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EspañolTODAY (NBC PROGRAM)
(Redirected from The Today Show)
'''Today''', usually referred to as '''The Today Show''' to avoid ambiguity, is an American morning news and talk show airing weekday mornings on the NBC television network. Premiering on January 14, 1952, it was the first of its genre, spawning similar morning news and entertainment television programs across the country and around the world. The show is also the third-longest running American television series, behind ''Meet The Press'', which also airs on NBC.
''Today'' has been the highest-rated morning news and talk show in the United States since the week of December 11, 1995.
''The Today Show'' first aired on January 14, 1952. It was the brainchild of Pat Weaver, who was then vice-president of NBC. Weaver was president of the company from 1953 to 1955 (during which time ''Today's'' late-night companion, ''The Tonight Show'', premiered), and then served as chairman of the board for another year. Pat Weaver is the father of actress Sigourney Weaver.
''Today'' was the first show of its genre when it signed on with original host Dave Garroway. The show blends national news headlines, in-depth interviews with newsmakers, lifestyle features, other light news and gimmicks (including the presence of the chimpanzee J. Fred Muggs as the show's mascot during the early years), and local news updates. It has spawned several other shows of a similar type, including ABC's ''Good Morning America'', and CBS' ''The Early Show''.
In other countries the format was copied - most notably in the United Kingdom with the BBC's ''Breakfast'' and ITV's ''Good Morning Britain'' and in Canada with ''Canada AM'' on CTV.
When ''Today'' started, it was seen live only in the Eastern and Central time zones, broadcasting three hours per morning but seen for only two hours in each time zone. Later, ''Today'' aired live for five hours a morning on Monday morning but it was seen for only two consecutive hours in each of the four U.S. continental time zones. Since 1958, ''Today'' is tape-delayed for the different time zones. For many years it was a two-hour program from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. in all time zones except for Alaska, Hawaii and U.S. Virgin Islands, until NBC expanded it to three hours (until 10:00 a.m. in all time zones) on October 2, 2000. In some markets (such as Boston, Massachusetts, on WHDH-TV), the third hour of ''Today'' is tape-delayed by an hour and airs at 10 a.m. NBC News president Steve Capus announced January 17, 2007 that beginning in September 2007, ''Today'' will broadcast for 4 hours a day from 7-11 a.m.
The show is currently hosted by Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira. Al Roker does national weather updates, signaling the thirty-second cutaway to local forecasting with the outcue, ''"That's what's happening around the country, here’s what’s happening in your neck of the woods."'' (If an affiliate has no weather update, there is no NBC affiliate in the area, or if viewers are watching the show internationally, a national summary of temperatures from Roker is shown instead.) Ann Curry reads news headlines. Natalie Morales is a national correspondent and co-host of the third hour of the program, Gene Shalit is the entertainment critic, and Peter Greenberg is the travel editor. Roker, Curry, and Morales interview guests and take part in other segments in addition to their weather and news duties during the 9 a.m. hour. Also, former ''Today Show'' weatherman Willard Scott sends birthday wishes to centenarians twice weekly and occasionally subs for Roker. NBC News White House correspondent David Gregory has recently been added as substitute host for Matt Lauer. Bob Dotson, Jamie Gangel, and Melissa Stark are National Correspondents for ''Today''. Kelly O'Donnell covers the day's events at the White House while Tim Russert (host of NBC's ''Meet the Press'' on Sunday mornings) offers commentary on current political news (MSNBC's Chris Matthews sometimes subs for Russert). Jean Chatzky, editor-at-large for Money Magazine, provides weekly financial segments.
The show broadcasts from Studio 1A in Rockefeller Center, New York, just across the street from NBC headquarters at the GE Building. The studio is located right next to the street and many times the hosts do the weather or other events from outside.
The ''Today'' program first originated from the RCA Exhibition Hall on 49th Street in a space now occupied by the Christie's auction house, just down the block from the current studio. The first set placed a functional newsroom in the studio, which Garroway called "the nerve center of the world." Gradually, machines and personnel were placed behind the scenes to assemble the news and weather reports, and the newsroom was gone by 1955. In 1958, the show moved across the street to Studio 3K in the RCA Building, where it remained through the early 1960s. On July 9, 1962, the show returned to a streetside studio in the space then occupied by the Florida Showcase. In September 1965, ''Today'' moved back to the RCA Building. The network's news programming went to all-color broadcasts at that time, and NBC could not justify allocating four (then-expensive) color cameras to the Florida Showcase studio. For the next twenty years, the show occupied a series of studios on the third, sixth, and eighth floors of NBC's headquarters; most notably Studio 3K in the 1970s, Studio 8G (adjacent to Studio 8H, home to Saturday Night Live) in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and finally Studio 3B from 1983 to 1994. ''Today'' moved to the current streetside studio in June 1994, providing a link to the show's 1950s origins.
Since the premiere of the 1990s set, the morning shows of each of the major broadcast and cable-news networks has moved streetside -- including two of ''Today's'' Rockefeller Center neighbors, Fox News' ''Fox & Friends'' and CNN's ''American Morning''. (In summer 2005, CNN reversed the trend, abandoning its street-level studio and moving upstairs in the Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle.) ABC's ''Good Morning America'' broadcasts from Times Square Studios.
In 2006, Studio 1A underwent a major renovation to prepare for 1080i high-definition broadcasting. After the departure of Katie Couric and while a new set was readied (Summer of 2006), the program was broadcast from a temporary outdoor studio in Rockefeller Plaza, the same set NBC used at the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece and Torino, Italy (see ''A New co-host and New Era Begins'' section below for more). [1] During the week of August 28, 2006, the show was moved to a temporary location outside of Studio 1A because MTV was converting the Outdoor Studio into their Red Carpet booth for the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards. A mock set was set up in ''Dateline's studio, also used during inclement weather. Also, they used a temporary outdoor set at 30 Rock.
On September 13, 2006, ''Today'' moved into its brand new set. The new studio is divided into five different parts on the lower level. It includes the interview area, the couch area, the news desk, the performance/interview/extra space area, and home base, which is where the anchors start the show. There is also an upstairs that will be home to ''Today's kitchen. The blue background that is seen in the opening of the show in home base moves up and down to allow a view of the outside from the home base. The program’s concerts are now broadcast in Dolby Digital 5.1-channel surround sound.The weekday director is Joe Michaels.
''Today'' anchors started out as "Communicators." Creator Pat Weaver envisioned a person whose responsibilities would go beyond the bounds of traditional sit-down news anchors. The Communicator would interview, report, moderate dialogue and generally tie the show together into a coherent whole. Garroway and his successors have all followed that model, with little variation. Today, the hosts are expected to do much the same, and on any given day will talk with correspondents, newsmakers and lifestyle experts; introduce and close each half-hour; conduct special segments (such as cooking or fashion) and go on-assignment to host the program from different locations. Although the "Communicator" nomenclature has since dropped out of favor, the job remains largely the same. The principal anchors/hosts of the show have included:
★ Dave Garroway (1952–1961)
★ John Chancellor (1961–1962)
★ Hugh Downs (1962–1963)
★ Hugh Downs and Barbara Walters (1963–1971)[2].
★ Frank McGee and Barbara Walters (1971–1974)
★ Jim Hartz and Barbara Walters (1974–1976)
★ Tom Brokaw and Jane Pauley (1976–1981)
★ Bryant Gumbel, Jane Pauley and Chris Wallace (1982)
★ Bryant Gumbel and Jane Pauley (1982–1989)
★ Bryant Gumbel and Deborah Norville (1990)
★ Bryant Gumbel, Deborah Norville and Joe Garagiola (1990–1991)
★ Bryant Gumbel, Katie Couric and Joe Garagiola (1991–1992)
★ Bryant Gumbel and Katie Couric (1992–1997)
★ Katie Couric and Matt Lauer (1997–2006)
★ Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira (2006–present)
(
★ In 1963, Barbara Walters became a co-host without the official title. In 1974, NBC officially designated her as the program's first female co-host.)[2]
From the show's inception, the idea of providing the latest news has been critical to the function of the program. In that vein, there has always been at least one person on set whose job it is to prepare and deliver newscasts. In 1952, that person was called ''Today's "news editor" or (informally) "news chief." In modern parlance, the term "newsreader" or "news anchor" is preferred. Under the two-hour format, four newscasts would be delivered, once every half-hour. Now there are only three newscasts, delivered at the top of each hour. Some anchors, including Jim Fleming and John Palmer, were seasoned journalists before joining the program. Others, including Ann Curry, have used the position to increase their journalistic acumen, at times leaving the newsdesk behind to venture into the field. News anchors have included the following:
★ Jim Fleming (1952–1953)
★ Frank Blair (1953–1975)
★ Lew Wood (1975–1976)
★ Floyd Kalber (1976–1979)
★ Tony Guida (1979)
★ John Palmer (1982–1989)
★ Deborah Norville (1989–1990)
★ Faith Daniels (1990–1992)
★ Margaret Larson (1992–1994)
★ Matt Lauer (1994–1997)
★ Ann Curry (1997–present)
(
★ From 1979-1981, Jane Pauley and Tom Brokaw read the news headlines.)
