| Today | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Also known as | The Today Show |
| Genre | |
| Created by | Sylvester Weaver |
| Presented by | |
| Narrated by |
|
| Theme music composer |
|
| Opening theme | 2012 Today AGOpen1 (2013–present) |
| Ending theme | "Energetic Today" "Slow Today" |
| Composer | Adam Gubman & Non-Stop Music |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 70 |
| No. of episodes | 18,000+ |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Libby Leist,[1] Tom Mazzarelli |
| Production locations | Studio 1A,NBC Studios New York City, U.S. |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera setup |
| Running time | 4 hours (weekdays), 60 or 90 minutes (Saturdays), 1 hour (Sundays) |
| Production company | NBC News Productions |
| Original release | |
| Network | NBC |
| Release | January 14, 1952 (1952-01-14) – present |
| Related | |
| Early Today | |
Today (also calledThe Today Show) is an Americanmorning television show that airs weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. onNBC. The program debuted on January 14, 1952. It was the first of itsgenre onAmerican television and in the world, and after 73 years of broadcasting it is fifth on thelist of longest-running American television series.
Originally a two-hour program airing weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., it expanded to Sundays in 1987 and Saturdays in 1992. The weekday broadcast expanded to three hours in 2000, and to four hours in 2007 (though over time, the third and fourth hours became distinct entities).Today's dominance was virtually unchallenged by the other networks until the late 1980s, when it was overtaken byABC'sGood Morning America.
Today retook theNielsen ratings lead the week of December 11, 1995, and held onto that position for 852 consecutive weeks until the week of April 9, 2012, whenGood Morning America topped it again.Today maintained its No. 2 status behindGMA from the summer of 2012 until it regained the lead in the aftermath of anchorMatt Lauer's departure in November 2017.[2][3] In 2002,Today was ranked No. 17 onTV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.[4]
The entertainment magazineVariety reported the 2016 advertising revenue during the first two hours of the show was $508.8 million.[5]
On July 15, 2020, NBC launchedToday All Day, a 24-hour digital streaming extension of the program available through its website andPeacock.[6]
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The show's first broadcast aired on January 14, 1952, as the brainchild of television executiveSylvester Weaver, who was thenvice president ofNBC. Weaver was president of the company from 1953 to 1956, during which timeToday's late-night companionThe Tonight Show premiered. In pre-production, the show's proposed working title wasThe Rise and Shine Revue.[7] The show was first supervised byJerome Alan Danzig.[8]
Today was the first program of itsgenre when it premiered with original hostDave Garroway. The program blended national news headlines, interviews with newsmakers, lifestyle features, other light news and gimmicks (including the presence of thechimpanzeeJ. Fred Muggs who served as the show's mascot during the early years), and local news updates from the network's stations. It has spawned several other shows of a similar type, includingABC'sGood Morning America, andCBS' now-defunctThe Early Show. In other countries, the format was copied – most notably in the United Kingdom with theBBC'sBBC Breakfast andITV'sGood Morning Britain, and in Canada withYour Morning onCTV Television Network.
WhenToday debuted, it was seen live only in theEastern Time Zone andCentral Time Zone, broadcasting for three hours each morning but seen for only two hours in each time zone. Since 1958,Today has only broadcast live on the Eastern Time Zone, and has been onbroadcast delay for the five other U.S. time zones (Central,Mountain Time Zone,Pacific Time Zone,Alaska Time Zone andHawaii–Aleutian Time Zone). 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. The experiment, which drew criticism from many sides, ended when John Chancellor succeeded Garroway in July 1961.[9]
Today's weekday version was a two-hour program for 48 years, airing from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. in all time zones except forAlaska,Hawaii, and theU.S. Virgin Islands, until NBC expanded the program to three hours (extending the program until 10:00 a.m.) on October 2, 2000. A fourth hour (which extended the program until 11:00 a.m.) was eventually added on September 10, 2007.
In August 2013,Today released a mobile app for smartphones and tablets.[10]
The program airs live in the Eastern Time Zone[11] and on tape delay beginning at 7:00 a.m. in each of the remaining time zones. 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. NBC affiliates in some markets including in the east coast, such asWESH in Orlando, Florida, air the third and fourth hours ofToday on tape delay to accommodate live syndicated programs airing at such times.
Whenbreaking news stories warrant,Today will produce a West Coast edition by broadcasting parts of the show live for viewers there. In such an event, the live portion does not typically go beyond the 7:00 a.m. (Pacific Time) half-hour or the bloc before the first set of advertisements. Once completed, the remaining blocs/segments taped from the East Coast edition will follow. Throughout the live segment, the presenters will explicitly make some reference to the show being live on the west coast from time to time until the tape-delayed segments resume.
In some instances, when anNBC News Special Report ofbreaking news or a live event occurs during theToday 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. At that point, viewers outside the Eastern Time Zone will return to regularly scheduled programming (i.e. the segment of theToday show feed already in progress in their corresponding time zone or their local newscast).
During the first two hours of the program, localnetwork 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. Certain NBC affiliates that produce an additional morning newscast for a sister station ordigital subchannel may prerecord the local inserts aired during the first one to two hours ofToday to focus production responsibilities on just one of their local channels.
Starting in June 2014,SiriusXM began simulcastingToday on a new channel called Today Show Radio, Channel 108, withThe Best of Today starting at 6 am (Eastern) and theToday Show's live broadcast from Studio 1A at Rockefeller Center in New York City starting at 7:00 a.m. (Eastern), with a tape delayed broadcast at beginning 7:00 a.m. Pacific time. On MondaysThe Hoda Show withHoda Kotb is broadcast exclusive on the Today Show Radio channel. On TuesdaysOff the Rails withAl Roker,Dylan Dreyer andSheinelle Jones airs at 1:00 p.m. (Eastern). On WednesdaysThe Happy Hour with the producers ofKathie Lee and Hoda airs, and on ThursdaysToday Show Confidential with the producers ofTODAY airs. The channel also simulcastsNBC Nightly News withLester Holt at 6:30 p.m. (Eastern) The Today Show Radio service is not currently available on SiriusXM's sister service in Canada and Channel 108 is locked out for Canadian subscribers.
