LOS ANGELES (REUTERS) - NBC's Today show host Matt Lauer has agreed to a contract extension to stay on the second-place morning program, a spokeswoman at the Comcast Corp-owned network said on Friday.

Terms of the deal or its length were not disclosed. Lauer, a fixture on Today and for NBC's news division for the past 20 years, is considered one of the highest-paid journalists in TV news at a previously reported US$25 million (S$31.3 million).

"I consider this the best job in broadcasting," Lauer, 56, said in a statement. "I love people I work with every day, and I have such respect and gratitude for the people I work for. I couldn't be happier to be staying."

Today has been chipping away at the lead of ABC's Good Morning America recently after surrendering its two-decade ratings crown in 2012 following unfavorable publicity around the departure of Lauer's former co-host Ann Curry.