On Wednesday April 5, 2006, Katie Couric announced on her fifteenth anniversary as co-host of ''Today'' that she would leave ''Today'' and NBC News at the end of May to become the new anchor and managing editor of CBS Evening News. The following day, Meredith Vieira announced on ABC's daytime talk-show ''The View'' (on which she formerly served as a co-host) that she will succeed Couric as anchor of ''Today''. Katie Couric's final broadcast was aired on May 31, 2006. The day's show was dedicated to Couric's fifteen years as one of the show's co-hosts, and celebrated her move to the anchor chair at CBS. She will also become a correspondent for the network's Sunday night program ''60 Minutes''. Couric said during the show, "It's been a pleasure hosting this program, and thank you for fifteen great years." A special video presentation was broadcast, recapping her best moments and news stories on Today during her fifteen years.
On June 1, 2006 (the day after Couric's departure) NBC News announced that for the summer of 2006 ''Today'' would move to a temporary outdoor studio as Studio 1A was going through renovations to prepare for high-definition. On that same day, NBC News launched a new advertisement promoting future co-host Meredith Vieira. For the summer of 2006, Couric's anchor seat was filled with various hosts, mostly consisting of Campbell Brown, Ann Curry, and Natalie Morales, until Vieira took over that fall. On September 13, 2006 Meredith Vieira replaced Katie Couric as the new co-host of ''Today''
Beginning in 2004 there were rumors that the ''Today'' hosts of Today were in the midst of a feud. Reports say that this was due to Katie Couric's prominence, that she was the general perception for a news program, and that she was the only person who could guarantee high ratings for a morning news program, some reports also stated that Couric became a bit too proud (some say obnoxious) because of this and began to offend co-host Matt Lauer and the rest of the hosts. Reports also stated Couric became involved in such a feud. Couric denied these reports and said she was rather hurt by them. Such a feud, if one existed, may have been a factor (by no means the main factor) leading to Couric leaving ''Today'' for the anchor chair of CBS Evening News as well as a place on 60 Minutes following her NBC contract expiry on May 31. Reports also showed speculation of a feud by rival ABC program ''Good Morning America''. There were some doubts of how Couric would do on the evening news since people identified her as a morning anchor. Couric's last day on ''Today'' was May 31, 2006, the final day of her contract. The day after Couric's announcement, Meredith Vieira announced on ABC's The View, where she then served as a host, that she would take over as Lauer's co-anchor in September, despite numerous in-house candidates such as Campbell Brown, Ann Curry, and Natalie Morales. Meanwhile Lauer's contract has been secured for the future years. He has signed through 2011 and has gotten a sizable salary increase. Lauer and Vieira began co-hosting together on September 13, 2006.
For the program's first 25 years, weather reports were delivered by the host or newsreader. Dave Garroway would draw the day's weather fronts and areas of precipitation on a big chalkboard map of the United States, based on information gathered earlier in the morning from the U.S. Weather Bureau in Washington, D.C. Subsequent hosts John Chancellor and Hugh Downs dropped the chalkboard weather map concept and instead read a prepared weather summary over a still image of a weather map. When the show went to all-color broadcasts in 1965, weather maps were prepared and projected on a screen behind Frank Blair, who would deliver the forecast immediately after his news summaries. Under the old two-hour format, weather reports would be delivered every half-hour after the newscast. Today, the weather is still given every half-hour, but follows the news only at the top of the hour.
Garroway, Blair and others had no practical experience or academic credentials in meteorology; today, it is likely that an accredited meteorologist would be hired to fill the weather reporter's role. ''Today'' weather reporters have included:
★ Bob Ryan (1978–1980)
★ Willard Scott (1980–1996)
★ Al Roker (1996–present)
The job of "panelist" has no set definition. Panelist duties can range from conducting interviews to reporting on a number of topics in-studio and in the field. Regular panelists on the program include the following:
★ Jack Lescoulie (1952–1965)
★ Edwin Newman (1952–1984)
★ Judith Crist (1964–1973)
★ Joe Garagiola (1967–1973, 1991–1992)
★ Gene Shalit (1973–present)
★ Tiki Barber (2007–present) [4]
The first brand extension was created in 1982. ''Early Today'' was conceived as a lead-in for ''Today''. It even had the same anchors, Bryant Gumbel and Jane Pauley. The program was conceived so local stations could carry the full hour or one of the two half-hours. After a year NBC cancelled the program, after concluding that the show was too similar to ''Today''. It was replaced by ''NBC News at Sunrise'' anchored by Connie Chung.
In 1999, NBC cancelled ''NBC News at Sunrise'' and created two brand extensions for ''Today''. One was ''Early Today'' (not to be confused with the earlier incarnation). Replacing ''NBC News at Sunrise'', the program originally was produced by CNBC and focused on business and financial news before switching to general news under the same production staff as ''MSNBC First Look''; it continues to air on many NBC affiliates. Also in the of fall 1999, ''Later Today'', a talk show that was intended to air immediately following the then two-hour ''Today'', was launched with hosts Jodi Applegate, Florence Henderson and Asha Blake. Sagging ratings for that show caused its cancellation in August 2000; it was replaced two months later by a third hour of ''Today''.
Starting September 10, 2007, the show will expand to four hours, stretching the top-rated and highly profitable show into the late morning. NBC made the formal announcement Wednesday, January 17, at its press tour sessions, confirming a number of reports about the extra hour. The show currently airs from 7:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. on most stations, although some affiliates may air the fourth hour at another time of the day. Ann Curry, Natalie Morales and Al Roker currently host the third hour of ''Today''; Ann Curry, Natalie Morales, and Hoda Kotb will host the fourth hour.
NBC cancelled their daytime soap ''Passions'' (which moved to DirecTV-exclusive channel The 101) in order to give affiliates time back for syndicated programming that they lost in the mornings.
''Today Show'' host Dave Garroway selected Les Brown's ''Sentimental Journey'' as the program's very first theme, used during the entire Garroway era from 1952 to 1961. In 1962, when Hugh Downs became host, Django Reinhardt's ''Melodie au Crepuscule'' was chosen as the new theme; it was replaced in 1963 by ''Misty'', an instrumental ballad composed by Erroll Garner and performed by Bobby Hackett and John B. Seng.[5]
''Misty'' served as ''Today’s'' theme until 1971, when NBC News correspondent Frank McGee joined the show. Composer Ray Ellis penned an entirely new instrumental theme entitled '''This is Today''', a jazzy, up-tempo piece that served as the program's main theme until 1978. Because ''This is Today'' closely resembled the theme ''Day by Day'' from the musical ''Godspell'', Ellis was successfully sued for copyright infringement and ''This is Today'' was revised. The second version of ''This is Today'' incorporated the familiar NBC chime signature (G-E-C) in a bright, appropriately sunny arrangement that was used until 1981, at the close of the Tom Brokaw-Jane Pauley era.[5] The G-E-C signature was also used throughout the program to introduce and conclude segments, usually in combination with the familiar ''Today Show'' sunburst.
By 1982, ''Today'' had a new anchor, Bryant Gumbel, and a new version of Ellis' ''This is Today'' theme, a looser, more relaxed arrangement that continued to feature the NBC chimes in its melody. A shorter arrangement of ''This is Today'' was used for the show open (featuring a rotating globe and ''Today'' sunburst) from 1983 to 1985. The main theme was used until 1985, and due to its popularity with viewers was resurrected as the show's secondary theme in January 1993.
1985 saw the end of the synthesizer era at NBC as composer John Williams wrote a series of themes for all NBC News programs, with a cut entitled '''The Mission''' serving as the principal theme for ''NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw''. Williams also composed two themes for ''Today'': an opening fanfare for the program that was derived from the opening of ''The Mission''; and a two-minute closing theme for the show entitled '''Scherzo for Today''', a dramatic arrangement that made heavy use of strings and flutes. The new ''Today'' themes -- used in tandem with the show's new opening sequence featuring the Statue of Liberty and a new living room studio set -- gave the program a distinctly modern look and sound beginning in September 1985. A series of Williams-penned bumpers featuring the ''Mission'' signature were also used to open and close segments.
