The Today Show

Today (commonly referred to as The Today Show) is a morning news and talk show airing on the NBC television network in the United States.

Related Topics:
Morning news and talk show - NBC - Television - United States

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It first aired on January 14, 1952, as a spin off from a morning radio show similarly called Today. The Australian version has aired on that country's Nine Network since 1982. Ironically, the Nine Network's main rival, the Seven Network, tape-delays and broadcasts NBC's Today Show.

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January 14 - 1952 - Spin off - Nine Network - Seven Network - NBC

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When Today started in 1952, it was seen only in the Eastern and Central time zones, broadcasting three hours a morning but seen for only two hours in each time zone. Later, Today aired live for five hours a morning, but it was seen for only two hours in each time zone. Since 1958, Today is tape-delayed for the different time zones. For many years it was a two-hour program from 7:00–9:00 A.M. ET, until NBC expanded it to three hours (7:00–10:00 A.M. Eastern Time/Pacific Time; 6:00–9:00 A.M. Central Time/Mountain Time) on October 2, 2000.

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October 2 - 2000

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Today was the first of its genre when it first signed on with host Dave Garroway. The show successfully 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 news updates. It has spawned several other shows of a similar type, including ABC's Good Morning America, CBS's The Early Show, and the Canadian series, Canada AM.

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Dave Garroway - Chimpanzee - J. Fred Muggs - ABC - Good Morning America - CBS - The Early Show - Canadian - Canada AM

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The show broadcasts from Studio 1A in Rockefeller Center, New York, just across the street from NBC headquarters at the GE Building. The studio is located right next to the street and many times the hosts do the weather or other events from outside. Today moved to the current streetside studio in the mid-1990s, providing a link to the show's 1950s street-level set at the old RCA Exhibition Hall, also Rockefeller Plaza.

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Rockefeller Center - New York - GE Building - Weather

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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 Todays Rockefeller Center neighbors, Fox News's Fox & Friends and CNN's American Morning. (In summer 2005, CNN reversed the trend, moving its morning show indoors and uptown to the Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle.)

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Fox News - CNN - American Morning - Time Warner Center - Columbus Circle

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Today was the brainchild of Pat Weaver, who was then vice-president of NBC. He was president of the company from 1953 to 1955 (during which time Todays late-night companion, The Tonight Show , premiered), and then served as chairman of the board for another year.

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Pat Weaver - NBC - 1953 - 1955 - The Tonight Show - Chairman of the board

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The show is currently hosted by Katie Couric and Matt Lauer. Al Roker does weather updates and Ann Curry reads news headlines. Gene Shalit is the entertainment critic. Both Roker and Curry have recently started interviewing guests and taking part in other segments in addition to their weather and news duties.

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Katie Couric - Matt Lauer - Al Roker - Ann Curry - Gene Shalit

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One popular monthly feature is "Spanning the World" with WNBC-TV sports anchor Len Berman. "Spanning" is a reel of odd and intresting sports highlights from the past month, with a recorded introduction and closing by Don Pardo. This segment also airs on WNBC-TV's NewsChannel 4 at 6PM and 11 PM on a monthly basis.

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WNBC-TV - Len Berman - Don Pardo - NewsChannel 4

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The hosts of the show include the following: Dave Garroway (1952–1961), John Chancellor (1961–1962), Hugh Downs (1962–1971), Frank McGee (with Barbara Walters (1971–1974), Jim Hartz and Barbara Walters (1974–1976), Tom Brokaw and Jane Pauley (1976–1982), Bryant Gumbel and Jane Pauley (1982–1989), Bryant Gumbel and Deborah Norville (1989–1991), Bryant Gumbel and Katie Couric (1991–1997), and Matt Lauer and Katie Couric (1997–present). Joe Garagiola also hosted the show twice, first from 1967-1973 and then again in the early 1990s. Other hosts also served between Deborah Norville and Katie Couric.

Related Topics:
Dave Garroway - John Chancellor - Hugh Downs - Frank McGee - Barbara Walters - Jim Hartz - Tom Brokaw - Jane Pauley - Bryant Gumbel - Deborah Norville - Katie Couric - Matt Lauer - Joe Garagiola - 1990s

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There's an early morning version of the show, called Early Today that now airs on NBC's cable counterpart MSNBC and on many NBC affiliates. In 1999, a later version of Today called Later Today was launched with hosts Jodi Applegate, Florence Henderson, and Asha Blake; sagging ratings in that final hour caused its cancellation in 2000.

Related Topics:
Early Today - MSNBC - NBC - 1999 - Later Today - Jodi Applegate - Florence Henderson - Asha Blake - 2000

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