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TheToday program first originated from the RCA Exhibition Hall on 49th Street inManhattan in a space now occupied by theChristie's auction house, just down the block from the present-day studio. The first set placed a functional newsroom in the studio, which Garroway called "the nerve center of the world." The barrier between backstage and on-stage was virtually nonexistent. Garroway and the on-air staff often walked through the newsroom set. Glimpses of the camera crew and technicians were a frequent occurrence, as were off-screen voices conversing with Garroway. Gradually, machines and personnel were placed behind the scenes to assemble the news and weather reports, and the newsroom was gone by 1955.
In the summer of 1958, television manufacturerPhilco complained to NBC that stagingToday in a studio explicitly called the RCA Exhibition Hall was unfair (RCA owned NBC at the time). The network bowed to the pressure, and on July 7, 1958,Today moved across the street to Studio 3K in the RCA Building, where it remained through the early 1960s.
On July 9, 1962, the program returned to a street-side studio in the space then occupied by the Florida Showcase. Each day, theToday production crew would have to move theFlorida-related tourism merchandise off the floor and wheel in theToday news set, desks, chairs and cameras. When the show wrapped at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time, the news set would be put away and the tourism merchandise returned to the floor.
After three years in the Florida Showcase,Today moved back to the RCA Building on September 13, 1965. The network converted its news programming 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 20 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 toSaturday Night Live; also the current home ofLate Night with Seth Meyers) in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and finally Studio 3B from 1983 to 1994.
Today moved to the new street-side studio on June 20, 1994, providing a link to the show's 1950s origin.
Since the debut of the 1990s set, the national morning news programs of each of the major broadcast and cable-news networks have moved street-side – including two ofToday's Rockefeller Center neighbors,Fox News'Fox & Friends (atSixth Avenue) andCNN's since-cancelledAmerican Morning (in the summer of 2005, CNN reversed the trend, abandoning its street-level studio and moving upstairs in theTime Warner Center atColumbus Circle). ABC'sGood Morning America broadcasts fromTimes Square Studios, although only a portion of its studio is street side.
In 2006, Studio 1A underwent a major renovation to prepare for the upgrade tohigh-definition television broadcasts. After the departure ofKatie Couric and while a new set was readied (during the summer of 2006), the program was broadcast from a temporary outdoor studio in Rockefeller Plaza, the same set that NBC used at theOlympic Games since 2004.[12] During the week of August 28, 2006, the show was moved to a temporary location outside of Studio 1A becauseMTV was converting the outdoor studio into their red carpet booth for the2006 MTV Video Music Awards. A mock set was set up inDateline NBC's studio, which was also used during inclement weather. The program also used a temporary outdoor set atNBC Studios, andMSNBC'sCountdown with Keith Olbermann (which joined at Studio 1A in 30 Rock on October 22, 2007).
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On September 13, 2006,Today moved back into the revamped Studio 1A space. The new studio was divided into five different sections on the lower level including an 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. A giganticPanasonic 103-inchplasma display monitor is often used for graphic display backgrounds. A kitchen set is located upstairs from the main studio. 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.
Some minor changes were implemented throughout the early and middle part of 2013, not only in the way that things are presented, but also with modified graphics and minor updates to the set. That year, a new, larger anchor desk was introduced with space to seat all four main anchors (Guthrie, Lauer, Morales and Roker). The new desk brought an end to the "news desk", as the third "news reader" (Morales) now sits at the main anchor desk. Other minor changes included a new larger desk for the third hour. After the August 16, 2013, broadcast, the program vacated Studio 1A, while the space underwent a remodeling with a more modern look with (as stated by executive producer Don Nash) "a lot more bells and whistles to play with."
On September 16, 2013,Today debuted a new set and graphics package (it was originally set to debut on September 9, 2013, but was delayed one week to complete final design details).[13] The "home base" is located on a platform that can spin 360°, therefore allowing the view and direction of the camera to change depending on the half-hour. A new couch and background was added in the "sofa area" (where the anchors sit and discuss topics). Asocial media area known as the "Orange Room", was also added to Studio 1A, which contains screens that displayTwitter comments or trending topics,[14]Carson Daly was hired to present segments from the room during the broadcast.[15] Six screens that also connect to one 6' x 16' screen were added in the fashion/special topic area. During its first two days of use, the show transitioned away from its news and entertainment format to a format that emphasized the social interaction of the anchors, Roker and newsreader.
The graphics were also overhauled with introduction of the new set (a slightly modified version of this package and the revised logo debuted onEarly Today that November, further integrating the early-morning news program's branding withToday). The logo-to-peacock animation was moved from the left corner to the bottom right side corner of the screen. The logo that was first previewed on September 13, 2013, pared down the number of circular arches from five to three with its coloring switching from different variations – generally shades of red, orange and yellow to depict a sunrise – to entirely orange.
In September 2015Today updated the set once again,[16] the update included new floors, a new couch, and a new anchor desk. The new set retains the 360 home base used in the previous design. The new set replaced much of the dark wood colors with lighter colors and removed the emphasis of orange in previous design in favor of orange accents.
