Today (American TV program)

Today (American TV program)
NBCUniversal · Public domain · source
Show name	Today
Caption	Logo used since 2012
Genre	Morning news and talk
Creator	Sylvester "Pat" Weaver
Director	Multiple
Presenter	See Hosts and notable personalities
Country	United States
Language	English
Num episodes	Aired daily since 1952
Runtime	120–240 minutes
Channel	NBC
First aired	January 14, 1952
Last aired	present

Today (American TV program) is a long-running American morning television program airing on NBC. Debuting in 1952 during the Golden Age of Television, the program blends journalism-style news coverage, interviews with politicians and celebritys, lifestyle features, and live performances, becoming a benchmark in broadcasting and morning programming across the United States. Over decades, it has featured prominent figures from politics, entertainment, sports, and business, influencing formats used by rivals such as Good Morning America and CBS Mornings.

Overview

Today is produced by NBCUniversal's news division and broadcasts live from Studio 1A at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City. The program typically airs weekday mornings with weekend editions and is structured to include news bulletins referencing events such as Presidential elections, U.S. Congress sessions, and international developments involving countries like China and Russia. Known for landmark interviews with leaders connected to United Nations summits and cultural interviews featuring figures tied to institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Academy Awards, the show mixes reportage with segments on health care headlines, technology launches from firms such as Apple Inc. and Microsoft, and human-interest pieces about communities across United States states including California and Texas.

History

The series was created by Sylvester "Pat" Weaver and launched as a response to early television experiments by networks like CBS and syndicates such as King World. During the 1950s and 1960s the program competed with programs hosted by personalities associated with NBC Radio and stations such as WNBC-TV. In the 1970s and 1980s, hosts whose careers intersected with media entities like Time Inc. and Newsweek helped expand segments on business and culture, while coverage of events like the Watergate scandal and the Iran hostage crisis elevated its news profile. The 1990s and 2000s saw format shifts responding to competitors including Good Morning America and cable outlets such as CNN, with technological changes from satellite feeds to high-definition television and integration of content from Peacock (streaming service). The program navigated controversies involving on-air talent tied to corporations and unions, and adapted to crises such as the September 11 attacks and the COVID-19 pandemic by altering studio procedures and remote interviews.

Format and segments

Today integrates recurring segments that reflect ties to broader institutions and industries: political interviews often reference figures from White House administrations and hearings in the Senate; health and science pieces cite research from bodies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and universities such as Harvard University and Johns Hopkins University; technology coverage features executives from firms including Google and Meta Platforms, Inc.; entertainment interviews coincide with events like the Sundance Film Festival and the Venice Film Festival. Regular lifestyle features include cooking demonstrations referencing chefs who have worked at restaurants recognized by the Michelin Guide and fashion segments timed with New York Fashion Week. Musical performances have showcased artists who have won awards such as the Grammy Awards and appeared on stages like Madison Square Garden. The program also airs weather forecasts coordinated with meteorological services including the National Weather Service and sports reports tied to leagues such as the National Football League and the National Basketball Association.

Hosts and notable personalities

Across decades, the show has featured hosts and contributors whose careers intersect with entities like NBC News, ABC News, CBS News, and major publications such as The New York Times and The Washington Post. Notable anchors and correspondents have included journalists who later joined administrations of United States presidents or appeared on panels at think tanks like the Brookings Institution and the Council on Foreign Relations. The program's roster has included personalities who moved between broadcast outlets such as MSNBC and cable channels like Fox News Channel, and entertainers who promoted projects from studios such as Warner Bros. and Paramount Pictures. Regular contributors have covered beats involving leaders from multinational organizations including the World Health Organization and executives from companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Production and broadcast

Production takes place at Rockefeller Center in partnership with divisions of Comcast and parent company NBCUniversal. The show uses field reporting resources coordinated with affiliates in cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, and London, and employs remote interview technology used during events like United Nations General Assembly sessions. Syndication and distribution relationships have evolved alongside carriage deals with providers such as DirecTV and streaming platforms like Peacock (streaming service), while ratings are tracked by firms like Nielsen Media Research. Broadcast standards and labor practices have involved unions including the Screen Actors Guild and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees.

Reception and cultural impact

Today has influenced morning programming formats worldwide and has been cited in academic studies by scholars at institutions such as Columbia University and Stanford University for its role in shaping public engagement with news, politics, and culture. The program's interviews have at times affected public opinion during Presidential elections and major policy debates adjudicated in courts like the Supreme Court of the United States. Its cultural footprint extends to references in films by studios like Universal Pictures and television series on networks such as FX and HBO, and to parodies on late-night programs connected to The Tonight Show and Late Show. Ratings battles with competitors have driven strategic changes at media conglomerates including Disney and ViacomCBS.

Category:American television news shows Category:NBC original programming