Today, also referred to as The Today Show, is an American morning news and talk show airing weekday mornings on NBC. Debuting on January 14, 1952, it was the first of its genre, spawning similar morning news and entertainment television programs across the United States and around the world. The show is also the third-longest running American television series. Originally a two-hour program on weekdays, it expanded to Sundays (currently one hour) in 1987 and Saturdays (two hours) in 1992. The weekday broadcast expanded to three hours in 2000, and a fourth hour launched in 2007.

Today's dominance was virtually unchallenged by the other networks until the late 1980s, when it was overtaken by ABC's Good Morning America. Today rebounded, and is on a current streak of being the highest-rated morning news and talk show every week since December 11, 1995.

Current cast

The first two hours of the show are anchored by Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira, with weatherman Al Roker, news anchor Ann Curry, and correspondent Natalie Morales. Roker, Curry and Morales also serve as co-hosts of the third hour, while Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford co-host the fourth hour. Weekend Today is anchored by Lester Holt, Amy Robach (Saturday) and Jenna Wolfe (Sunday).

Curry or Morales will typically serve as substitute anchor in Vieira's absence; Lauer's regular substitutes include Holt and NBC News White House correspondent David Gregory.

Other national correspondents include Robach, Wolfe, Capitol Hill correspondent Kelly O'Donnell, Bob Dotson, Jamie Gangel, and Tiki Barber. Gene Shalit is the entertainment critic, and Peter Greenberg is the travel editor. Jean Chatzky, editor-at-large for Money Magazine, provides weekly financial segments.

Vieira's role as host of the syndicated game show Who Wants to be a Millionaire contractually prohibits her from appearing on Today after the show's first two hours; Lauer may appear later if news events warrant.

History

The show's first broadcast 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 station news updates. It has spawned several other shows of a similar type, including ABC's Good Morning America, and CBS' The Early Show.

Dave Garroway opening the first edition of Today

During the first three hours, local affiliates are offered a five-minute window at :25 and :55 to insert a local newsbreak, although the show provides additional segments for those affiliates who do not do so.

Studio

The show broadcasts from Studio 1A in Rockefeller Center, New York, just across the street from NBC headquarters at the GE Building.

The GE Building where NBC has the Today studios.

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. On September 13 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.

Personnel

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 (1962–1966)
• Hugh Downs and Barbara Walters (1966–1971)^[2]
• Barbara Walters and Frank McGee (1971–1974)
• Barbara Walters and Jim Hartz (1974–1976)
• Tom Brokaw and Jane Pauley (1976–1981)
• Jane Pauley, Bryant Gumbel, and Chris Wallace (1982)
• Jane Pauley and Bryant Gumbel (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)

Barbara Walters became a co-host in 1966, but did not have the official title until 1974. ^[3]

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 Todays "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 of the first three hours. Some anchors, including Jim Fleming, Lew Wood, Floyd Kalber 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)
• None (1979-81; Brokaw and Pauley read headlines during this period.)
• John Palmer (1982–1989)
• Deborah Norville (1989)
• Faith Daniels (1990–1992)
• Margaret Larson (1992–1994)
• Matt Lauer (1994–1997)
• Ann Curry (1997–present)

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. The weather is reported every half-hour during the first three hours.

Garroway, Blair and others had no practical experience or academic credentials in meteorology. Today weather reporters have included:

• Bob Ryan (1978–1980)
• Willard Scott (1980–1996)
• Al Roker (1996–present)

Local NBC affiliates are given a 30 second window to insert a local forecast into the program following the national weather report; Roker's outcue for the local break is "That's what's going on around the country, here?s what?s happening in your neck of the woods." (A national summary of temperatures from Roker is shown if no local forecast is inserted.)

The semi-retired Scott, who gained fame through his antics that included costumes and props http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DEFDD103CF936A35757C0A961948260, still occasionally appears as Roker's fill-in, and to continue his tradition of wishing "happy birthday" to centenarians. Scott's traditional local cue was "Here's what's happening in your world, even as we speak."