In February 2018, while Guthrie and Kotb were at the2018 Winter Olympics, the studio underwent major changes including a new curved 40ft video wall and flooring in the former screen area as well as a largeToday logo installation;[17] and by November of the same year, the Orange Room got a minor change that included a triangular-pattern wall and wooden flooring. Then, in November 2020, ahead of Election Night coverage, a new large video wall was added in front of the Orange Room (ending the Orange Room as a studio space in Studio 1A). This video wall is used primarily for the weather forecasts but also other pieces of the show.[18]
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During the week, the flagship hours ofToday (7:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.) are co-anchored bySavannah Guthrie (2012–present) andCraig Melvin (2025–present) alongside co-hostsAl Roker (Weather and Feature anchor 1996–present),Carson Daly (Feature anchor 2013–present), andJenna Bush Hager ("Morning Boost" feature anchor 2025-present).
Sheinelle Jones andDylan Dreyer – who appear on the main show as contributors – serve as the co-hosts (with Roker and Melvin) of3rd Hour Today at 9:00 a.m. Since December 2024, Jones has not been seen on the air, and in January 2025, said she had been dealing with "a family health matter."[19]
Jenna Bush Hager hosts the fourth hour with rotating guest co-hosts – titledToday with Jenna & Friends – at 10:00 a.m.
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Weekend editions ofToday includeSaturday Today co-anchored byPeter Alexander andLaura Jarrett alongside co-hostsJoe Fryer (features anchor) and Angie Lassman (weather anchor), andSunday Today anchored solely byWillie Geist.
Today anchors were termed as "Communicators" on the program's inception. 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.[21] Garroway and his successors have all followed that model, with little variation. Now, 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.
Including Savannah Guthrie and Craig Melvin, nine men and eight women have served as primaryToday hosts since the program's inception:[22]
| Years | Anchor 1 | Anchor 2 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1952–1961 | Dave Garroway |  | - | - |
| 1961–1962 | John Chancellor |  | - | - |
| 1962–1971 | Hugh Downs |  | - | - |
| 1971–1974 | Frank McGee |  | - | - |
| 1974–1976 | Jim Hartz | Barbara Walters |  | |
| 1976–1981 | Tom Brokaw |  | Jane Pauley |  |
| 1982–1989 | Bryant Gumbel | .jpg) | Jane Pauley | |
| 1990–1991 | Bryant Gumbel | | Deborah Norville | .jpg) |
| 1991–1997 | Bryant Gumbel | | Katie Couric |  |
| 1997–2006 | Katie Couric | | Matt Lauer |  |
| 2006–2011 | Matt Lauer | | Meredith Vieira |  |
| 2011–2012 | Matt Lauer | | Ann Curry |  |
| 2012–2017 | Matt Lauer | | Savannah Guthrie |  |
| 2018–2025 | Savannah Guthrie | | Hoda Kotb |  |
| 2025–present | Savannah Guthrie | | Craig Melvin | |
| # | Host | Number of years |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Matt Lauer | 20 years, 331 days |
| 2 | Katie Couric | 15 years, 60 days |
| 3 | Bryant Gumbel | 15 years, 3 days |
| 4 | Jane Pauley | 13 years, 82 days |
| 5 | Savannah Guthrie | 12 years, 314 days (ongoing) |
| 6 | Barbara Walters | 9 years, 264 days |
| 7 | Dave Garroway | 9 years, 156 days |
| 8 | Hugh Downs | 9 years, 30 days |
| 9 | Hoda Kotb | 7 years, 8 days |
| 10 | Tom Brokaw | 5 years, 111 days |
| 11 | Meredith Vieira | 4 years, 269 days |
| 12 | Frank McGee | 2 years, 189 days |
| 13 | Jim Hartz | 2 years, 26 days |
| 14 | John Chancellor | 1 year, 52 days |
| 15 | Deborah Norville | 1 year, 45 days |
| 16 | Ann Curry | 1 year, 20 days |
| 17 | Craig Melvin | 126 days (ongoing) |
Notes:
From the show's inception, the idea of providing the latest news headlines 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 the "news editor" or (informally) "news chief". In modern parlance, the term "newsreader" or "news anchor" is preferred. Under the two-hour format, four newscasts were delivered, once every half-hour. Presently, there are only two newscasts, delivered at the top of each of the first two 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:
For the program's first 25 years, weather reports were delivered by the host or newsreader. Dave Garroway illustrated the day's forecast by drawing fronts and areas of precipitation on a big chalkboard map of the United States, based on information gathered earlier in the morning from theNational Weather Service inWashington, 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 converted to all-color broadcasts in 1965, weather maps were prepared and projected on a screen behind Frank Blair, who delivered the forecast immediately after his news summaries.[25] Following Blair's retirement on March 14, 1975, Lew Wood took over the newsreader and weather reporting duties (using Blair's format). When Floyd Kalber became newsreader in 1976, Wood was relegated to weather, sports, roving reporter assignments, and presenting live on-air commercials until his departure in 1978.
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.
Prior to Roker,Today weather reporters wereBob Ryan (1978–1980) andWillard Scott (1980–1996). Until Ryan's hiring, no one on the show had practical experience or academic credentials inmeteorology. With NBC's purchase ofThe Weather Channel in 2008, personnel from that network frequently participate inToday forecast segments, at the site of a weather event or from the cable channel's suburbanAtlanta headquarters, or as a fill-in for Roker. This lasted until 2018 when TWC was acquired byEntertainment Studios.
NBCowned-and-operated stations andnetwork affiliates are given a 30-second window to insert a local forecast segment 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," although in recent years, this outcue was used during only starting the second half-hour. During the first half hour, Roker simply uses "your local forecast" which appears after a 30-second commercial. Those not watching on an affiliate which provides local weather segments following the outcue (including international viewers, as well as NBC stations that do not have a news department) see a national summary of temperatures on a weather map.
