Ann Curry ‘Begs’ NBC Out of Contract for CNN Role; CNN President Jeff Zucker 'Eyeing' Curry for Primetime Job, Report

Ann Curry might be looking to exit NBC and jump to a cable news network.

According to Radar Online, Curry has formally asked her NBC bosses to release her from her contract in order to accept a position at CNN.

The CNN deal has bee rumored since December after a New York Post Page Six source claimed new CNN President Jeff Zucker wants to add a "headliner" to the cable news channel's primetime schedule.

Zucker, is highly familiar with NBC and Curry. He was previously the president and CEO of NBCUniversal from 2007 to 2010. Zucker was also the field producer for Today and was promoted to executive producer in 1992. With Zucker leading Today, he introduced the outdoor summer concert series that still exists today and made the morning show move to its current location at Rockefeller Plaza in 1994.

According to the Page Six source, "[Zucker] cannot allow the low ratings at CNN to continue . . . so he can't hire a nobody. Curry fits that CNN-smarty-pants-foreign-affairs type. Package her experience as a news anchor for 14 years at NBC with the sympathy that's remained out there for her after the way the Today show treated her," added the source, referring to how Curry will attract appeal with audiences.

As for the latest report from Radar, "Ann wants out of her contract, big time. She has formally asked her attorney to explore exit options from the network. However, NBC bosses have indicated they are unwilling to release Ann from the contract. If Ann were to just quit, there is a non-compete clause, which would prohibit her from working for another news outlet for two years."

The Radar source noted Curry's lawyer might have a good case since NBC demoted Curry from "Today" and has not been seen regularly on television.

Zucker could be placing Curry during the 8 p.m. EST hour on CNN, currently held my Anderson Cooper, who also hosts the 10 p.m. hour.

Curry as dismissed as co-anchor of the NBC morning show "Today" in June 2012 following a decrease in ratings and losing to ABC morning show "Good Morning America."