''Scherzo for Today'' was used as the program's closing theme until 1990, and the ''Mission'' bumpers were used until 1993. (One of them could be heard as a station break lead-in on NBC's ''Meet The Press'' until 2004.) ''Today'' opening fanfare has opened the program ever since, with two exceptions. In the summer of 1994, to mark the debut of Studio 1A, the Williams-penned fanfare was replaced by another opening theme, but the Williams theme returned shortly thereafter. In 2004, the show's producers tried out yet another theme, which drew once again on the NBC chimes as its signature, but the Williams theme returned after only a few weeks. It is by far the most enduring theme in the program's history, having now been in use for over two decades.
The ''Scherzo for Today'' was iconically accompanied by Fred Facey announcing "From NBC News, this is ''Today''..." until his death in April 2003. His announce could be heard until Katie Couric left on May 31, 2006, except for special editions requiring special introductions. Facey's work is now only heard on the MSNBC program ''Headliners and Legends''. With the addition of Vieira, Les Marshak began announcing the introduction as of September 13, 2006 (Marshak had already been the announcer for ''Weekend Today'').[7]
Currently, a lighter theme employing the NBC chimes is used to open the show's 7:30 through 9:30 half-hour segments, and also used as a closing theme.
On June 1, 2006, ''Today'' launched a new ad campaign to let people know about their new co-host Meredith Vieira. The "It's a New Day Today" campaign ran up until September 13, when Meredith officially became the new co-host of ''Today''. However, many stations continue to use the song to promote their local morning shows that lead in to ''Today''.
Main articles: Weekend Today
The Sunday edition of Today debuted on September 20, 1987. Five years later on August 1, 1992, the Saturday edition debuted expanding the Today schedule to seven days a week. The show is broadcast from Studio 1A in Rockefeller Plaza, the same location as its weekday counterpart. The weekend broadcasts air for 1 hour on Sundays and 2 hours on Saturdays.
The weekend broadcasts continue the ''Today'' tradition of covering breaking news, interviewing newsmakers, reporting on a variety of popular-culture and human-interest stories, covering health and finance issues and presenting the latest weather reports. The show airs from 7:00 a.m. EDT until 9:00 a.m. EDT, although many local stations choose to air locally-branded news programs at 8:00 a.m. EDT. ''Sunday Today'' airs at 8:00 a.m. EDT, lasting an hour. In addition, the show offers visitors to New York City a chance to observe firsthand the workings of a live television broadcast with its windowed studio on Rockefeller Plaza. Interaction with the crowd outside the studio is a major part of the program.
Weekend editions are tailored to the priorities and interests of weekend viewers—offering special series such as '''Saturday Today on the Plaza''', featuring live performances by the biggest names in music and Broadway outside the studio throughout the summer.
Current Anchors-
★ Amy Robach
★ Lester Holt
Former Anchors -
★ David Bloom
★ Campbell Brown
★ Soledad O'Brien
The designation "special edition" often applies to instances wherein one or both hosts anchor the program from a location other than Studio 1-A, or in the event of significant news developments. The expansion of an episode is not at all unusual, usually for planned long-duration news events such as presidential inaugurations or elections. The first such expanded edition came on January 20, 1953, with the inauguration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Breaking news can also extend the show's hours: during the London bombings on July 7, 2005, ''Today'' remained on the air for six hours, from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. EDT.
These are just some of the special editions of ''Today''.
When news of the death of Britain’s King George VI reached New York in the early morning hours of February 6, 1952, the plan for that morning’s show was thrown out and the program instead covered the monarch’s death.
Coverage of Dwight Eisenhower’s inauguration dominated the January 20, 1953, edition. Dave Garroway, Jack Lescoulie, and news anchor Jim Fleming were in Washington for the day’s coverage. NBC correspondent Merrill Mueller demonstrated the network’s first portable Vidicon television camera, employed for the first time that day.
''Today'' offered long-form coverage of the coronation of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II on June 2, 1953. NBC coordinated with the BBC to provide live audio of the ceremonies. Still pictures taken from television screens in London were faxed to the RCA Exhibition Hall studio, where Garroway would show them to viewers. Multiple correspondents from both NBC and the BBC offered commentary and analysis, both in-studio and on location at Westminster Abbey. Coronation coverage began at 5:30 a.m. EDT and concluded at 9:00 a.m. EDT.
The July 26, 1956, edition of the show covered the overnight sinking of the Italian ocean liner SS Andrea Doria, which foundered off the coast of Massachusetts. Home-movie film of the aftermath, shot by a passenger, was secured by a ''Today'' producer and broadcast on the show. Reporters Paul Cunningham and Dick McCutcheon provided analysis of the collision and subsequent sinking.
The week of September 2-6, 1957, ''Today'' originated from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the first time an American network program broadcast from outside the United States for an extended period.
The entire first hour of the October 2, 1957, edition was dedicated to a discussion of racial issues in America, moderated by Dave Garroway. Guests included American Civil Liberties Union Chairman Ernest Angel, Reverend Theodore Braun, Mississippi Senator James Eastland, and National Urban League director Lester Granger. The hour mixed live discussion and commentary with taped reports from northern and southern cities.
The week of April 27-May 1, 1959, ''Today'' originated from Paris, France. Garroway and company spent a week in the French capital, focusing on the art, culture, history and politics of France. Brigette Bardot and Charles Van Doren appeared on the show. Interestingly, in the days before satellite communications, the Paris shows could not be broadcast live in the United States. Each day's edition was filmed in advance, developed, edited and flown back to New York to be shown the next morning. Both the Paris 1959 and Rome 1960 remotes were broadcast in this manner.
The September 19, 1959, edition of the show was dedicated to an in-depth examination of the life and politics of Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, tied to Krushchev's visit to the United States that week. Guests included reporters Martin Agronsky and Harrison Salisbury, along with George Allen, then-director of the U.S. Office of Information.
The eighth anniversary show, broadcast on January 14, 1960, was taped entirely in Washington, D.C. Garroway and company visited the Library of Congress. Garroway interviewed then-Senator Everett Dirksen and Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn. The cast toured the Supreme Court building and the White House, and Garroway delivered a commentary on the history of the White House while standing in front of the building.
In the last week of April 1960, ''Today'' traveled to Rome, Italy. The Spanish Steps and the Coliseum were toured. Garroway interviewed actor Peter Ustinov, and examples of the culture and society of Italy were demonstrated.
On November 23, 1963, ''Today'' aired a special three-hour Saturday program recapping the assassination of President John F. Kennedy the previous day. Host Hugh Downs, Jack Lescoulie, and newsreader Frank Blair anchored the broadcast. In the opening minutes, Downs noted that the atmosphere that day ''"was very different"'' from what he had ever previously experienced. Lescoulie recalled how traffic in New York City after the assassination was at a standstill, and that telephone circuits were jammed. Downs added that as the hours passed, the country's grief would turn into a ''"more historic kind of grief."'' The Today cast and crew traveled to Washington for President Kennedy's funeral on Monday, November 25, 1963.
Following the launch of NASA's Early Bird satellite in May 1965, ''Today'' cast and crew traveled to Europe for a special live broadcast of the show. Host Hugh Downs was stationed at Westminster Abbey in London, Barbara Walters was in Paris, Jack Lescoulie was in Amsterdam and Frank Blair reported from the steps of the U.S. Capitol in Washington. Pope Paul VI read a message live from the Vatican, marveling at the communications now possible between nations.
On January 24, 1973, ''Today'' expanded to 3 hours and broadcast from Washington as Frank McGee and Barbara Walters reported on the latest developments in the cease-fire agreement to end the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, as President Richard Nixon gave a speech to reach the agreement the night before. They also reported on the preparations in Washington for the state funeral of former president Lyndon B. Johnson, whose body was flown to Washington from Texas that morning.
The following day, ''Today'' expanded and broadcast from Washington in order to allow McGee and Walters to anchor live coverage of the state funeral for President Johnson. At 10:00 a.m., EST, the ''Today'' portion of coverage ended, with newscaster David Brinkley in Washington taking over from that point until the conclusion of the ceremony and analysis. McGee said before the handover, "This concludes a special extended edition of ''Today'' for final ceremonies for President Lyndon B. Johnson. NBC News will continue its coverage with commentary by David Brinkley after a quick pause for station identification."
On August 9, 1974, ''Today'' was expanded to 5 hours and broadcast from Washington to cover the resignation of President Richard Nixon. NBC News correspondent Douglas Kiker provided live commentary during Nixon's final speech from the White House and the family's departure via helicopter to California that morning. As with the funeral for President Johnson a year earlier, the main division of NBC News took over coverage from ''Today'' shortly before Gerald Ford took the oath of office.
A special three-hour edition on July 15, 1975 covered the launch of Souyz 19. The Soyuz launch, a part of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, was the first Soviet launch ever telecast, a first for American television. Jim Hartz and Barbara Walters anchored.
The show airing on March 31, 1981 was broadcast from Washington, as part of its coverage of the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan the day before.
