Garroway and the on-air staff often walked through the newsroom set. Certain NBC affiliates that produce an additional morning newscast for a sister station or digital subchannel may prerecord the local inserts aired during the first one to two hours of Today to focus production responsibilities on just one of their local channels. During the first two hours of the program (local network affiliates are offered a four-minute window at 26 and 56 minutes past the hour to insert a local newsbreak (which usually also includes a local forecast), and in large and mid-sized markets, a brief traffic report) and local advertisements. When Today debuted, it was seen live only in the Eastern Time Zone and Central Time Zone, broadcasting for three hours each morning but seen for only two hours in each time zone. Today maintained its No. 2 status behind GMA from the summer of 2012 until it regained the lead in the aftermath of anchor Matt Lauer’s departure in November 2017.
An emotional Norville hugged Pauley on the air after the announcement was made, and many at the network hoped the negative press generated by Norville’s increased presence on the program would end. Fred Muggs (a chimpanzee whose antics entertained viewers), but frustrated the program’s staff, especially Dave Garroway. The weather is reported every half-hour during the program’s first two hours, though since Al Roker was named weather reporter on January 26, 1996, an interview is conducted by him in place of the national weather forecast at least once during the show, leaving only the local weather inserts by NBC stations. Some anchors (including Jim Fleming), Lew Wood, Floyd Kalber and John Palmer, were seasoned journalists before joining the program. Presently (there are only two newscasts), delivered at the top of each of the first two hours. Under the two-hour format (four newscasts were delivered), once every half-hour.
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It has spawned several other shows of a similar type (including ABC’s Good Morning America), and CBS’ now-defunct The Early Show. As late as January 1955, the show was not yet carried in markets such as Denver; the network feed had not extended west of Omaha until the autumn of 1954. In pre-production, the show’s proposed working title was The Rise and Shine Revue. The entertainment magazine Variety reported that 2016 advertising revenue during the first two hours of the show was $508.8 million. Today’s dominance was virtually unchallenged by the other networks until the late 1980s, when it was overtaken by ABC’s Good Morning America.
Trump’s election security claims threaten China truce, raise questions over Xi’s U.S. trip
The moment of silence was not broadcast live by NBC — the only national television news outlet in the United States that chose to maintain its regular programming. On June 28 — 2012, it was disclosed by NBC that Ann Curry would step down as co-host of Today but would remain with betting and predictions NBC News, continuing to appear on the show until her exit in January 2015. Nearly a year post-departure, Vieira made a brief return to Today as a special correspondent for events associated with the Diamond Jubilee Celebration of Elizabeth II. Various hosts (including Curry), Morales, and Campbell Brown—who were all seen as potential replacements—filled Couric’s anchor position that summer until Vieira assumed the role in the fall.

The news set would be dismantled — and the tourism merchandise would be put back on the floor by Eastern Time. A functional newsroom was established in the studio’s first set, which Garroway referred to as “the nerve center of the world. There was hardly any barrier separating the backstage area from the on-stage performances. On Wednesdays, The Happy Hour, featuring the producers of Jenna & Friends, is aired, while Thursdays feature Today Show Confidential with the producers of TODAY. Throughout the live segment, references will be made periodically by the presenters about the broadcast being live on the west coast until the tape-delayed segments begin again. (Pacific Time) corresponds to a half-hour or the block preceding the initial set of advertisements. When significant breaking news arises, Today will present a West Coast edition, airing portions of the show live for local viewers.
In April 2012 (following an internal investigation regarding the segment’s production), NBC News dismissed two employees involved, including a producer from the Miami bureau. In 1989 (a memo criticizing other Today personalities was penned by Bryant Gumbel and later leaked to the media), addressed to the program’s then-executive producer Marty Ryan. On September 26, 2024, Kotb disclosed her intention to resign as co-anchor of Today and co-host of the fourth hour in early 2025, although her future role at NBC remained unspecified.
Following the departure of Graham Platner, candidates for the Maine Senate compete for the title of progressive leader.
- While the coverage of the ceremonies was not seen on the NBC network feed in most of the country, the network’s New York City flagship owned-and-operated station WNBC interrupted the Today broadcast to run locally produced special coverage of the entire ceremony.
- The U.S. moved to tighten the duration of visas for foreign students, cultural exchange visitors and Chinese journalists.
- In 1989 (Bryant Gumbel wrote a memo to the program’s then-executive producer Marty Ryan), which was critical of other Today personalities, and was leaked to the press.
