Today” twice: On Tuesday by +107,000 viewers and on Friday by +89,000 viewers.

When you compare Tuesday, March 27 to Tuesday, April 3, it appears the “Today” show’s stunt of making Sarah Palin co-host for the day made a difference as “Today” topped “GMA” by +356,000 viewers.

Regis Philbin, billed as “a true legend,” dropped by GMA this morning. “Katie Couric you’re the best, you really are,” said Reege. “I hate to see you go to 3 o’clock in the afternoon. Afternoon television is dead these days! This is where the action is right here.”

As expected the big Ryan Seacrest “announcement” this morning was a new deal with NBCUniversal, a deal that will include a role for Seacrest at this year’s Summer Olympics in London. A new deal with Fox’s “American Idol” also looks likely, but one thing that was not mentioned was a possible role for Seacrest on “Today.”

Matt Lauer asked him about that directly in an interview:

“What kind of conversations have you had with NBC about joining the Today Show?” Lauer asked.

“Oh, they didn’t tell you?” Seacrest quipped.

“You didn’t answer the question, and I want names and dates,” Lauer responded jokingly.

“I see you doing this for as long as you want to, so how long will you be on the “Today” show? Because fans–and myself included–think you should be doing this for a long time,’ Seacrest replied.