The show airing on November 8, 2000, the morning after the contested presidential election in the United States, was the most-watched edition of the program in its history, with 12 million viewers, double the normal audience, tuning in.
When terrorists attacked the World Trade Center in New York City on September 11, 2001, ''Today'' was on the air. Matt Lauer announced that there was a breaking story in progress at 8:52 a.m. EDT, but threw to a commercial break when pictures were not available. ''Today'' returned indefinitely at 8:53 a.m. ET with Lauer, Couric, and Roker commenting on the events from the couch area of Studio 1A, initially reported as an accident. When United Airlines Flight 175 crashed at 9:02:58 a.m., it was seen live on the program. Katie Couric handled the initial reports of the attack on The Pentagon as Lauer joined Tom Brokaw at the anchor desk. The broadcast restarted at 10:30 a.m. EDT, moments after the collapse of One World Trade Center. Couric, Lauer and Brokaw anchored live coverage under the production of the ''Today'' team until 1 p.m. EDT when Brokaw anchored an ''NBC News Special Report'' from NBC News Headquarters in 30 Rockefeller Plaza. NBC News Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Andrea Mitchell wrote in her memoir ''Talking Back'' that her husband, then Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, received his first briefing on the attacks when she summarized events for Brokaw on the air with her cell phone in her lap. Couric and Lauer anchored a special report from 5 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. so Brokaw could prepare for a special, expanded edition of ''NBC Nightly News'', airing from the observation deck atop 30 Rockefeller Plaza, and continuing NBC News live coverage throughout the evening. In the days following the attacks, ''Today'' was expanded to 6 hours each day for the remainder of the week that followed the attacks. On September 11, 2006, the fifth anniversary of the attacks, MSNBC replayed ''Today'' from five years earlier as it covered the attacks.
The show airing on January 14, 2002 was a three-hour long celebration of the show's 50th anniversary. It was branded "A very special edition of 'Today.'" Anniversary shows often abandon typical format (outside of top-of-the-hour news updates) in favor of clips of old shows, interviews with previous hosts and other special segments tied to the occasion. For this show, the original opening music and intro to the show from 1952 was used, and several retrospectives were aired from former anchors, guests, producers, and handlers of J. Fred Muggs.
On September 11, 2002, the show was extended to six hours (broadcasting until 1 p.m. Eastern Time) for a special edition covering the anniversary of the terrorist attacks from one year earlier.
On April 9, 2003 ''Today'' aired live until noon EST when U.S. Troops entered Baghdad. Lester Holt was sitting in next to Katie Couric for Matt Lauer. ''Today'' coverage was restarted as an ''NBC News Special Report'' at 9:12 a.m. EST and Tom Brokaw joined Couric in Studio 1A until taking over the coverage from NBC News Headquarters in 30 Rockefeller Plaza at noon
When Pope John Paul II died on Saturday, April 2, 2005, Katie Couric and Matt Lauer anchored the weekend editions of the ''Today'' show. Lauer anchored from the Vatican with Campbell Brown offering reports by his side. On the day of the Pope's death, Couric anchored a special report on a Vatican statement updating the Pope's dire condition and Lauer reported for the special report anchored by Brian Williams when the Pope was officially dead. He returned to New York as Couric traveled to Vatican City to co-anchor coverage of the Pope's funeral with Williams.
''Today'' aired a live, six-hour special edition similar to that of 9/11 after the 7/7 transit bombings in London on July 7, 2005. The program began at seven a.m. EDT as usual, but then went live in all time zones until one p.m. EDT, instead of the usual tape-delay format. The next day's show was labeled a special edition. Campbell Brown's large presence during that day's coverage, in addition to her presence on the show during the death of Pope John Paul II fueled speculation she would replace Couric in the near future.
Shows in the wake of Hurricane Katrina often carried the "special edition" branding, as Katie Couric, Campbell Brown, Lester Holt and others were stationed along the Gulf Coast instead of Studio 1-A.
The show airing on May 31, 2006 was a three-hour long celebration of Katie Couric's run on the show.
On July 12, 2006, Matt Lauer traveled to St. Petersburg (Leningrad), Russia, airing his interview with Russian President, Vladimir Putin.
On August 10, 2006, in response to the foiled terror plot in London, ''Today'' broadcast live in its timeslot for all timezones, and Matt Lauer anchored three ''NBC News Special Reports'' live in all time zones, at 6 a.m. EDT to report on the details of the story, at 8 a.m. EDT when U.S. counter-terrorism officials held a news conference at the Department of Homeland Security in Washington, D.C., and at 11:45 a.m. when President George W. Bush made remarks upon landing in Wisconsin from just outside Air Force One.
On Tuesday, August 29, 2006, ''Today'' marked the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's landfall. Matt Lauer and Ann Curry anchored from 30 Rock in New York, while Brian Williams, Campbell Brown, Lester Holt and many other NBC News correspondents reported from the Gulf Coast. The show featured interviews with New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and former FEMA Director Michael Brown, and first lady Laura Bush.
Another long-format special edition was aired on Monday, September 11, 2006, to mark the fifth anniversary of the 2001 attacks. Matt Lauer anchored the coverage from Ground Zero and was joined by Tom Brokaw and Campbell Brown. Ann Curry was at the anchor desk in the temporary outdoor studio in Rockefeller Plaza. Lester Holt reported from the Pentagon and Natalie Morales was stationed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. For viewers in the New York Market, WNBC broke away from ''Today'' at 8:27 a.m. EDT to give detailed coverage of the observance at Ground Zero, anchored by Chuck Scarborough, as they have done every year.
The show airing on January 2, 2007 covered the funeral of former president Gerald Ford with Meredith Vieira in Studio 1A in Rockefeller Plaza in New York and Matt Lauer in Washington and was cut to two hours to allow Brian Williams to assume coverage also from Washington.
The April 17 and 18 editions of the show covered the Virginia Tech massacre with Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira reporting live on the campus of Virginia Tech. Tuesday's show ran for at least four hours, until 11 a.m. EDT.
On August 2, 2007, the show covered the Minneapolis Bridge Collapse, with Matt Lauer reporting live at the collapsed 35W bridge.
Every Thanksgiving Day (since 1996), ''Today'' is truncated to two hours as the ''Today'' crew host the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The parade, produced by NBC's entertainment division and not NBC News, occupies what would normally be the show's third hour. During the two hours ''Today'' is on the air, Lester Holt and Ann Curry host ''Today'' from Studio 1A as the ''Today'' crew prepare to host the parade.
During coverage of presidential inaugurations or other major events scheduled in Washington, D.C., the show broadcasts from NBC's studios in Washington.
When special events such as award shows take place in Los Angeles, one or more anchors will host the show from NBC's Los Angeles bureau. For example on February 26, 2007, meteorologist Al Roker reported live from outside the Kodak Theater the day after the Academy Awards.
===Week Of August 20, 2007 [8]
Week Of Sept. 11, 2006=
International broadcasts==
NBC News programming is shown daily on the 24 hour news network Orbit News in Europe and the Middle East. This includes a live broadcast of ''Today''.
In Australia, ''NBC Today'' airs 4:00-6:00am Tuesday to Saturday on the Seven network. Sunday's edition is broadcast at 4:00am Monday, followed by ''Meet The Press''. A national weather map of Australia is inserted during cut-aways to local affiliates for weather. ''Today'' is pre-empted by paid programming on Seven affiliates Prime and Golden West Network.
''Today'' is also shown in the Philippines on ETC 2nd Avenue with the weekday editions airing 7:30am-10:00am local time immediately following Early Today and the weekend editions airing at 7:00am. The episodes are shown 12 hours after the original live airing on U.S. television; thus the Monday edition of the show is aired Tuesday morning Philippine time.
★ NBC News
★ Weekend Today
★ ''Early Today''
★ "Where in the World is Matt Lauer?"
★ ''Good Morning America''
★ ''The Early Show''
★ Breakfast television
1. http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6364164.html
2. Barbara Walters Bio
3. Barbara Walters Bio
4. [1]
5. http://www.classicthemes.com/50sTVThemes/themePages/today.html
6. http://www.classicthemes.com/50sTVThemes/themePages/today.html
7. http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/nbc/meredith_debuts_the_new_voice_of_today_43729.asp
8. http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/morning_show_ratings/morning_show_ratings_week_of_august_20_66109.asp#email
★ ''“Today”'' official site
★ ''“The Today Show viewers home page and forum”'' The Today Show viewers home page and forum
★ ''Today'' at the Internet Movie Database
★ ''Weekend Today'' official site
★ “Today” Music History page
'''Today''', usually referred to as '''The Today Show''' to avoid ambiguity, is an American morning news and talk show airing weekday mornings on the NBC television network. Premiering on January 14, 1952, it was the first of its genre, spawning similar morning news and entertainment television programs across the country and around the world. The show is also the third-longest running American television series, behind ''Meet The Press'', which also airs on NBC.