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)
• Barbara Walters (1962–1974 as the de facto co-host) (Officialy became co-host in 1974)
• Judith Crist (1964–1973)
• Joe Garagiola (1967–1973, 1991–1992)
• Gene Shalit (1973–present)

Today Girls

From 1952 to 1964, a notable member of the cast was a woman, often an entertainer, called the Today Girl. Usually, the Today Girl would discuss fashion and lifestyle, cover lighter-fare stories or engage in verbal jousting with Garroway. Estelle Parsons was the first person to hold the job, though her title was "Women's Editor" for the program. Upon her departure in 1955, the Today Girl name was adopted. The last Today Girl was Barbara Walters, who was promoted to co-host alongside Hugh Downs in 1966. No one was chosen to replace her.

• Estelle Parsons (official title: "Women's Editor") (1952-1955)
• Lee Meriwether (1955-1956)
• Helen O'Connell (1956-1958)
• Betsy Palmer (1958)
• Florence Henderson (1959-1960)
• Beryl Pfizer (1960-1961)
• Robbin Bain (1961)
• Louise King (1962)
• Pat Fontaine (1963-1964)
• Maureen O'Sullivan (1964)
• Barbara Walters (1964)

Controversies and transitions

"Memogate"

In 1989, Gumbel wrote a memo to Today Show executive producer Marty Ryan, which was critical of other Today Show personalities. This memo was leaked to the press. In the memo, Gumbel commented that Willard Scott, "holds the show hostage to his assortment of whims, wishes, birthdays and bad taste...This guy is killing us and no one's even trying to rein him in". He commented that Gene Shalit's movie reviews "are often late and his interviews aren't very good."^[4]

There was enough negative backlash in regard to Gumbel's comments toward Scott, that Gumbel was shown making up with Scott on The Today Show.^[5]

Pauley-Norville

By 1989, Deborah Norville replaced John Palmer at the Today newsdesk and he assumed her previous role on Sunrise. She also began substituting for Tom Brokaw on NBC Nightly News. Shortly after Norville's appointment as Todays news anchor, the decision was made to feature Norville as an unofficial third host. Whereas Palmer had read the news from a desk separate from where Gumbel and Pauley sat, Norville was seated alongside the program's hosts at the opening and closing of every show. Before long, gossip columns and media observers predicted that NBC would remove Jane Pauley from the program and replace her with Norville in an effort to improve the program's recently declining viewership by young women, the demographic most coveted by morning shows. By late 1989, it was announced that 13-year veteran Pauley would leave Today at the end of the year. NBC, as expected, announced that Norville would become co-host. An emotional Norville hugged Pauley on the air after the announcement was made, and many at NBC hoped the negative press generated by Norville's increased presence on the program would end. It did not. Prior to the announcement of Pauley's departure, much of the criticism had focused on Norville's youth and beauty, with many branding her "the other woman" and a "home wrecker," in a reference to what some felt seemed like her intent on "breaking up" the television marriage of Gumbel and Pauley. Negative press only heightened after the announcement of Pauley's resignation, and Norville was put under a gag order by NBC brass which prevented her from defending herself from the widespread and erroneous reports that she somehow orchestrated her rise on Today. In January 1990, the new anchor team of Bryant Gumbel and Deborah Norville, minus Jane Pauley, debuted with disastrous results. Ratings for the program began to plummet. Critics felt that Gumbel and Norville lacked chemistry and many loyal viewers began turning to rival ABC's Good Morning America (GMA). By the end of 1990, Today, the longtime dominant program, was officially the second place morning show behind GMA, and most of the blame was pinned on Norville. By the outbreak of The Gulf War in 1991, Norville saw her role as co-host continually minimized. Today aired special editions of the program called America at War, with Gumbel anchoring most of the show alone. It was not uncommon for Norville not to even make an appearance until the two hour show's second half hour. In addition, she was directed not to initiate conversation on the show and only speak when asked a question by Gumbel. Norville left the show for maternity leave in February 1991. It was announced that Katie Couric would substitute co-host during Norville's absence. Ratings for the program rose immediately following Norville's departure and Couric's arrival. Midway though her maternity leave, Norville was interviewed by People. In the story, she avoided conversation about her recent trouble on Today, and instead focused on her newborn baby boy. She was photographed breastfeeding her son, a seemingly innocuous event, but NBC management was said to be greatly displeased by this, believing the photo to be in poor taste. By April 1991, in light of improved ratings on Today and NBC's displeasure at the People photograph, it was announced that Norville would not return to Today and that Katie Couric had been named the program's co-host. Norville, it was disclosed, would continue to be paid in accordance with her contract, although she would no longer appear on any NBC News programs.

