In the summer of 2006 (while preparations for a new set were underway following Katie Couric’s departure), a temporary outdoor studio was used in Rockefeller Plaza for the program, the same set that had been employed by NBC at the Olympic Games since 2004. During the summer of 1958 — Philco, a television manufacturer, voiced concerns to NBC about the fairness of staging Today in a studio specifically designated as the RCA Exhibition Hall, given that RCA owned NBC at that 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 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 NHL picks today 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.
Throughout early and mid-2013, several minor alterations were made, affecting both the presentation style and the set’s graphics, along with some updates. Dateline NBC’s studio featured a mock set that was utilized during bad weather conditions. To prepare for high-definition television broadcasts — Studio 1A went through significant renovations in 2006. On June 20, 1994, the show Today relocated to a new street-side studio, establishing a connection to its 1950s roots. During that time (the network transitioned its news programs to full-color broadcasts), and NBC was unable to justify the expense of allocating four color cameras to the Florida Showcase studio.
The remaining three feeds are regularly refreshed with small corrections and enhancements; correspondents often record updates that are later integrated into the delayed feeds. Due to host Dave Garroway’s deteriorating health (the program stopped live broadcasts in September 1959), opting instead for an edition recorded the previous afternoon, which included live newscasts every half hour. Since 1958 (Today has aired live only in the Eastern Time Zone), while the remaining five U.S. time zones (Central, Mountain, Pacific, Alaska, and Hawaii–Aleutian) have experienced broadcast delays. The program’s format inspired imitations in other countries (most notably with BBC Breakfast and ITV’s Good Morning Britain in the United Kingdom), as well as Your Morning on CTV in Canada.
Showtimes and schedules for weekdays are currently available.
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.
In the fashion/special topic area — six screens were integrated, which also connect to one 6′ x 16′ screen. A new couch and background setup was introduced in the “sofa area,” where anchors engage in discussions. A new set and graphics package made its debut on September 16 — 2013, although it had initially been scheduled to launch on September 9, 2013, but was postponed by a week to finalize the design. That year saw the introduction of a larger anchor desk designed to accommodate 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.
Weekday showtimes and arrangements are currently available.
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.
Eastern Time corresponds to Today’s start time in the Pacific Time Zone, facilitating airtime adjustments for other zones and allowing specific NBC stations without a local morning newscast to air Early Today instead. After one year (the program was canceled by NBC and was replaced with NBC News at Sunrise), originally hosted by Connie Chung. Early Today was created as a lead-in to Today, featuring the same anchors—Bryant Gumbel and Jane Pauley—as the main program at the time. Some Olympic broadcasts result in weekend editions being entirely preempted to accommodate live sports.
Correspondent Natalie Morales replaced Curry as news anchor in turn, with Al Roker remaining as the weather anchor. Vieira’s spot was filled by the program’s longtime news anchor Ann Curry, appearing alongside Matt Lauer as co-host. 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.
Today with Jenna & Friends debuted on January 13, 2025, as the fourth hour of Today, taking over from Hoda & Jenna and hosted by Jenna Bush Hager. Kotb continued hosting the program until her departure on January 10, 2025. Today with Hoda & Jenna launched on April 8, 2019, as the fourth hour of Today, succeeding Kathie Lee & Hoda. On December 11, 2018, it was announced by NBC and Gifford that she would retire from her anchoring role in the fourth hour in April 2019, marking her 11th anniversary with Today. Hosted by Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb, Today with Kathie Lee and Hoda aired from April 7, 2008, to April 5, 2019, as the fourth-hour segment of Today.
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 and Regis Philbin on Live! 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. Today’s Take aired its final episode on September 22, 2017, and Megyn Kelly Today replaced it on September 25, 2017. On August 22 — 2016, both Morales and Geist left Today’s Take and former Access Hollywood host Billy Bush officially joined the set.