''Today'' has been the highest-rated morning news and talk show in the United States since the week of December 11, 1995.
History of ''Today'' show
''The Today Show'' first aired on January 14, 1952. It was the brainchild of Pat Weaver, who was then vice-president of NBC. Weaver was president of the company from 1953 to 1955 (during which time ''Today's'' late-night companion, ''The Tonight Show'', premiered), and then served as chairman of the board for another year. Pat Weaver is the father of actress Sigourney Weaver.
''Today'' was the first show of its genre when it signed on with original host Dave Garroway. The show blends national news headlines, in-depth interviews with newsmakers, lifestyle features, other light news and gimmicks (including the presence of the chimpanzee J. Fred Muggs as the show's mascot during the early years), and local news updates. It has spawned several other shows of a similar type, including ABC's ''Good Morning America'', and CBS' ''The Early Show''.
When ''Today'' started, it was seen live only in the Eastern and Central time zones, broadcasting three hours per morning but seen for only two hours in each time zone. Later, ''Today'' aired live for five hours a morning on Monday morning but it was seen for only two consecutive hours in each of the four U.S. continental time zones. Since 1958, ''Today'' is tape-delayed for the different time zones. For many years it was a two-hour program from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. in all time zones except for Alaska, Hawaii and U.S. Virgin Islands, until NBC expanded it to three hours (until 10:00 a.m. in all time zones) on October 2, 2000. In some markets (such as Boston, Massachusetts, on WHDH-TV), the third hour of ''Today'' is tape-delayed by an hour and airs at 10 a.m. NBC News president Steve Capus announced January 17, 2007 that beginning in September 2007, ''Today'' will broadcast for 4 hours a day from 7-11 a.m.
The show is currently hosted by Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira. Al Roker does national weather updates, signaling the thirty-second cutaway to local forecasting with the outcue, ''"That's what's happening around the country, here’s what’s happening in your neck of the woods."'' (If an affiliate has no weather update, there is no NBC affiliate in the area, or if viewers are watching the show internationally, a national summary of temperatures from Roker is shown instead.) Ann Curry reads news headlines. Natalie Morales is a national correspondent and co-host of the third hour of the program, Gene Shalit is the entertainment critic, and Peter Greenberg is the travel editor. Roker, Curry, and Morales interview guests and take part in other segments in addition to their weather and news duties during the 9 a.m. hour. Also, former ''Today Show'' weatherman Willard Scott sends birthday wishes to centenarians twice weekly and occasionally subs for Roker. NBC News White House correspondent David Gregory has recently been added as substitute host for Matt Lauer. Bob Dotson, Jamie Gangel, and Melissa Stark are National Correspondents for ''Today''. Kelly O'Donnell covers the day's events at the White House while Tim Russert (host of NBC's ''Meet the Press'' on Sunday mornings) offers commentary on current political news (MSNBC's Chris Matthews sometimes subs for Russert). Jean Chatzky, editor-at-large for Money Magazine, provides weekly financial segments.
Studio
The show broadcasts from Studio 1A in Rockefeller Center, New York, just across the street from NBC headquarters at the GE Building. The studio is located right next to the street and many times the hosts do the weather or other events from outside.
The ''Today'' program first originated from the RCA Exhibition Hall on 49th Street in a space now occupied by the Christie's auction house, just down the block from the current studio. The first set placed a functional newsroom in the studio, which Garroway called "the nerve center of the world." Gradually, machines and personnel were placed behind the scenes to assemble the news and weather reports, and the newsroom was gone by 1955. In 1958, the show moved across the street to Studio 3K in the RCA Building, where it remained through the early 1960s. On July 9, 1962, the show returned to a streetside studio in the space then occupied by the Florida Showcase. In September 1965, ''Today'' moved back to the RCA Building. The network's news programming went to all-color broadcasts at that time, and NBC could not justify allocating four (then-expensive) color cameras to the Florida Showcase studio. For the next twenty years, the show occupied a series of studios on the third, sixth, and eighth floors of NBC's headquarters; most notably Studio 3K in the 1970s, Studio 8G (adjacent to Studio 8H, home to Saturday Night Live) in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and finally Studio 3B from 1983 to 1994. ''Today'' moved to the current streetside studio in June 1994, providing a link to the show's 1950s origins.
Since the premiere of the 1990s set, the morning shows of each of the major broadcast and cable-news networks has moved streetside -- including two of ''Today's'' Rockefeller Center neighbors, Fox News' ''Fox & Friends'' and CNN's ''American Morning''. (In summer 2005, CNN reversed the trend, abandoning its street-level studio and moving upstairs in the Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle.) ABC's ''Good Morning America'' broadcasts from Times Square Studios.
The Today outdoor studio as seen at the Torino Winter Olympic Games in 2006.
In 2006, Studio 1A underwent a major renovation to prepare for 1080i high-definition broadcasting. After the departure of Katie Couric and while a new set was readied (Summer of 2006), the program was broadcast from a temporary outdoor studio in Rockefeller Plaza, the same set NBC used at the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece and Torino, Italy (see ''A New co-host and New Era Begins'' section below for more). [1] During the week of August 28, 2006, the show was moved to a temporary location outside of Studio 1A because MTV was converting the Outdoor Studio into their Red Carpet booth for the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards. A mock set was set up in ''Dateline's studio, also used during inclement weather. Also, they used a temporary outdoor set at 30 Rock.
On September 13, 2006, ''Today'' moved into its brand new set. The new studio is divided into five different parts on the lower level. It includes the interview area, the couch area, the news desk, the performance/interview/extra space area, and home base, which is where the anchors start the show. There is also an upstairs that will be home to ''Today's kitchen. The blue background that is seen in the opening of the show in home base moves up and down to allow a view of the outside from the home base. The program’s concerts are now broadcast in Dolby Digital 5.1-channel surround sound.The weekday director is Joe Michaels.
Anchors
''Today'' anchors started out as "Communicators." Creator Pat Weaver envisioned a person whose responsibilities would go beyond the bounds of traditional sit-down news anchors. The Communicator would interview, report, moderate dialogue and generally tie the show together into a coherent whole. Garroway and his successors have all followed that model, with little variation. Today, the hosts are expected to do much the same, and on any given day will talk with correspondents, newsmakers and lifestyle experts; introduce and close each half-hour; conduct special segments (such as cooking or fashion) and go on-assignment to host the program from different locations. Although the "Communicator" nomenclature has since dropped out of favor, the job remains largely the same. The principal anchors/hosts of the show have included:
★ Dave Garroway (1952–1961)
★ John Chancellor (1961–1962)
★ Hugh Downs (1962–1963)
★ Hugh Downs and Barbara Walters (1963–1971)[2].
★ Frank McGee and Barbara Walters (1971–1974)
★ Jim Hartz and Barbara Walters (1974–1976)
★ Tom Brokaw and Jane Pauley (1976–1981)
★ Bryant Gumbel, Jane Pauley and Chris Wallace (1982)
★ Bryant Gumbel and Jane Pauley (1982–1989)
★ Bryant Gumbel and Deborah Norville (1990)
★ Bryant Gumbel, Deborah Norville and Joe Garagiola (1990–1991)
★ Bryant Gumbel, Katie Couric and Joe Garagiola (1991–1992)
★ Bryant Gumbel and Katie Couric (1992–1997)
★ Katie Couric and Matt Lauer (1997–2006)
★ Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira (2006–present)
(
★ In 1963, Barbara Walters became a co-host without the official title. In 1974, NBC officially designated her as the program's first female co-host.)[2]
News anchors
From the show's inception, the idea of providing the latest news has been critical to the function of the program. In that vein, there has always been at least one person on set whose job it is to prepare and deliver newscasts. In 1952, that person was called ''Today's "news editor" or (informally) "news chief." In modern parlance, the term "newsreader" or "news anchor" is preferred. Under the two-hour format, four newscasts would be delivered, once every half-hour. Now there are only three newscasts, delivered at the top of each hour. Some anchors, including Jim Fleming and John Palmer, were seasoned journalists before joining the program. Others, including Ann Curry, have used the position to increase their journalistic acumen, at times leaving the newsdesk behind to venture into the field. News anchors have included the following:
★ Jim Fleming (1952–1953)
★ Frank Blair (1953–1975)
★ Lew Wood (1975–1976)
★ Floyd Kalber (1976–1979)
★ Tony Guida (1979)
★ John Palmer (1982–1989)
★ Deborah Norville (1989–1990)
★ Faith Daniels (1990–1992)
★ Margaret Larson (1992–1994)
★ Matt Lauer (1994–1997)
★ Ann Curry (1997–present)
(
★ From 1979-1981, Jane Pauley and Tom Brokaw read the news headlines.)