Rumored Couric-Lauer feud

Beginning in 2004 there were rumors that Katie Couric and Matt Lauer were in the midst of a feud. Reports say that this was due to Katie Couric's prominence, that she was generally perceived as handling the 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 cast. Couric denied these reports, saying that she was rather hurt by them.

Couric leaves, Vieira enters

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 the CBS Evening News. 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, where she also became 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.

The day after Couric's announcement, Meredith Vieira, then a host of ABC's The View announced on that show that she would take over as Lauer's co-anchor in September. Lauer and Vieira began co-hosting together on September 13, 2006.

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 Vieira's arrival. For the summer of 2006, Couric's anchor seat was filled with various hosts, mostly consisting of Curry, Morales and Campbell Brown (all of whom were considered candidates to replace Couric), until Vieira took over that fall.

Lauer's contract has been secured for the future years. He has signed through 2011 and has gotten a sizable salary increase.

Jane Fonda's use of vulgar language

At approximately 8:20 a.m. on February 14 2008, Jane Fonda used the word "cunt" during a live interview on a segment about The Vagina Monologues. At approximately 8:40 a.m. before a commercial break, Meredith Vieira apologized for the incident. NBC edited the broadcast for later time zones.^{[6] [7]} Parents Television Council President Tim Winter later issued a complaint.^[8]

Expansion

Early Today and Later Today

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 replaced it with NBC News at Sunrise, anchored by Connie Chung.

In 1999, NBC cancelled Sunrise and created two brand extensions for Today. One was Early Today (not to be confused with the earlier incarnation); 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 the current third hour of Today.

Fourth hour

On September 10 2007, NBC expanded the show 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 fourth hour was originally hosted by Curry, Morales and Hoda Kotb; Kathie Lee Gifford replaced Curry and Morales on April 7. Without news segments or input from the earlier hosts, the fourth hour operates virtually as a standalone talk show, with an opening "host chat" segment reminiscent of the one popularized by Gifford and Regis Philbin on Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, as well as features focusing on entertainment, fashion and other topics intended to draw in female viewers.

The fourth hour competes with ABC's The View and CBS's The Price is Right in most markets in the Central and Pacific time zones, but most Eastern time stations air it live one hour before those programs. NBC cancelled daytime soap opera Passions (which moved to DirecTV-exclusive channel The 101) to make room for the fourth hour.

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.^[9]

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.^[10] 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. In the late 1980s, Scherzo was played in its entirety multiple times daily during the weather scrolls that ran during local commercial breaks; however, most NBC affiliates preempted these segments with advertising. 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.) Williams' 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 fanfare was iconically accompanied by Fred Facey announcing "From NBC News, this is Today..." Although Facey died in April 2003, His introduction was used until Katie Couric left on May 31, 2006, except for special editions requiring special introductions. Weekend Today announcer Les Marshak became the new voice of the program on September 13, 2006.^[11]

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. This theme was also used April 7, 2008 for the intro on the 4th hour to welcome Kathie Lee Gifford. Some stations continue to use the song to promote their local morning shows that lead in to Today.

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 Sunday broadcast airs for one hour (originally 90 minutes, until the expansion of Meet the Press to a full hour in 1992), and the Saturday broadcast airs for two hours.

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. NBC airs the Saturday edition from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and the Sunday edition from 8:00 a.m to 9:00 a.m. (both Eastern Time), although many of the network's affiliates air local newscasts in those time slots and carry the network broadcast later in the morning.