The semi-retired Scott, who gained fame through his antics that included costumes and props,[26] still appeared on-air to continue his tradition of wishing "happy birthday" tocentenarians. Scott's traditional local cue was "Here's what's happening in your world, even as we speak." He retired completely from television on December 15, 2015.
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:
From 1952 to 1964, a notable member of the cast was a woman, often an entertainer, theToday Girl. Usually, she discussed fashion and lifestyle, reported the weather, covered lighter-fare stories or engaged in verbal jousting with Garroway. Estelle Parsons was the first to hold the job, though her title at the time was "Women's Editor". Upon her departure in 1955, theToday Girl name was adopted. The last to hold the position, Barbara Walters, discussed the job in her autobiographyAudition: A Memoir. She wrote that theToday Girl era pre-datedfeminism, as it was believed that nobody would take a woman seriously reporting "infotainment" - Walters described the position as a "tea pourer".[27] In 1966, Walters was promoted to co-anchor alongside Hugh Downs, and theToday Girl position was eliminated. Those who held the position were:
From 1953 to 1957, the program featuredJ. Fred Muggs, a chimpanzee whose antics entertained viewers, but frustrated the program's staff, especially Dave Garroway. Also occasionally appearing was J. Fred's "girlfriend" Phoebe B. Beebe.
In 1989,Deborah Norville (then anchor of the network's early-morning news program at the time,NBC News at Sunrise) replacedJohn Palmer at theToday newsdesk, at which point he assumed her previous role onSunrise. She also began substituting forTom Brokaw onNBC Nightly News. Shortly after Norville's appointment asToday's news anchor, the decision was made to feature her 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 among young women, the demographic most coveted by morning shows.[28] During this period,Saturday Night Live featured a sketch titled "All About Deborah Norville" (a takeoff on the classic filmAll About Eve), which depicted Norville as ruthlessly scheming to take Pauley's place asToday co-host.
In October 1989, it was announced that 13-year veteran Pauley would leaveToday at the end of the year.[29] 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 the network hoped the negative press generated by Norville's increased presence on the program would end. However, this turned out not to be the case. 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.[30]
The negative press only heightened after the announcement of Pauley's resignation, and Norville was put under agag order by NBC brass, which prevented her from defending herself from the widespread and erroneous reports that she somehow orchestrated her rise onToday. In January 1990, the new anchor team of Bryant Gumbel and Deborah Norville, minus Jane Pauley, debuted with disastrous results.Nielsen ratings for the program began to plummet. Critics felt that Gumbel and Norville lacked chemistry and many loyal viewers began turning to rival ABC'sGood Morning America (GMA).
By the end of 1990,Today, the longtime dominant program, was officially the second-place morning show behindGMA, and most of the blame was pinned on Norville. By the outbreak of theGulf 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 even to appear 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 forparental 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.[31]
Midway though her maternity leave, Norville was interviewed byPeople. In the story, she avoided conversation about her recent trouble onToday, and instead focused on her newborn baby boy. She was photographedbreastfeeding 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 onToday and NBC's displeasure at thePeople photograph, it was announced that Norville would not return toToday 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.
On April 5, 2006, Katie Couric announced on her 15th anniversary as co-host ofToday that she would leave the program and NBC News at the end of May to become the new anchor and managing editor of theCBS Evening News. Couric's final broadcast, on May 31, 2006, was dedicated to her 15 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 nightnewsmagazine program60 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 onToday during her 15 years with the show.
The day after Couric's announcement,Meredith Vieira, then a host of ABC'sThe 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 its switch to high-definition. On that same day, NBC News launched a new advertisement promoting Vieira's arrival. That summer, Couric's anchor seat was filled by various hosts, consisting of Curry, Morales andCampbell Brown (all of whom were considered candidates to replace Couric), until Vieira took over that fall.
In March 2010, Vieira signed a contract to keep her with the program until at least September 2011.[32] However, she announced on May 9, 2011, that she would depart as co-host in the following month, but would remain at NBC News as a special correspondent.[33]
After announcing her resignation, Meredith Vieira departed the program on June 8, 2011. Vieira's spot was filled by the program's longtime news anchor Ann Curry, appearing alongside Matt Lauer as co-host. Correspondent Natalie Morales replaced Curry as news anchor in turn, with Al Roker remaining as the weather anchor. Savannah Guthrie joined Morales and Roker as co-host of the third (9:00 a.m.) hour.
Almost a year after her departure, Vieira returned briefly toToday as a special correspondent for events relating toElizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee Celebration. On June 5, 2012, she co-presented the show with Lauer fromLondon.