A new co-host and new era begins
On Wednesday April 5, 2006, Katie Couric announced on her fifteenth anniversary as co-host of ''Today'' that she would leave ''Today'' and NBC News at the end of May to become the new anchor and managing editor of CBS Evening News. The following day, Meredith Vieira announced on ABC's daytime talk-show ''The View'' (on which she formerly served as a co-host) that she will succeed Couric as anchor of ''Today''. Katie Couric's final broadcast was aired on May 31, 2006. The day's show was dedicated to Couric's fifteen years as one of the show's co-hosts, and celebrated her move to the anchor chair at CBS. She will also become a correspondent for the network's Sunday night program ''60 Minutes''. Couric said during the show, "It's been a pleasure hosting this program, and thank you for fifteen great years." A special video presentation was broadcast, recapping her best moments and news stories on Today during her fifteen years.
On June 1, 2006 (the day after Couric's departure) NBC News announced that for the summer of 2006 ''Today'' would move to a temporary outdoor studio as Studio 1A was going through renovations to prepare for high-definition. On that same day, NBC News launched a new advertisement promoting future co-host Meredith Vieira. For the summer of 2006, Couric's anchor seat was filled with various hosts, mostly consisting of Campbell Brown, Ann Curry, and Natalie Morales, until Vieira took over that fall. On September 13, 2006 Meredith Vieira replaced Katie Couric as the new co-host of ''Today''
Today in Transition
Beginning in 2004 there were rumors that the ''Today'' hosts of Today were in the midst of a feud. Reports say that this was due to Katie Couric's prominence, that she was the general perception for a news program, and that she was the only person who could guarantee high ratings for a morning news program, some reports also stated that Couric became a bit too proud (some say obnoxious) because of this and began to offend co-host Matt Lauer and the rest of the hosts. Reports also stated Couric became involved in such a feud. Couric denied these reports and said she was rather hurt by them. Such a feud, if one existed, may have been a factor (by no means the main factor) leading to Couric leaving ''Today'' for the anchor chair of CBS Evening News as well as a place on 60 Minutes following her NBC contract expiry on May 31. Reports also showed speculation of a feud by rival ABC program ''Good Morning America''. There were some doubts of how Couric would do on the evening news since people identified her as a morning anchor. Couric's last day on ''Today'' was May 31, 2006, the final day of her contract. The day after Couric's announcement, Meredith Vieira announced on ABC's The View, where she then served as a host, that she would take over as Lauer's co-anchor in September, despite numerous in-house candidates such as Campbell Brown, Ann Curry, and Natalie Morales. Meanwhile Lauer's contract has been secured for the future years. He has signed through 2011 and has gotten a sizable salary increase. Lauer and Vieira began co-hosting together on September 13, 2006.
Weather Reporters
For the program's first 25 years, weather reports were delivered by the host or newsreader. Dave Garroway would draw the day's weather fronts and areas of precipitation on a big chalkboard map of the United States, based on information gathered earlier in the morning from the U.S. Weather Bureau in Washington, D.C. Subsequent hosts John Chancellor and Hugh Downs dropped the chalkboard weather map concept and instead read a prepared weather summary over a still image of a weather map. When the show went to all-color broadcasts in 1965, weather maps were prepared and projected on a screen behind Frank Blair, who would deliver the forecast immediately after his news summaries. Under the old two-hour format, weather reports would be delivered every half-hour after the newscast. Today, the weather is still given every half-hour, but follows the news only at the top of the hour.
Garroway, Blair and others had no practical experience or academic credentials in meteorology; today, it is likely that an accredited meteorologist would be hired to fill the weather reporter's role. ''Today'' weather reporters have included:
★ Bob Ryan (1978–1980)
★ Willard Scott (1980–1996)
★ Al Roker (1996–present)
Regular panelists
The job of "panelist" has no set definition. Panelist duties can range from conducting interviews to reporting on a number of topics in-studio and in the field. Regular panelists on the program include the following:
★ Jack Lescoulie (1952–1965)
★ Edwin Newman (1952–1984)
★ Judith Crist (1964–1973)
★ Joe Garagiola (1967–1973, 1991–1992)
★ Gene Shalit (1973–present)
★ Tiki Barber (2007–present) [4]
Brand extensions
The first brand extension was created in 1982. ''Early Today'' was conceived as a lead-in for ''Today''. It even had the same anchors, Bryant Gumbel and Jane Pauley. The program was conceived so local stations could carry the full hour or one of the two half-hours. After a year NBC cancelled the program, after concluding that the show was too similar to ''Today''. It was replaced by ''NBC News at Sunrise'' anchored by Connie Chung.
In 1999, NBC cancelled ''NBC News at Sunrise'' and created two brand extensions for ''Today''. One was ''Early Today'' (not to be confused with the earlier incarnation). Replacing ''NBC News at Sunrise'', the program originally was produced by CNBC and focused on business and financial news before switching to general news under the same production staff as ''MSNBC First Look''; it continues to air on many NBC affiliates. Also in the of fall 1999, ''Later Today'', a talk show that was intended to air immediately following the then two-hour ''Today'', was launched with hosts Jodi Applegate, Florence Henderson and Asha Blake. Sagging ratings for that show caused its cancellation in August 2000; it was replaced two months later by a third hour of ''Today''.
Expanding to four hours
Starting September 10, 2007, the show will expand to four hours, stretching the top-rated and highly profitable show into the late morning. NBC made the formal announcement Wednesday, January 17, at its press tour sessions, confirming a number of reports about the extra hour. The show currently airs from 7:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. on most stations, although some affiliates may air the fourth hour at another time of the day. Ann Curry, Natalie Morales and Al Roker currently host the third hour of ''Today''; Ann Curry, Natalie Morales, and Hoda Kotb will host the fourth hour.
NBC cancelled their daytime soap ''Passions'' (which moved to DirecTV-exclusive channel The 101) in order to give affiliates time back for syndicated programming that they lost in the mornings.
Music
''Today Show'' host Dave Garroway selected Les Brown's ''Sentimental Journey'' as the program's very first theme, used during the entire Garroway era from 1952 to 1961. In 1962, when Hugh Downs became host, Django Reinhardt's ''Melodie au Crepuscule'' was chosen as the new theme; it was replaced in 1963 by ''Misty'', an instrumental ballad composed by Erroll Garner and performed by Bobby Hackett and John B. Seng.[5]
''Misty'' served as ''Today’s'' theme until 1971, when NBC News correspondent Frank McGee joined the show. Composer Ray Ellis penned an entirely new instrumental theme entitled '''This is Today''', a jazzy, up-tempo piece that served as the program's main theme until 1978. Because ''This is Today'' closely resembled the theme ''Day by Day'' from the musical ''Godspell'', Ellis was successfully sued for copyright infringement and ''This is Today'' was revised. The second version of ''This is Today'' incorporated the familiar NBC chime signature (G-E-C) in a bright, appropriately sunny arrangement that was used until 1981, at the close of the Tom Brokaw-Jane Pauley era.[5] The G-E-C signature was also used throughout the program to introduce and conclude segments, usually in combination with the familiar ''Today Show'' sunburst.
By 1982, ''Today'' had a new anchor, Bryant Gumbel, and a new version of Ellis' ''This is Today'' theme, a looser, more relaxed arrangement that continued to feature the NBC chimes in its melody. A shorter arrangement of ''This is Today'' was used for the show open (featuring a rotating globe and ''Today'' sunburst) from 1983 to 1985. The main theme was used until 1985, and due to its popularity with viewers was resurrected as the show's secondary theme in January 1993.
1985 saw the end of the synthesizer era at NBC as composer John Williams wrote a series of themes for all NBC News programs, with a cut entitled '''The Mission''' serving as the principal theme for ''NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw''. Williams also composed two themes for ''Today'': an opening fanfare for the program that was derived from the opening of ''The Mission''; and a two-minute closing theme for the show entitled '''Scherzo for Today''', a dramatic arrangement that made heavy use of strings and flutes. The new ''Today'' themes -- used in tandem with the show's new opening sequence featuring the Statue of Liberty and a new living room studio set -- gave the program a distinctly modern look and sound beginning in September 1985. A series of Williams-penned bumpers featuring the ''Mission'' signature were also used to open and close segments.
''Scherzo for Today'' was used as the program's closing theme until 1990, and the ''Mission'' bumpers were used until 1993. (One of them could be heard as a station break lead-in on NBC's ''Meet The Press'' until 2004.) ''Today'' opening fanfare has opened the program ever since, with two exceptions. In the summer of 1994, to mark the debut of Studio 1A, the Williams-penned fanfare was replaced by another opening theme, but the Williams theme returned shortly thereafter. In 2004, the show's producers tried out yet another theme, which drew once again on the NBC chimes as its signature, but the Williams theme returned after only a few weeks. It is by far the most enduring theme in the program's history, having now been in use for over two decades.