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-

• Lester Holt
• Amy Robach, Saturday
• Jenna Wolfe, Sunday

Former anchors -

• David Bloom
• Campbell Brown
• Soledad O'Brien
• Maria Shriver
• Garrick Utley
• Boyd Matson
• Scott Simon
• Jodi Applegate

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.

Most special editions are introduced as "From NBC News, this is a special edition of Today".

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 Wednesday, 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 Tuesday, January 20, 1953, edition. Dave Garroway, Jack Lescoulie, and news anchor Jim Fleming broadcast from 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 Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom on Tuesday, 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 Thursday, 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.

On Monday, August 20 1956, Garroway and Lescoulie hosted the show from San Francisco, part of NBC's coverage of the 1956 Democratic National Convention.

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 Wednesday, 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. 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 Thursday, 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 Monday, November 25, 1963, edition broadcast from Washington as it covered President Kennedy's funeral. Downs and NBC Washington reporter Martin Agronsky anchored, while Lescoulie, Blair, Barbara Walters, and Sander Vanocur in Washington, along with Tom Pettit in Dallas, provided standup reports.

The morning of February 22, 1965, saw a special expanded edition covering the assassination of Malcolm X the day before. Today ran coverage until 11:00 a.m.

Following the launch of NASA's Early Bird satellite on May 3 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

The April 5, 1968 edition of the program covered the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. the day before, Today expanded until 10:00 a.m.

Thursday morning, June 6, 1968, saw a special edition continuing NBC's overnight coverage of the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy. Today coverage ran until 10:00 a.m. EDT.

1970s

October 15, 1971, saw an expanded edition of the show, broadcast live from Persepolis, Iran. The show commemorated the 2,500th anniversary of the Persian Empire. The program ran until 10:00 a.m. EDT.

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.

On January 25, 1973, Today, like the day before, expanded to 3 hours 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 about thirty minutes or so before Gerald Ford took the oath of office, with then-Nightly News anchor John Chancellor and then-correspondent Ron Nessen commenting.

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 December 9,1980 was a special edition from New York as co-anchors Tom Brokaw and Jane Pauley covered the assassination of singer/songwriter and former Beatle John Lennon the night before. Multiple NBC News correspondents reported from The Dakota building in which reporters reported on Lennon's assassination, and the reaction of the shooting by his wife Yoko Ono.

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. Brokaw and Pauley anchored.

On May 14, 1981, Tom Brokaw was stationed in St. Peter's Square in Rome to cover the assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II the previous day.

On July 29, 1981, the program originated from London with Tom Brokaw and Jane Pauley commenting on the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana. Additional analysis was provided by Tina Brown.

Just before the 7:24 a.m. station break on the morning of October 6, 1981, word reached NBC of the shooting of Egyptian president Anwar Sadat. Tom Brokaw announced what was known at the time, then threw to the commercial break. Upon returning at 7:30, Brokaw began what turned out to be eight-and-a-half hours of coverage--a Today record. NBC's Cairo bureau chief Art Kent provided live telephone reports, as Egyptian television stations ceased broadcast in the chaotic aftermath of the shooting. In studio and over the phone, Brokaw interviewed experts on the Middle East, foreign policy and international relations until 3:00 p.m., Eastern Time.

The Today staff received news of the death of Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev on Thursday, November 11, 1982. Already planning an extended broadcast in order to cover a space shuttle launch, the program stayed with both stories, providing frequent updates until noon Eastern Time.

The week of May 20 to 24, 1985, Gumbel, Pauley and Scott took the show on the rails. The "Today Express" was a specially-outfitted passenger train that took the cast and crew to special broadcasts in Houston, New Orleans, Memphis, Indianapolis and Cincinnati.

August 19 1985, brought Today back to its streetside roots with "Today at Night," a special primetime broadcast from the Channel Gardens at Rockefeller Center. Guests for the nighttime broadcast included then-House Speaker Tip O'Neill, and Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas of Miami Vice.