NBC revealed on June 28, 2012, thatAnn Curry would no longer co-hostToday, and would continue to work for NBC News (where she remained until her departure in January 2015), including continuing to appear onToday. Curry's title was changed to "Today Anchor at Large and NBC News National & International Correspondent," with responsibilities including leading a seven-person unit producing content forNBC Nightly News,Dateline NBC,Rock Center with Brian Williams andToday, with occasional anchor duties forNightly News. Curry also reported for NBC's coverage of the2012 Summer Olympics in London. On July 9, 2012,Savannah Guthrie succeeded Curry as co-anchor alongside Lauer, Roker and Morales.[34]
Ann Curry's final show as co-anchor was subdued compared to the earlier departures of Katie Couric and Meredith Vieira, as it did not include retrospectives of Curry's 15-year run on the program or goodbye to messages from colleagues and celebrities, although Curry – seated alongside Lauer, Natalie Morales and Al Roker in the couch area of the Studio 1A set – gave a tear-filled farewell message to viewers.[35][36] Rumors of Curry's departure fromToday began weeks before NBC formally announced that she would no longer be co-host, spurring negative press similar to that resulting from the departure of Jane Pauley and her replacement by Deborah Norville 23 years earlier, as early reports suggested that Matt Lauer had a hand in the program's decision to let Curry go.[37][38][39] Viewership declines for the program that began in the months following Curry becoming co-host precipitated in part due to public criticism over Lauer's alleged involvement in Curry's departure; loyal viewers once again began turning to the competingGood Morning America, which toppledToday's 16-year consecutive run as the top-rated morning news program during the week of April 9, 2012.[2] The public relations problems for Lauer that resulted from the accusations, led then-executive producer Jim Bell to admit responsibility for the negative press, in defense of Lauer, in a series of interviews withThe New York Times,The Hollywood Reporter and theAssociated Press.[40][41][42]
On November 29, 2017,Hoda Kotb became the interim co-anchor afterMatt Lauer was terminated. Prior to that, she had been a third co-anchor ofToday, sitting alongside Lauer and Guthrie at the beginning of the second half-hour.Today never formally made the announcement that Kotb would be joining earlier, instead Kotb came on earlier. She held that position on April 17, 2017, after her return from maternity leave until Lauer's termination on November 29, 2017. On January 2, 2018, her interim status became permanent, making her andSavannah Guthrie the first all-female anchor duo inToday's history and the second all-female anchor duo overall.
NBC News ChairmanAndrew Lack said in an email that Kotb has "seamlessly stepped" into the position, and with Guthrie, "quickly hit the ground running". "They have an undeniable connection with each other and most importantly, with viewers, a hallmark of Today," Lack added.[43]
Just before the holidays, NBC executives offered the job to Kotb.[44] She also continued to co-host the fourth hour of the show, a role she has held since 2007.
On September 26, 2024, Kotb announced her decision to step down as co-anchor ofToday and co-host of thefourth hour in early 2025, but would remain at NBC in a role that was unspecified. Kotb had been co-hosting the fourth hour since 2007. In her announcement on the show, Kotb said she made her decision after turning 60 and stated, "I realized that it was time for me to turn the page at 60 and to try something new."[45] On November 14, 2024, Kotb's final day was announced for January 10, 2025, withToday news anchor and3rd Hour Today co-hostCraig Melvin succeeding Kotb as co-anchor ofToday beginning January 13, 2025.[46]
In 1989,Bryant Gumbel wrote a memo to the program's then-executive producer Marty Ryan, which was critical of otherToday personalities, and was leaked to the press. In the memo, Gumbel commented thatWillard 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 thatGene Shalit's movie reviews "are often late and his interviews aren't very good".[47]
There was enough negative backlash in regard to Gumbel's comments toward Scott that Gumbel was shown reconciling with Scott onToday.[48]
After thekilling of Trayvon Martin,Today ran a selectively edited version of the9-1-1 call that George Zimmerman made prior to shooting and killing Martin (which he defended as being committed inself-defense while standing trial for the shooting, for which he was acquitted on charges of murder in July 2013), which had the effect of making Zimmerman appearracist. In a March 2012 edition of the program,Today played a recording of Zimmerman saying, "This guy looks like he's up to no good. He looks black." However, several seconds of the call were cut from the 911 tape, removing Zimmerman's description of Martin, and a question asked to him about the teenager by the 911 operator. In the original, unedited tape, Zimmerman said, "This guy looks like he's up to no good. Or he's on drugs or something. It's raining and he's just walking around, looking about." The operator then asked, "OK, and this guy – is he black, white or Hispanic?", to which Zimmerman answered, "He looks black."
In an opinion piece, Erik Wemple ofThe Washington Post wrote thatToday's alteration "would more readily paint Zimmerman as aracial profiling. In reality's version, Zimmerman simply answered a question about the race of the person whom he was reporting to the police. Nothing prejudicial at all in responding to such an inquiry... it's a falsehood with repercussions. Much of the public discussion over the past week has settled on how conflicting facts and interpretations call into question whether Zimmerman acted justifiably or criminally... To portray that exchange in a way that wrongs Zimmerman is high editorial malpractice..."[49]
Following an internal investigation into the production of the segment, NBC News fired two employees who were involved in the piece, including a producer based at the division's Miami bureau, in April 2012.[50] In December 2012, George Zimmerman filed a defamation lawsuit against NBC for the editing of the 911 call. Florida Circuit Court Judge Debra Nelson dismissed the suit on June 30, 2014, citing that there were "no genuine issues of material fact upon which a reasonable jury could find that the Defendants [NBCUniversal] acted with actual malice," but although Zimmerman could not prove that he was the victim of "actual malice", stated that the malice standard was appropriate since Zimmerman is a public figure.[51]
On September 11, 2012,Today sparked outrage after the program neglected to interrupt an interview withKeeping Up with the Kardashians co-starKris Jenner to broadcast the 11th anniversary remembrance ceremonies of theSeptember 11 attacks at 8:46 a.m. Eastern.[52] NBC was the only national television news outlet in the United States that did not interrupt regular programming to broadcast the moment of silence live. While the coverage of the ceremonies was not seen on the NBC network feed in most of the country, the network'sNew York Cityflagship owned-and-operated stationWNBC interrupted theToday broadcast to run locally produced special coverage of the entire ceremony.[53]
On November 29, 2017, NBC terminated Lauer following allegations of "inappropriate sexual behavior". NBC News chairman Andrew Lack announced Lauer's termination, stating: "It represented, after serious review, a clear violation of our company's standards. As a result, we've decided to terminate his employment. While it is the first complaint about his behavior in the over twenty years he's been at NBC News, we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident. Our highest priority is to create a workplace environment where everyone feels safe and protected, and to ensure that any actions that run counter to our core values are met with consequences, no matter who the offender." Lauer would eventually be replaced by the long-time anchor of the show's fourth hour,Hoda Kotb.[54]