The ''Scherzo for Today'' was iconically accompanied by Fred Facey announcing "From NBC News, this is ''Today''..." until his death in April 2003. His announce could be heard until Katie Couric left on May 31, 2006, except for special editions requiring special introductions. Facey's work is now only heard on the MSNBC program ''Headliners and Legends''. With the addition of Vieira, Les Marshak began announcing the introduction as of September 13, 2006 (Marshak had already been the announcer for ''Weekend Today'').[7]
Currently, a lighter theme employing the NBC chimes is used to open the show's 7:30 through 9:30 half-hour segments, and also used as a closing theme.
On June 1, 2006, ''Today'' launched a new ad campaign to let people know about their new co-host Meredith Vieira. The "It's a New Day Today" campaign ran up until September 13, when Meredith officially became the new co-host of ''Today''. However, many stations continue to use the song to promote their local morning shows that lead in to ''Today''.
''Weekend Today''
''Weekend Today'' Former anchor Campbell Brown and Current Anchor Lester Holt (featuring the show's graphics prior to March 26, 2007.)
Main articles: Weekend Today
The Sunday edition of Today debuted on September 20, 1987. Five years later on August 1, 1992, the Saturday edition debuted expanding the Today schedule to seven days a week. The show is broadcast from Studio 1A in Rockefeller Plaza, the same location as its weekday counterpart. The weekend broadcasts air for 1 hour on Sundays and 2 hours on Saturdays.
The weekend broadcasts continue the ''Today'' tradition of covering breaking news, interviewing newsmakers, reporting on a variety of popular-culture and human-interest stories, covering health and finance issues and presenting the latest weather reports. The show airs from 7:00 a.m. EDT until 9:00 a.m. EDT, although many local stations choose to air locally-branded news programs at 8:00 a.m. EDT. ''Sunday Today'' airs at 8:00 a.m. EDT, lasting an hour. In addition, the show offers visitors to New York City a chance to observe firsthand the workings of a live television broadcast with its windowed studio on Rockefeller Plaza. Interaction with the crowd outside the studio is a major part of the program.
Weekend editions are tailored to the priorities and interests of weekend viewers—offering special series such as '''Saturday Today on the Plaza''', featuring live performances by the biggest names in music and Broadway outside the studio throughout the summer.
Current Anchors-
★ Amy Robach
★ Lester Holt
Former Anchors -
★ David Bloom
★ Campbell Brown
★ Soledad O'Brien
Special editions
The designation "special edition" often applies to instances wherein one or both hosts anchor the program from a location other than Studio 1-A, or in the event of significant news developments. The expansion of an episode is not at all unusual, usually for planned long-duration news events such as presidential inaugurations or elections. The first such expanded edition came on January 20, 1953, with the inauguration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Breaking news can also extend the show's hours: during the London bombings on July 7, 2005, ''Today'' remained on the air for six hours, from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. EDT.
These are just some of the special editions of ''Today''.
1950s
When news of the death of Britain’s King George VI reached New York in the early morning hours of February 6, 1952, the plan for that morning’s show was thrown out and the program instead covered the monarch’s death.
Coverage of Dwight Eisenhower’s inauguration dominated the January 20, 1953, edition. Dave Garroway, Jack Lescoulie, and news anchor Jim Fleming were in Washington for the day’s coverage. NBC correspondent Merrill Mueller demonstrated the network’s first portable Vidicon television camera, employed for the first time that day.
''Today'' offered long-form coverage of the coronation of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II on June 2, 1953. NBC coordinated with the BBC to provide live audio of the ceremonies. Still pictures taken from television screens in London were faxed to the RCA Exhibition Hall studio, where Garroway would show them to viewers. Multiple correspondents from both NBC and the BBC offered commentary and analysis, both in-studio and on location at Westminster Abbey. Coronation coverage began at 5:30 a.m. EDT and concluded at 9:00 a.m. EDT.
The July 26, 1956, edition of the show covered the overnight sinking of the Italian ocean liner SS Andrea Doria, which foundered off the coast of Massachusetts. Home-movie film of the aftermath, shot by a passenger, was secured by a ''Today'' producer and broadcast on the show. Reporters Paul Cunningham and Dick McCutcheon provided analysis of the collision and subsequent sinking.
The week of September 2-6, 1957, ''Today'' originated from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the first time an American network program broadcast from outside the United States for an extended period.
The entire first hour of the October 2, 1957, edition was dedicated to a discussion of racial issues in America, moderated by Dave Garroway. Guests included American Civil Liberties Union Chairman Ernest Angel, Reverend Theodore Braun, Mississippi Senator James Eastland, and National Urban League director Lester Granger. The hour mixed live discussion and commentary with taped reports from northern and southern cities.
The week of April 27-May 1, 1959, ''Today'' originated from Paris, France. Garroway and company spent a week in the French capital, focusing on the art, culture, history and politics of France. Brigette Bardot and Charles Van Doren appeared on the show. Interestingly, in the days before satellite communications, the Paris shows could not be broadcast live in the United States. Each day's edition was filmed in advance, developed, edited and flown back to New York to be shown the next morning. Both the Paris 1959 and Rome 1960 remotes were broadcast in this manner.
The September 19, 1959, edition of the show was dedicated to an in-depth examination of the life and politics of Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, tied to Krushchev's visit to the United States that week. Guests included reporters Martin Agronsky and Harrison Salisbury, along with George Allen, then-director of the U.S. Office of Information.
1960s
The eighth anniversary show, broadcast on January 14, 1960, was taped entirely in Washington, D.C. Garroway and company visited the Library of Congress. Garroway interviewed then-Senator Everett Dirksen and Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn. The cast toured the Supreme Court building and the White House, and Garroway delivered a commentary on the history of the White House while standing in front of the building.
In the last week of April 1960, ''Today'' traveled to Rome, Italy. The Spanish Steps and the Coliseum were toured. Garroway interviewed actor Peter Ustinov, and examples of the culture and society of Italy were demonstrated.
On November 23, 1963, ''Today'' aired a special three-hour Saturday program recapping the assassination of President John F. Kennedy the previous day. Host Hugh Downs, Jack Lescoulie, and newsreader Frank Blair anchored the broadcast. In the opening minutes, Downs noted that the atmosphere that day ''"was very different"'' from what he had ever previously experienced. Lescoulie recalled how traffic in New York City after the assassination was at a standstill, and that telephone circuits were jammed. Downs added that as the hours passed, the country's grief would turn into a ''"more historic kind of grief."'' The Today cast and crew traveled to Washington for President Kennedy's funeral on Monday, November 25, 1963.
Following the launch of NASA's Early Bird satellite in May 1965, ''Today'' cast and crew traveled to Europe for a special live broadcast of the show. Host Hugh Downs was stationed at Westminster Abbey in London, Barbara Walters was in Paris, Jack Lescoulie was in Amsterdam and Frank Blair reported from the steps of the U.S. Capitol in Washington. Pope Paul VI read a message live from the Vatican, marveling at the communications now possible between nations.
1970s
On January 24, 1973, ''Today'' expanded to 3 hours and broadcast from Washington as Frank McGee and Barbara Walters reported on the latest developments in the cease-fire agreement to end the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, as President Richard Nixon gave a speech to reach the agreement the night before. They also reported on the preparations in Washington for the state funeral of former president Lyndon B. Johnson, whose body was flown to Washington from Texas that morning.
The following day, ''Today'' expanded and broadcast from Washington in order to allow McGee and Walters to anchor live coverage of the state funeral for President Johnson. At 10:00 a.m., EST, the ''Today'' portion of coverage ended, with newscaster David Brinkley in Washington taking over from that point until the conclusion of the ceremony and analysis. McGee said before the handover, "This concludes a special extended edition of ''Today'' for final ceremonies for President Lyndon B. Johnson. NBC News will continue its coverage with commentary by David Brinkley after a quick pause for station identification."
On August 9, 1974, ''Today'' was expanded to 5 hours and broadcast from Washington to cover the resignation of President Richard Nixon. NBC News correspondent Douglas Kiker provided live commentary during Nixon's final speech from the White House and the family's departure via helicopter to California that morning. As with the funeral for President Johnson a year earlier, the main division of NBC News took over coverage from ''Today'' shortly before Gerald Ford took the oath of office.
A special three-hour edition on July 15, 1975 covered the launch of Souyz 19. The Soyuz launch, a part of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, was the first Soviet launch ever telecast, a first for American television. Jim Hartz and Barbara Walters anchored.
1980s
The show airing on March 31, 1981 was broadcast from Washington, as part of its coverage of the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan the day before.
2000s
The show airing on November 8, 2000, the morning after the contested presidential election in the United States, was the most-watched edition of the program in its history, with 12 million viewers, double the normal audience, tuning in.