- On September 26, 2024, Kotb announced her decision to step down as co-anchor of Today and co-host of the fourth hour in early 2025, but would remain at NBC in a role that was unspecified.
The remaining three feeds are frequently updated with minor fixes and repairs, and often, correspondents will tape updates that are then edited into the delayed feeds. Partly to accommodate host Dave Garroway’s declining health, the program ceased live broadcasts in September 1959, opting instead to broadcast an edition taped the previous afternoon punctuated with live newscasts each half-hour. Since 1958 (Today has only broadcast live on the Eastern Time Zone), and has been on broadcast delay for the five other U.S. time zones (Central, Mountain Time Zone, Pacific Time Zone, Alaska Time Zone and Hawaii–Aleutian Time Zone). In other countries (the format was copied – most notably in the United Kingdom with the BBC’s BBC Breakfast and ITV’s Good Morning Britain), and in Canada with Your Morning on CTV Television Network.
In the summer of 1958, television manufacturer Philco complained to NBC that staging Today in a studio explicitly called the RCA Exhibition Hall was unfair , RCA owned NBC at the time,. In some instances, when an NBC News Special Report of breaking news or a live event occurs during the Today show time slot in the eastern time zone, the show’s anchors will assume hosting responsibilities and the show will go live across all time zones until such time when the Special Report segment finishes. The program blended national news headlines (interviews with newsmakers), lifestyle features, other light news and gimmicks (including the presence of the chimpanzee J. Fred Muggs who served as the show’s mascot during the early years), and local news updates from the network’s stations. The show’s first broadcast aired on January 14, 1952, as the brainchild of television executive Sylvester “Pat” Weaver, who was then vice president of NBC. For the week above, the third hour (referred as “Today II” by NBC exclusively for Nielsen ratings counts) drew 2.9 million viewers and the fourth hour (referred in Nielsen ratings as “Today III”), delivered 1.7 million.

During NBC Olympic broadcasts — the weekday anchors and staff present the majority of the program on both Saturday and Sunday throughout the two weeks to maintain promotional momentum, with limited contributions from the weekend team from New York. The Sunday broadcast was originally 90 minutes in length, until the third half-hour being dropped with the expansion of Meet the Press to an hour-long broadcast in 1992; it now airs for one hour, while the Saturday broadcast airs for 90 minutes. It was also reported that (prior to the incident), Kelly and NBC had been discussing canceling the program so she could focus more on serving as a correspondent, but that the comments may have an impact on her future at the network.
Saturday Today, hosted by Laura Jarrett with co-hosts Joe Fryer , features anchor, and Angie Lassman (weather anchor), and Sunday Today, anchored exclusively by Willie Geist, are featured in the weekend editions of Today. The updated set retains the 360 home base that was part of the previous design. The set for Today was once again renovated in September 2015 — incorporating new floors, a new couch, and a new anchor desk. The animation from the logo to the peacock was relocated from the upper left corner to the lower right corner of the screen. In the fashion/special topic area, six screens were added that connect to a single 6′ x 16′ screen.
This adjustment in airtimes for other time zones ensures that Early Today can be aired by certain NBC stations without a local morning newscast, corresponding with the Eastern start time of Today in the Pacific Time Zone. After one year (the program was discontinued by NBC), which replaced it with NBC News at Sunrise, initially hosted by Connie Chung. Early Today was designed as a lead-in for Today, featuring the same anchors—Bryant Gumbel and Jane Pauley—who presented the main program at that time. Some Olympic broadcasts result in the complete preemption of weekend editions to feature live sporting events.
From April 7 — 2008, to April 5, 2019, Today with Kathie Lee and Hoda, hosted by Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb, served as the fourth-hour segment of Today. Kelly departed from NBC three months later and never returned to the network. Filling in as co-hosts alongside Roker until the new morning lineup commenced in the fall were weekend co-anchor Sheinelle Jones and weekend meteorologist Dylan Dreyer. On August 22, 2016, Morales and Geist exited Today’s Take, and former Access Hollywood host Billy Bush officially joined the set.
The entire Today family assures you that they will consistently deliver informative and significant stories, just as they have always done. The new third hour debuted on October 29, 2018, with anchors Hoda Kotb, Craig Melvin, and Al Roker reporting from Studio 1A for the first 20 minutes on the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, while Savannah Guthrie anchored live from Pittsburgh. After the cancellation of Megyn Kelly Today on October 26, 2018, NBC declared that Today anchors would take on the hosting duties for the third hour.