Although NBC did not publicly report or comment on the specifics of the allegations, the entertainment industry publicationVariety ran a two-month long investigation involving interviews with Lauer's former NBC colleagues on his behavior towards them, which included lurid accusations of making verbal and typed lewd comments, as well as making suggestive references to a colleague's sexual performance.[55] It was later learned that the firing occurred after Lauer’s one-time co-host Meredith Vieira urged her assistant, who was among the complainants, to report the matter to NBC.[56]
During the episode of October 23, 2018,Megyn Kelly participated in a panel discussion on the appropriateness ofblackface inHalloween costume on her morning showMegyn Kelly Today. During the segment, Kelly recollected that "when I was a kid, that was okay as long as you were dressing up as like a character", and added that "[Luann de Lesseps] wants to look likeDiana Ross for one day, and I don't know how that got racist on Halloween." Her comments were widely criticized for being interpreted as defense of the practice, which is generally considered to be a derogatory caricature of African-Americans.[57] Critics likened Kelly's remarks to a previous incident during her tenure at Fox News Channel, where Kelly asserted thatJesus andSanta Clauswere white.[58][59]
Later that day, Kelly issued an internal email apologizing for the remarks, stating that "I realize now that such behavior is indeed wrong, and I am sorry", and that "I've never been a 'pc' kind of person — but I understand that we do need to be more sensitive in this day and age. Particularly on race and ethnicity issues which, far from being healed, have been exacerbated in our politics over the past year. This is a time for more understanding, love, sensitivity and honor, and I want to be part of that. I look forward to continuing that discussion."[57]
Kelly opened the October 24 episode with a public apology, as well as a follow-up discussion with African-American commentatorsAmy Holmes andRoland Martin on why blackface is considered controversial.[59][60] The same day,The Hollywood Reporter reported that Kelly had left theCreative Artists Agency, and had hired an attorney. 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. The week's remaining episodes were replaced by encores.[61][62][63]
On October 26, 2018, NBC News confirmed the cancellation ofMegyn Kelly Today and announced that the show's existing anchors would temporarily fill the third hour.[64]
Today first expanded to weekends on September 20, 1987, with the debut of the Sunday edition. Five years later on August 1, 1992, the Saturday edition made its debut, expanding the program to seven days a week. The Sunday broadcast was originally 90 minutes in length, until the third half-hour being dropped with the expansion ofMeet the Press to an hour-long broadcast in 1992; it now airs for one hour, while the Saturday broadcast airs for 90 minutes.
The weekend broadcasts continue theToday format of covering breaking news, interviews with newsmakers, reports on a variety of popular-culture and human-interest stories, covering health and finance issues, and national weather reports. NBC feeds the Saturday edition from 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. (although it is often shortened by a half hour to air the network's "The More You Know" block in full when there is an early start to sports) and the Sunday edition from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. (both in the Eastern Time Zone), although many of the network's affiliates air local newscasts in those time slots and carry the network broadcast earlier or later in the morning; many NBC affiliates also bookend the Sunday edition with local morning newscasts that immediately precede and follow the program. NBC'sNew York City,Chicago,San Francisco andLos Angeles owned-and-operated stations air the Sunday edition simultaneously (but not live) at 9:00 a.m Eastern, 8:00 a.m. Central and 6:00 a.m. Pacific Time.
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 major music acts andBroadway theatrical productions outside the studio throughout the summer.
DuringNBC 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. During some Olympic broadcasts, weekend editions are preempted all together to show live sports.
The firstbrand extension ofToday was created in 1982. The early morning news programEarly Today was conceived as a lead-in forToday, featuring the same anchors as the main program at the time, Bryant Gumbel and Jane Pauley. The half-hour program was fed twice to allow affiliates to carry one or both broadcasts. NBC canceled the program after a year, and replaced it withNBC News at Sunrise, originally anchored byConnie Chung.
In April 1999, NBC canceledSunrise for two brand extensions ofToday. One wasEarly Today which was revived September 7, 1999; the revived program originally was produced by CNBC and focused on business and financial news before switching to general news under the same production staff asMSNBC First Look in 2004.Early Today continues to air on the network, airing live each weekday morning at 3:00 a.m. Eastern Time (with an updated telecast for viewers in the Pacific Time Zone), and on tape delay until 10:00 a.m. Eastern – corresponding with the start time ofToday in the Pacific Time Zone – to allow for adjustment in airtimes for other time zones and for certain NBC stations without a local morning newscast to airEarly Today in lieu of one.
| Today | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | 3rd Hour Today The 3rd |
| Genre | |
| Presented by | |
| Production | |
| Production location | NBC Studios |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Running time | 44–52 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Release | October 29, 2018 (2018-10-29) – present |
| Related | |
| Megyn Kelly Today | |
Today 3rd Hour (often shortened toThe 3rd), the current name for the third hour ofToday, features anchors who appear in the first two hours of the program. AfterMegyn Kelly Today was canceled on October 26, 2018, NBC announced thatToday anchors would host the third hour.[65] The new third hour premiered on October 29, 2018, withHoda Kotb,Craig Melvin andAl Roker anchoring for the first 20 minutes from Studio 1A, reporting on thePittsburgh synagogue shooting, withSavannah Guthrie anchoring live from Pittsburgh.[66] At the top of the program, Kotb said:
Today, as you know, we are starting a new chapter in the third hour of our show as it evolves. We want you to know that the entireToday family will continue to bring you informative and important stories, just as we always have.[67]
After 20 minutes, the program continued withJenna Bush Hager from Studio 6A, the former home ofMegyn Kelly Today, where broadcasts of the third hour would begin to be based.[68] Since its debut, the third hour has used a modified nameless opening title sequence compared to the other editions ofToday. Various otherToday and NBC News personalities filled in until January, when it was announced that the official hosts would be Al Roker,Sheinelle Jones,Dylan Dreyer and Craig Melvin, with the show becoming a primarily panel discussion program under the banner ofThe 3rd Hour. On December 4, 2018, an NBC News spokesperson confirmed thatThe 3rd would move to Studio 1A to streamline the production process and create a more seamless broadcast. The last day at Studio 6A was January 4, 2019, with new broadcasts in Studio 1A beginning on January 7.[69]
Today with Jenna & Friends premiered on January 13, 2025, as the fourth hour ofToday, succeedingHoda & Jenna. The program is hosted byJenna Bush Hager and guest hosts, and continues to follow a similar format as its predecessor as its own distinct entity.
