NBC affiliates in some markets including on the East Coast — such as WESH in Orlando, Florida, air the third and fourth hours of Today on tape delay to accommodate live syndicated programs airing at such times. 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 night newsmagazine program 60 Minutes. This «show-within-a-show» had its own anchors (although featuring on-air staff that appears during the first two hours of the program), opening title sequence and theme music. 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 and Broadway theatrical productions outside the studio throughout the summer. After the departure of Katie 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 the Olympic Games since 2004. In the summer of 1958, television manufacturer Philco complained to NBC that staging Today in a studio explicitly called the RCA Exhibition Hall was unfair (RCA owned NBC at the time).
During NBC Olympic broadcasts, the weekday anchors and staff present the majority of the program on both Saturday and Sunday throughout the two weeks to maintain promotional momentum, with limited contributions from the weekend team from New York. The Sunday broadcast was originally 90 minutes in length — until the third half-hour being dropped with the expansion of Meet the Press to an hour-long broadcast in 1992; it now airs for one hour, while the Saturday broadcast airs for 90 minutes. It was also reported that (prior to the incident), Kelly and NBC had been discussing canceling the program so she could focus more on serving as a correspondent, but that the comments may have an impact on her future at the network. 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. In 1989 (Bryant Gumbel wrote a memo to the program’s then-executive producer Marty Ryan), which was critical of other Today personalities, and was leaked to the press.
Fourth hour
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. NBC revealed on June 28 — 2012, that Ann Curry would no longer NHL picks today co-host Today, and would continue to work for NBC News (where she remained until her departure in January 2015), including continuing to appear on Today. Almost a year after her departure, Vieira returned briefly to Today as a special correspondent for events relating to Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee Celebration. That summer, Couric’s anchor seat was filled by various hosts, consisting of Curry, Morales and Campbell Brown (all of whom were considered candidates to replace Couric), until Vieira took over that fall. 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.
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. A mock set was set up in Dateline NBC’s studio, which was also used during inclement weather. In 2006 — Studio 1A underwent a major renovation to prepare for the upgrade to high-definition television broadcasts. Today moved to the new street-side studio on June 20, 1994, providing a link to the show’s 1950s origin. 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. Eastern Time, the news set would be put away and the tourism merchandise returned to the floor.
The remaining three feeds are frequently updated with minor fixes and repairs, and often, correspondents will tape updates that are then edited into the delayed feeds. Partly to accommodate host Dave Garroway’s declining health (the program ceased live broadcasts in September 1959), opting instead to broadcast an edition taped the previous afternoon punctuated with live newscasts each half-hour. Since 1958 (Today has only broadcast live on the Eastern Time Zone), and has been on broadcast delay for the five other U.S. time zones (Central, Mountain Time Zone, Pacific Time Zone, Alaska Time Zone and Hawaii–Aleutian Time Zone). In other countries (the format was copied – most notably in the United Kingdom with the BBC’s BBC Breakfast and ITV’s Good Morning Britain), and in Canada with Your Morning on CTV Television Network.
Current weekday showtimes and arrangements
Kelly never again appeared on NBC and departed the network three months later. 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. The program was canceled on August 11, 2000, due to lackluster ratings; it was replaced two months later by the third hour of Today, later known as Today’s Take. Replacing Leeza (which would continue in first-run syndication for one more year) on the network’s morning schedule, Later Today was hosted by Jodi Applegate, Florence Henderson and Asha Blake. On September 7, 1999, NBC launched Later Today, a talk show that was intended to air immediately following the then two-hour Today.
Six screens that also connect to one 6′ x 16′ screen were added in the fashion/special topic area. A new couch and background was added in the «sofa area» , where the anchors sit and discuss topics,. 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). That year, a new, larger anchor desk was introduced with space to seat all four main anchors (Guthrie, Lauer, Morales and Roker).
Weekdays
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. Today host Dave Garroway selected Les Brown’s «Sentimental Journey» as the program’s original theme music, which was used during Garroway’s entire run from 1952 to 1961. Please help improve it by spinning off or relocating relevant information and removing excessive detail that goes against Wikipedia’s inclusion policy. While continuing to follow a similar format as its predecessor as its own distinct entity, the program did not have a permanent co-host, but instead featured a different guest co-host each day.
Current weekday showtimes and arrangements
Today aired special editions of the program called «America at War», with Gumbel anchoring most of the show alone. 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. An emotional Norville hugged Pauley on the air after the announcement was made, and many at the network hoped the negative press generated by Norville’s increased presence on the program would end. Fred Muggs — a chimpanzee whose antics entertained viewers, but frustrated the program’s staff, especially Dave Garroway. The weather is reported every half-hour during the program’s first two hours (though since Al Roker was named weather reporter on January 26), 1996, an interview is conducted by him in place of the national weather forecast at least once during the show, leaving only the local weather inserts by NBC stations. Some anchors, including Jim Fleming, Lew Wood, Floyd Kalber and John Palmer, were seasoned journalists before joining the program.
To accommodate adjustments in airtimes for various time zones and for certain NBC stations lacking a local morning newscast (the Eastern time was aligned with the start time of Today in the Pacific Time Zone), enabling Early Today to be aired instead. After one year (the program was canceled by NBC and subsequently replaced with NBC News at Sunrise), which was initially anchored by Connie Chung. Early Today (an early morning news program), was designed as a precursor to Today, featuring the same anchors from that period, Bryant Gumbel and Jane Pauley. In some instances during Olympic broadcasts, weekend editions are completely replaced by live sports coverage.
As the news anchor (Natalie Morales took over Curry’s role), while Al Roker continued as the weather anchor. Ann Curry, the program’s longtime news anchor, took Vieira’s place, joining Matt Lauer as co-host. On May 9, 2011, she announced her intention to leave as co-host the following month but would stay at NBC News in the role of special correspondent.
Premiering on January 13, 2025, Today with Jenna & Friends became the fourth hour of Today, taking over from Hoda & Jenna, hosted by Jenna Bush Hager. Kotb continued as the host of the program until her exit on January 10, 2025. The fourth hour of Today (known as Today with Hoda & Jenna), began airing on April 8, 2019, following Kathie Lee & Hoda. On December 11, 2018, Gifford and NBC revealed her plans to retire from anchoring the fourth hour in April 2019, marking her 11th anniversary with Today. From April 7, 2008, to April 5, 2019, Today with Kathie Lee and Hoda served as the fourth-hour segment of Today, hosted by Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb.
The fourth hour is structured as a standalone talk show, lacking news or weather segments, as well as input from earlier hosts, and includes an opening «host chat» segment similar to the one made popular by Gifford and Regis Philbin on Live! It took the place of the original fourth hour, which first aired on September 10, 2007, and was initially hosted by Ann Curry, Natalie Morales, and Hoda Kotb. The final episode of Today’s Take was broadcast on September 22, 2017, and on September 25, 2017, it was succeeded by Megyn Kelly Today. On August 22, 2016, both Morales and Geist exited Today’s Take, with former Access Hollywood host Billy Bush officially joining the program.