On Wednesday morning, January 29, 1986, a special edition covered the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster the previous day. Former astronauts David Scott and Alan Bean, former Flight Director Gerry Griffin and Senators Jake Garn and Pete Domenici were among the guests providing analysis and commentary on the tragedy.

On October 18, 1989, a special edition covered the Loma Prieta earthquake the day before.

1990s

A 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck southern California on Monday morning, January 17, 1994. Today was in progress; when news reached the studio at 7:47 a.m. EST, Bryant Gumbel and Katie Couric broke format and interviewed witnesses via phone. When the sun rose on the West Coast, allowing pictures of the damage to come in, they switched to a mix of audio and video reports from survivors, emergency respondents and officials. Today remained on until noon Eastern Time.

The show airing on April 20, 1995 was a special edition covering the Oklahoma City bombing the day before with Gumbel reporting from Oklahoma City.

The show airing on January 3, 1997 was a celebration of Bryant Gumbel's run on the program, the day before the 15th anniversary of his debut on January 4, 1982.

On September 6, 1997, the show was expanded in order to cover the funeral of Princess Diana. Matt Lauer anchored from Studio 1A in New York, while Katie Couric and Tom Brokaw anchored from Westminster Abbey in Britain. At 10:00 am, Brokaw took over coverage from inside Westminster Abbey.

The show airing on April 21, 1999, covered the Columbine High School Massacre with Matt Lauer in Studio 1A In Rockefeller Center in New York, and Katie Couric in Littleton, Colorado.

2000s

2000

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.

2001

When terrorists attacked the World Trade Center in New York City on September 11, 2001, Today was on the air. 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 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. MSNBC did it again on September 11, 2007.

2002

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 viewers.

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.

2003

On April 9, 2003 Today aired live until noon EST when U.S. Troops entered Baghdad. Lester Holt sat in for Lauer and hosted alongside Katie Couric. 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.

2005

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 bulletin 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.

2006

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, 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. EDT 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. Lauer and Curry anchored from 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 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 8:25 a.m. EDT to give detailed coverage of the observance at Ground Zero, anchored by Chuck Scarborough, as they have done every year.

2007

The show airing on January 2, 2007 covered the funeral of former president Gerald Ford with Meredith Vieira in Studio 1A and Matt Lauer in Washington. The show was cut to two hours, allowing Brian Williams to assume coverage at 9:00 a.m EDT.

The April 17 and 18, 2007, editions of the show covered the Virginia Tech massacre with Lauer and Vieira reporting live on the campus of Virginia Tech. Tuesday's show ran four hours, until 11 a.m. EDT.

From November 5 to 9, 2007, Today launched a miniseries of unprecedented broadcasts. "Today Goes to the Ends of the Earth" was a broadcast in which Lauer reported from the Arctic Circle, Roker reported from the Equator and Curry reported from McMurdo Station in Antarctica and on November 9 from the South Pole via videotape. Vieira tied the segments together, anchoring live from Studio 1-A. The effort was designed to highlight the causes and effects of global warming as a part of NBC Universal's "Green is Universal" campaign.

On Tuesday, November 20, 2007, a split edition billed as a "Thanksgiving Travel Countdown" placed Vieira at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, the nation's busiest. Other correspondents reported Chicago O'Hare International Airport and LaGuardia Airport. Lauer remained in Studio 1-A.

2008

On Tuesday, January 29, 2008, a special split edition placed Vieira outside Buckingham Palace. She had an exclusive interview with Prince Andrew featuring updates on the British Royal Family.

On February 4 and February 5, 2008, Today covered the Super Tuesday primaries and caucuses. Andrea Mitchell covered the Democratic side, and David Gregory covered the Republican side. Lauer and Vieira remained in New York.

On February 12 2008, Meredith Viera and Al Roker were both live at Georgia Aquarium. They gave reported on information covering the aquarium and had reports on the fish and, how the crew feeds them and keep them healthy. This special edition was a split edition with Matt Lauer live in Studio 1-A.