On July 15, 2020, NBC launchedToday All Day, a digital extension ofToday which is a streaming video channel on the program's website andPeacock.[6] It features blocks of soft news and lifestyle segments drawn from the program, as well as original content hosted by the program's personalities. NBC plans to eventually widen its distribution via third-party internet TV services in addition to its own.[70]
On September 7, 1999, NBC launchedLater Today, a talk show that was intended to air immediately following the then two-hourToday. ReplacingLeeza (which would continue in first-run syndication for one more year) on the network's morning schedule,Later Today was hosted byJodi Applegate,Florence Henderson andAsha Blake. The program was canceled on August 11, 2000, due to lackluster ratings; it was replaced two months later by the third hour ofToday, later known asToday's Take.
| Today's Take | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | The Take |
| Genre | Talk Show |
| Presented by | |
| Production | |
| Production locations | Rockefeller Plaza,Manhattan,New York City |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Running time | 44–52 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Release | October 2, 2000 (2000-10-02) – September 22, 2017 (2017-09-22) |
| Related | |
| Megyn Kelly Today | |
Today's Take (sometimes calledThe Take) was the third-hour segment ofToday. This "show-within-a-show" had its own anchors (although featuring on-air staff that appears during the first two hours of the program), openingtitle sequence and theme music.
On October 2, 2000, NBC expandedToday to three hours, with the addition of an hour from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. For its first twelve years, the format of the third hour was originally structured similarly toToday's first two hours, using the same anchors as that portion of the broadcast; separate anchors began to be used for the third hour over time, with only the news anchor (Ann Curry until 2011, then Natalie Morales) and the weather anchor (Al Roker) being shared with the main 7:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. block – this was particularly the case during instances where Matt Lauer or his co-host (Katie Couric, then Meredith Vieira from 2006 to 2011, Ann Curry from 2011 to 2012, and finally Savannah Guthrie during the final months of the original format) could not be present for the entire hour due to reporting assignments or personal commitments. Vieira, outside of breaking news situations, was specifically disallowed by contract from any duties in the third hour due to her hosting commitments to the syndicated version ofWho Wants to Be a Millionaire byDisney–ABC Domestic Television.
The network revamped the format of the third hour on November 12, 2012, and gave it the in-program titleToday's Take. Roker was joined during the revamped third hour by Natalie Morales and Willie Geist (who had recently joinedToday after ending his run as the original anchor of MSNBC'sWay Too Early); MSNBC anchor andToday correspondentTamron Hall was added as a co-host for that hour of the program on February 24, 2014, andEllie Kemper joined the program on June 29, 2015, as a temporary co-host (until July 17, 2015).[71]
With the change, traditional news segments at the beginning of the hour were abandoned in favor of a topical "host chat" format similar to the opening segment of the succeeding fourth hour of the program (with the only difference being that top general news events are discussed somewhat more often, in addition to featuring topical discussions on offbeat and pop culture-related stories and periodic clips from television programs aired the previous night andviral video). Instead, the news segment (titledNews with Natalie, anchored by Morales, and alternately titledToday's News on days when Morales was off) was featured prior to the local update cutaways near the end of the first half-hour; national weather segments are also retained following the host chat segments in both half-hours. Beginning in May 2015, theNews with Natalie/Today's News segment moved to 9:30 a.m. and the national weather segment to follow and the host chat at 9:30 a.m. was discontinued.
On August 22, 2016, both Morales and Geist leftToday's Take and formerAccess Hollywood hostBilly Bush officially joined the set. Bush was later suspended and eventually fired from the segment as well as the program followingDonald Trump Access Hollywood tape during U.S. Republican and presidential candidateDonald Trump's campaign in October 2016.
On February 1, 2017, Hall leftToday's Take. Weekend co-anchor Sheinelle Jones and weekend meteorologist Dylan Dreyer filled in as co-hosts alongside Roker until a new morning lineup began in the fall.[72]
Today's Take aired its final episode on September 22, 2017, andMegyn Kelly Today replaced it on September 25, 2017.
Megyn Kelly Today premiered on September 25, 2017, as a replacement forToday's Take. It was hosted by formerFox News anchorMegyn Kelly, and was structured as a daytimetalk show.[73][74][75][76][77][78]
In the wake of stable but lower viewership in comparison to the timeslot's predecessor, a desire by Kelly to focus more on her overall role at NBC News, and in the wake of controversy over a recent segment discussingblackface,[79][80] the show was officially cancelled on October 26, 2018.[81][82] Kelly never again appeared on NBC and departed the network three months later.
