Willie Geist Joining Today Show

First Published: October 10, 2012 10:06 AM EDT Credit: Getty Images

NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Caption Willie Geist speaks to the crowd at NBC’s ‘Today’ at Rockefeller Plaza on July 6, 2012 in New York CityWillie Geist will no longer have to be at work way too early.

NBC News on Wednesday appointed Geist to be a host of the 9 a.m. hour of the “Today” show, where he joins Al Roker and Natalie Morales.

Geist has been a regular on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” and host of that network’s 5:30 a.m. Eastern newscast, “Way Too Early.”

He’ll turn over the early newscast to another host, but still appear on the 6 a.m. hour of “Morning Joe.”

The new job begins Nov. 12. Geist says he’s looking forward to joining the freewheeling discussion of the day that tops the third hour of “Today.”

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