When terrorists attacked the World Trade Center in New York City on September 11, 2001, ''Today'' was on the air. Matt Lauer announced that there was a breaking story in progress at 8:52 a.m. EDT, but threw to a commercial break when pictures were not available. ''Today'' returned indefinitely at 8:53 a.m. ET with Lauer, Couric, and Roker commenting on the events from the couch area of Studio 1A, initially reported as an accident. When United Airlines Flight 175 crashed at 9:02:58 a.m., it was seen live on the program. Katie Couric handled the initial reports of the attack on The Pentagon as Lauer joined Tom Brokaw at the anchor desk. The broadcast restarted at 10:30 a.m. EDT, moments after the collapse of One World Trade Center. Couric, Lauer and Brokaw anchored live coverage under the production of the ''Today'' team until 1 p.m. EDT when Brokaw anchored an ''NBC News Special Report'' from NBC News Headquarters in 30 Rockefeller Plaza. NBC News Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Andrea Mitchell wrote in her memoir ''Talking Back'' that her husband, then Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, received his first briefing on the attacks when she summarized events for Brokaw on the air with her cell phone in her lap. Couric and Lauer anchored a special report from 5 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. so Brokaw could prepare for a special, expanded edition of ''NBC Nightly News'', airing from the observation deck atop 30 Rockefeller Plaza, and continuing NBC News live coverage throughout the evening. In the days following the attacks, ''Today'' was expanded to 6 hours each day for the remainder of the week that followed the attacks. On September 11, 2006, the fifth anniversary of the attacks, MSNBC replayed ''Today'' from five years earlier as it covered the attacks.
The show airing on January 14, 2002 was a three-hour long celebration of the show's 50th anniversary. It was branded "A very special edition of 'Today.'" Anniversary shows often abandon typical format (outside of top-of-the-hour news updates) in favor of clips of old shows, interviews with previous hosts and other special segments tied to the occasion. For this show, the original opening music and intro to the show from 1952 was used, and several retrospectives were aired from former anchors, guests, producers, and handlers of J. Fred Muggs.
On September 11, 2002, the show was extended to six hours (broadcasting until 1 p.m. Eastern Time) for a special edition covering the anniversary of the terrorist attacks from one year earlier.
On April 9, 2003 ''Today'' aired live until noon EST when U.S. Troops entered Baghdad. Lester Holt was sitting in next to Katie Couric for Matt Lauer. ''Today'' coverage was restarted as an ''NBC News Special Report'' at 9:12 a.m. EST and Tom Brokaw joined Couric in Studio 1A until taking over the coverage from NBC News Headquarters in 30 Rockefeller Plaza at noon
When Pope John Paul II died on Saturday, April 2, 2005, Katie Couric and Matt Lauer anchored the weekend editions of the ''Today'' show. Lauer anchored from the Vatican with Campbell Brown offering reports by his side. On the day of the Pope's death, Couric anchored a special report on a Vatican statement updating the Pope's dire condition and Lauer reported for the special report anchored by Brian Williams when the Pope was officially dead. He returned to New York as Couric traveled to Vatican City to co-anchor coverage of the Pope's funeral with Williams.
''Today'' aired a live, six-hour special edition similar to that of 9/11 after the 7/7 transit bombings in London on July 7, 2005. The program began at seven a.m. EDT as usual, but then went live in all time zones until one p.m. EDT, instead of the usual tape-delay format. The next day's show was labeled a special edition. Campbell Brown's large presence during that day's coverage, in addition to her presence on the show during the death of Pope John Paul II fueled speculation she would replace Couric in the near future.
Shows in the wake of Hurricane Katrina often carried the "special edition" branding, as Katie Couric, Campbell Brown, Lester Holt and others were stationed along the Gulf Coast instead of Studio 1-A.
The show airing on May 31, 2006 was a three-hour long celebration of Katie Couric's run on the show.
On July 12, 2006, Matt Lauer traveled to St. Petersburg (Leningrad), Russia, airing his interview with Russian President, Vladimir Putin.
On August 10, 2006, in response to the foiled terror plot in London, ''Today'' broadcast live in its timeslot for all timezones, and Matt Lauer anchored three ''NBC News Special Reports'' live in all time zones, at 6 a.m. EDT to report on the details of the story, at 8 a.m. EDT when U.S. counter-terrorism officials held a news conference at the Department of Homeland Security in Washington, D.C., and at 11:45 a.m. when President George W. Bush made remarks upon landing in Wisconsin from just outside Air Force One.
On Tuesday, August 29, 2006, ''Today'' marked the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's landfall. Matt Lauer and Ann Curry anchored from 30 Rock in New York, while Brian Williams, Campbell Brown, Lester Holt and many other NBC News correspondents reported from the Gulf Coast. The show featured interviews with New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and former FEMA Director Michael Brown, and first lady Laura Bush.
Another long-format special edition was aired on Monday, September 11, 2006, to mark the fifth anniversary of the 2001 attacks. Matt Lauer anchored the coverage from Ground Zero and was joined by Tom Brokaw and Campbell Brown. Ann Curry was at the anchor desk in the temporary outdoor studio in Rockefeller Plaza. Lester Holt reported from the Pentagon and Natalie Morales was stationed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. For viewers in the New York Market, WNBC broke away from ''Today'' at 8:27 a.m. EDT to give detailed coverage of the observance at Ground Zero, anchored by Chuck Scarborough, as they have done every year.
The show airing on January 2, 2007 covered the funeral of former president Gerald Ford with Meredith Vieira in Studio 1A in Rockefeller Plaza in New York and Matt Lauer in Washington and was cut to two hours to allow Brian Williams to assume coverage also from Washington.
The April 17 and 18 editions of the show covered the Virginia Tech massacre with Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira reporting live on the campus of Virginia Tech. Tuesday's show ran for at least four hours, until 11 a.m. EDT.
On August 2, 2007, the show covered the Minneapolis Bridge Collapse, with Matt Lauer reporting live at the collapsed 35W bridge.
Traditional special editions
Every Thanksgiving Day (since 1996), ''Today'' is truncated to two hours as the ''Today'' crew host the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The parade, produced by NBC's entertainment division and not NBC News, occupies what would normally be the show's third hour. During the two hours ''Today'' is on the air, Lester Holt and Ann Curry host ''Today'' from Studio 1A as the ''Today'' crew prepare to host the parade.
During coverage of presidential inaugurations or other major events scheduled in Washington, D.C., the show broadcasts from NBC's studios in Washington.
When special events such as award shows take place in Los Angeles, one or more anchors will host the show from NBC's Los Angeles bureau. For example on February 26, 2007, meteorologist Al Roker reported live from outside the Kodak Theater the day after the Academy Awards.
Ratings
===Week Of August 20, 2007 [8]
★ Today: 4,934,000 viewers
★ Good Morning America (GMA): 4,627,000
★ The Early Show (TES): 2,502,000
Week Of Sept. 11, 2006=
★ Today: 6,320,000 viewers
★ Good Morning America (GMA): 4,730,000
★ The Early Show (TES): 2,800,000
International broadcasts== NBC News programming is shown daily on the 24 hour news network Orbit News in Europe and the Middle East. This includes a live broadcast of ''Today''.
In Australia, ''NBC Today'' airs 4:00-6:00am Tuesday to Saturday on the Seven network. Sunday's edition is broadcast at 4:00am Monday, followed by ''Meet The Press''. A national weather map of Australia is inserted during cut-aways to local affiliates for weather. ''Today'' is pre-empted by paid programming on Seven affiliates Prime and Golden West Network.
''Today'' is also shown in the Philippines on ETC 2nd Avenue with the weekday editions airing 7:30am-10:00am local time immediately following Early Today and the weekend editions airing at 7:00am. The episodes are shown 12 hours after the original live airing on U.S. television; thus the Monday edition of the show is aired Tuesday morning Philippine time.
See also
★ NBC News
★ Weekend Today
★ ''Early Today''
★ "Where in the World is Matt Lauer?"
★ ''Good Morning America''
★ ''The Early Show''
★ Breakfast television
References
1. http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6364164.html
2. Barbara Walters Bio
3. Barbara Walters Bio
4. [1]
5. http://www.classicthemes.com/50sTVThemes/themePages/today.html
6. http://www.classicthemes.com/50sTVThemes/themePages/today.html
7. http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/nbc/meredith_debuts_the_new_voice_of_today_43729.asp
8. http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/morning_show_ratings/morning_show_ratings_week_of_august_20_66109.asp#email
External links
★ ''“Today”'' official site
★ ''“The Today Show viewers home page and forum”'' The Today Show viewers home page and forum
★ ''Today'' at the Internet Movie Database
★ ''Weekend Today'' official site
★ “Today” Music History page
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