Today with Kathie Lee and Hoda was the fourth-hour segment ofToday hosted byKathie Lee Gifford andHoda Kotb, which aired from April 7, 2008, to April 5, 2019. It replaced the original fourth hour that debuted earlier that fall on September 10, 2007, originally hosted by Ann Curry, Natalie Morales, and Hoda Kotb. The program was its own distinct entity, with its own website and social media presence. The fourth hour does not have news or weather segments or input from the earlier hosts and is structured virtually as a standalone talk show, with an opening "host chat" segment reminiscent of the one popularized by Gifford andRegis Philbin onLive! with Regis and Kathie Lee, as well as interviews and features focusing on entertainment, fashion and other topics aimed at female viewers.
On December 11, 2018, NBC and Gifford announced that she would be retiring from her position of anchoring the fourth hour in April 2019, her 11th anniversary since joiningToday.[83][84] Kotb continues co-anchoring the fourth hour.[85] On February 26, 2019, NBC announced thatJenna Bush Hager, the daughter of former U.S. PresidentGeorge W. Bush would replace Gifford.[86]
Today with Hoda & Jenna premiered on April 8, 2019, as the fourth hour ofToday, succeedingKathie Lee & Hoda.[87] The program was hosted byHoda Kotb andJenna Bush Hager.[88] Kobt hosted the program until her departure on January 10, 2025.
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Today host Dave Garroway selectedLes Brown's "Sentimental Journey" as the program's original theme music, which was used during Garroway's entire run 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 byBobby Hackett and John B. Seng.[89]
"Misty" served asToday's theme until 1971, when NBC News correspondentFrank McGee joined the show. ComposerRay Ellis penned an instrumental theme entitled "This isToday", a jazzy, up-tempo piece that served as the program's main theme until 1978. BecauseThis is Today closely resembledStephen Schwartz's song "Day by Day" from the musicalGodspell, Schwartz successfully sued forcopyright infringement.[90] "This isToday" was revised as a result, with the second version of the piece incorporating the familiarNBC chimes was used until 1981, at the close of theTom Brokaw–Jane Pauley era.[89] The chimes were also used throughout the program to introduce and conclude segments, usually in combination with the familiarToday sunburst logo.
By the time Bryant Gumbel was appointed co-anchor of the program in 1982, a new version of Ellis' "This isToday" theme was introduced, using a looser, more relaxed arrangement that continued to feature the NBC chimes in its melody. A shorter arrangement of "This isToday" was used for the show open (featuring a rotating globe and theToday 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. The 1982 theme later served as the program's official "anniversary" music, used to open and close retrospective segments in the leadup toToday's 60th anniversary in 2012.
1985 saw the end of the synthesizer era at NBC as composerJohn Williams wrote a series of themes for all NBC News programs, with a cut entitled "The Mission", serving as the principal theme forNBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw. Williams also composed two themes forToday: 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 locally slotted advertising. The newToday themes – used in tandem with the show's new opening sequence featuring theStatue 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'sMeet The Press until 2004).
Meanwhile, Williams' opening fanfare had opened the program ever since its 1985 introduction, with two brief interruptions; new opening themes were briefly introduced and quickly discarded in the summer of 1994 (to mark the debut of Studio 1A) and in 2004. The fanfare was iconically accompanied byFred Facey announcing "From NBC News, this isToday… with (anchor) and (anchor)" (with "Live from Studio 1A in Rockefeller Plaza" being added to the introduction on June 20, 1994, when the show moved to its new studio). Although Facey died in April 2003, his introduction of the Couric–Lauer team was used for the duration of Couric's era (except for special editions requiring special introductions).Weekend Today announcer Les Marshak became the new voice of the weekday program on September 13, 2006.[91] A lighter theme employing the NBC chimes was used to open the show's 7:30 a.m. through 9:30 a.m. half-hour segments, and was also used as a closing theme.
In March 2013, "The Mission" was replaced with a theme composed byAdam Gubman for Non-Stop Music. Along with Non-Stop Music, Gubman's rebranding could be heard dating back toToday's coverage of thewedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton in April 2011. Gubman went on to write music for the network's 2012 election coverage, and continues to provide audio content forToday.
From 1995 to 2012,Today generally beat ABC rivalGood Morning America in theNielsen ratings among all network morning programs. By the week of September 11, 2006, the program earned 6.320 million total viewers, 1.6 million more than the 4.73 million viewers earned byGood Morning America. This gap eventually decreased, as by the week of June 30, 2008,Today was watched by an average of 4.9 million viewers, compared toGood Morning America's 3.8 million.[92]
Furthermore, by the week of October 12, 2008,Today's total viewership had gone up to 4.910 million viewers, compared to second placeGood Morning America's total viewership of 4.25 million (and significantly above the 2.66 million viewers earned by CBS'The Early Show).[93] 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.
For the week of January 4, 2009, the 8:00 a.m. hour ofToday averaged 5.998 million viewers; the 9:00& a.m. hour, meanwhile, averaged 4.447 million total viewers and a 1.4 rating among adults aged 25–54, marking that hour's best ratings since the week of August 11, 2008. The 10:00 a.m. hour averaged 2.412 million total viewers and a .8 rating in the demographic, the highest total viewership for that portion of the program since the week of December 31, 2007.[94]
For the week of April 11, 2011, the program passed its 800th consecutive week as the No. 1 rated network morning news program, with 5.662 million total viewers (ahead ofGood Morning America by approximately 1.2 million viewers).[95]
During the week of April 25, 2011,Today averaged 6.424 million viewers, marking its best weekly total viewership since August 11, 2008, during the2008 Summer Olympics. This was largely buoyed by the April 29 coverage of the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, which earned 9.628 million viewers (beatingGood Morning America's coverage by more than 1.6 million viewers), and was also the best single day rating since November 8, 2000, the day after the2000 presidential election.[96]
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