A temporary outdoor set at NBC Studios was also utilized by the program, with MSNBC’s Countdown featuring Keith Olbermann connecting from Studio 1A at 30 Rock starting on October 22, 2007. Each day (the production crew of Today had to clear the floor of Florida-related tourism merchandise and bring in the news set), desks, chairs, and cameras. The newsroom set was frequently traversed by Garroway and the on-air staff. Certain NBC affiliates that broadcast an additional morning newscast for a digital subchannel or sister station may prerecord local inserts for the first one to two hours of Today, allowing them to concentrate production efforts on just one of their local channels. In the initial two hours of the program, local network affiliates have a four-minute opportunity at 26 and 56 minutes past the hour to insert a local newsbreak, which typically includes local forecasts and brief traffic reports in larger markets, along with local advertisements. Upon its launch (Today was broadcast live solely in the Eastern and Central Time Zones), airing for three hours each morning, but only two hours were available to viewers in each time zone.
Today’s showtimes and scheduling for the weekdays
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. The first set placed a functional newsroom in the studio โ which Garroway called “the nerve center of the world.” The barrier between backstage and on-stage was virtually nonexistent. On Wednesdays (The Happy Hour with the producers of Jenna & Friends airs), and on Thursdays, Today Show Confidential with the producers of TODAY airs. 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. , Pacific Time, half-hour or the bloc before the first set of advertisements. When breaking news stories warrant, Today will produce a West Coast edition by broadcasting parts of the show live for viewers there.
Fourth hour
From the summer of 2012 until November 2017, when anchor Matt Lauer left, Today held the second position behind GMA before reclaiming the top spot. The weekday broadcast increased to three hours in 2000, followed by an expansion to four hours in 2007, although the additional hours eventually developed into distinct segments.
In the aforementioned week (the third hour), known as “Today II” by NBC for Nielsen ratings purposes, attracted 2.9 million viewers, while the fourth hour, labeled as “Today III,” garnered 1.7 million viewers. On November 4, 2025, https://baycolonydogshow.com Michelle Obama, the former First Lady of the United States, made an appearance as a special guest. Approximately 60 guest co-hosts, referred to as “contenders” on the program, included actress Scarlett Johansson and comedian Matt Rogers.
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 on Today during her 15 years with the show. By April 1991 (in light of improved ratings on Today and NBC’s displeasure at the People photograph), it was announced that Norville would not return to Today and that Katie Couric had been named the program’s co-host. Ratings for the program rose immediately following Norville’s departure and Couric’s arrival. It was not uncommon for Norville not even to appear until the two-hour show’s second half-hour.
Although Facey died in April 2003, his introduction of the CouricโLauer team was used for the duration of Couric’s era (except for special editions requiring special introductions). 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 1982 theme later served as the program’s official “anniversary” music, used to open and close retrospective segments in the leadup to Today’s 60th anniversary in 2012. 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. Composer Ray Ellis penned an instrumental theme entitled “This is Today”, a jazzy, up-tempo piece that served as the program’s main theme until 1978. “Misty” served as Today’s theme until 1971, when NBC News correspondent Frank McGee joined the show.
On September 26, 2024, Kotb revealed her intention to resign as co-anchor of Today and co-host of the fourth hour in early 2025, although she would remain with NBC in an unspecified capacity. She persisted in her role as co-host of the fourth hour of the show, a position she had occupied since 2007. In an email, NBC News Chairman Andrew Lack remarked that Kotb “seamlessly stepped” into her new role and, alongside Guthrie, “quickly hit the ground running. Curry’s title was updated to “Today Anchor at Large and NBC News National & International Correspondent,” encompassing her duties of leading a seven-member unit responsible for creating content for NBC Nightly News, Dateline NBC, Rock Center with Brian Williams, and Today, along with occasional anchor responsibilities for Nightly News.
The graphics were also overhauled with introduction of the new set (a slightly modified version of this package and the revised logo debuted on Early Today that November, further integrating the early-morning news program’s branding with Today). 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 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.
The program is hosted by Jenna Bush Hager and Sheinelle Jones, and continues to be a distinct entity from the earlier hours of Today. Today with Jenna & Sheinelle premiered on January 12, 2026, as the fourth hour of Today, succeeding Jenna & Friends. Various other Today 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 of The 3rd Hour. We want you to know that the entire Today family will continue to bring you informative and important stories, just as we always have. The new third hour premiered on October 29 โ 2018, with Hoda Kotb, Craig Melvin and Al Roker anchoring for the first 20 minutes from Studio 1A, reporting on the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, with Savannah Guthrie anchoring live from Pittsburgh. After Megyn Kelly Today was canceled on October 26, 2018, NBC announced that Today anchors would host the third hour.
Being the first of its kind on American television and globally, it has been broadcasting for 74 years and ranks fifth among the longest-running American television series.
Creator Pat Weaver envisioned a person whose responsibilities would go beyond the bounds of traditional sit-down news anchors. Weekend editions of Today include Saturday Today anchored by Laura Jarrett alongside co-hosts Joe Fryer , features anchor, and Angie Lassman (weather anchor), and Sunday Today anchored solely by Willie Geist. The new set retains the 360 home base used in the previous design. In September 2015 Today updated the set once again (the update included new floors), a new couch, and a new anchor desk.
It has spawned several other shows of a similar type (including ABC’s Good Morning America), and CBS’ now-defunct The Early Show. As late as January 1955, the show was not yet carried in markets such as Denver; the network feed had not extended west of Omaha until the autumn of 1954. In pre-production, the show’s proposed working title was The Rise and Shine Revue. The entertainment magazine Variety reported that 2016 advertising revenue during the first two hours of the show was $508.8 million. Today’s dominance was virtually unchallenged by the other networks until the late 1980s, when it was overtaken by ABC’s Good Morning America.
Scott’s customary local cue was, “Here’s what’s happening in your world, even as we speak. He completely retired from television on December 15, 2015. Even in semi-retirement, Scott, known for his antics involving costumes and props, continued to make appearances on air to honor centenarians with “happy birthday” wishes. Viewers not tuned into an affiliate offering local weather segments following the outcueโincluding international audiences and NBC stations lacking a news departmentโsee a national weather summary of temperatures on a map. Following NBC’s acquisition of The Weather Channel in 2008 (personnel from that network routinely contributed to Todayโs forecast segments), either remotely at a weather event or from the cable channel’s headquarters in suburban Atlanta, or stepping in for Roker. Others โ such as Ann Curry, have leveraged their roles to enhance their journalistic skills, sometimes leaving the news desk to engage in fieldwork. Since the program’s beginning, delivering the latest news headlines has been essential to its purpose.