On February 21 and February 22, 2008, the cast and crew aired a two-day special called "Today Takes a Winter Break". On the first day, Lauer, Vieira, Curry and Roker originated from Sugarbush Resort in Warren, Vermont. On the second day, the anchors broadcasted from South Beach in Miami, Florida.

In April, 2008, special editions of Today featured Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the United States, billed as "The Pope Visits the USA." On Wednesday, April 16, the pontiff's 81st birthday, Matt Lauer hosted the show from the south lawn of the White House to cover the pope's meeting with President George W. Bush. On Saturday, April 19, Benedict's third anniversary as pope, Weekend Today anchors Lester Holt and Jenna Wolfe moved outside to Rockefeller Center to cover the first papal mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City for the first half hour.

On Tuesday, April 22, 2008, First Lady Laura Bush hosted the third hour of the program. It marked only the first time a first lady hosted a morning news program.

On Saturday, May 10, 2008, Weekend Today covered the wedding of Jenna Bush at the President's ranch outside Crawford, Texas. Holt remained in Studio 1A, while Amy Robach covered the wedding from Texas.

On Saturday, June 14, 2008, Lauer and Brokaw anchored a special edition entitled "Remembering Tim Russert", following the death of the Meet the Press moderator and NBC Washington Bureau Chief the previous day. Andrea Mitchell, David Gregory, Pete Williams, Lisa Myers, Face the Nation host Bob Schieffer, This Week host George Stephanopoulos, and Vice President Dick Cheney, among others, appeared onToday and gave tributes to Russert and shared stories of his life and career. On Wednesday, June 18, Lauer, Vieira, Curry, and Roker broadcast from the network's Washington bureau ahead of Russert's funeral and memorial service. Natalie Morales remained in Studio 1A and took over at 8:30 a.m., along with Amy Robach.

Traditional special editions

Every Thanksgiving Day (since 2000), 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 and fourth hours. 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 either from NBC's Capitol Hill studios on 400 North Capitol St. or from NBC's Washington bureau.

When special events or breaking news happen on the West Coast, one or more anchors will host the show from NBC's Los Angeles bureau.

Ratings

Week of June 30, 2008 ^[12]

• Today: 4,900,000 viewers
• Good Morning America (GMA): 3,800,000 viewers
• The Early Show (TES): 2,400,000 viewers

Week of September 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 from 4am Tuesday to Saturday on the Seven network. Sunday's edition is broadcast at 4.30am on Mondays, following Meet The Press. The program is condensed into a 90 minute broadcast, with no local news inserted. However, a news ticker appears at the bottom of the screen, containing National headlines, as well as upcoming information for the Sunrise morning show. A national weather map of Australia is inserted during cut-aways to local affiliates for weather. Today is pre-empted by paid programming on regional Seven affiliates Prime and Golden West Network. The top three U.S. breakfast programs air simultaneously on Australian television with the CBS Early Show airing on Network Ten and Good Morning America on Nine.

Today is also shown in the Philippines on 2nd Avenue on RJTV with the weekday editions immediately airing after Early Today, which airs at 7.00 local time Tuesdays to Saturdays. Weekend Today airs Sundays and Mondays at 7.00 local time.

In the United Kingdom and across Europe, Today originally aired on Sky News between 1989 and 1993, and from 1993 and 1998 on NBC Europe. The show was initially aired live in the afternoons until 1995, when it was delayed until the next morning.

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. ↑ A New Dawn for 'Today? - 8/21/2006 - Broadcasting & Cable
2. ↑
3. ↑
4. ↑ Monica Collins, "Memo to NBC: We Love Scott", ''[[USA Today], March 1, 1989.]
5. ↑ Brian Donlon, "On ''Today'', it's kiss and make up", ''[[USA Today], March 14, 1989.]
6. ↑ [[Redlasso] - Jane Fonda Video]
7. ↑ Newsvine - Jane Fonda Uses Vulgar Slang on `Today'
8. ↑ NBC Assaults Families with Offensive Language on Today Show
9. ↑ The Today Show / NBC Today Show
10. ↑ The Today Show / NBC Today Show
11. ↑ mediabistro.com: TVNewser
12. ↑ TVNewser

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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