History    Hosts   "Today Girls"    News Anchors      Audience    Early Criticism     Long-term Impacts

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

HISTORY The first network “early day” shows followed the patterns of successful radio programming and were not in the morning.The earliest hour for one of these talk shows to air was 1:00 p.m.  In 1952 the efforts to produce a successful morning show finally began to work.Sylvester “Pat” Weaver, President of NBC had considered the needs of the various audiences and his response was Today.The purpose of Today was to address a range of viewers from those preparing to go to work to the “homemaker” who was preparing her children for school.The show wanted to make visual the most important events of the day.  The first episode of Today aired on January 14, 1952.Dave Garroway was the first host of the show.He was able to bring the news of the world to his audiences both on the east and west coast.This was done by showing the headlines of the major newspapers from across the country.Garroway was the host until 1961.Betsy Palmer, Jack Lescoulie, and newsman Frank Blair assisted him, along with chimpanzee, J. Fred Muggs.Together Garroway and J. Fred Muggs projected a style that was low-key, off-handed, with an emphasis on entertainment.

 

HOSTS From 1961 to 1962, journalist John Chancellor became the host.Then on September 10, 1962, Hugh Downs became the host for the next nine years.Before Downs was the host of the Today Show, he was the announcer of the Tonight Show.Following Downs as hosts was newsman Frank McGee, whose term ended in death in April of 1974.  After McGee’s death, Barbara Walters was named the co-hosts of the show.She was the first in a series of women to be given lead roles.Before she was called co-hosts, Walters had been one of the shows feature reporters.She got her start with the show as a researcher and writer.In an interview with Walters by Katie Couric, Walters said that as co-hosts, she was not allowed to ask questions in the interviews until the host had already asked three questions.She was paired with co-host Jim Hearts until 1976.Heart's most memorable moments on the show were traveling to all 50 states to celebrate the United State's Bicentennial. In 1976, Barbara Walters left Today for ABC and Tom Brokaw replaced Hearts.Brokaw’s female partner at the time was Jane Pauley.Gene Shalit, who did entertainment reviews and interviews, also joined them.In 1980, Willard Scott joined the show, and then in 1982, Brokaw left for the Nightly News.Bryant Gumbel became Jane Pauley’s co-host with Chris Wallace reading the news.December 28, 1989, Jane Pauley resigned and Deborah Norville became Gumbel’s co-host.Finally in April of 1991, Katie Couric, who is the co-host now, replaced Norville.

 

“TODAY GIRLS”

The women on the show at this time were known as “Today Girls.”Several of these women were former Miss America Lee Meriwether, production assistant Estelle Parsons, Betsy Palmer, and Florence Henderson.The “Today Girls” did the weather, fashion features, and sometimes interviews.Estelle Parsons was the first female political reporter and was able to interview Eleanor Roosevelt.The duties of Lee Meriwether included being the first woman’s editor on air, as well as being in charge of all the women’s feature stories.

 

NEWS ANCHORS

Several of the news anchors of Today were Edwin Newman until 1961, John Palmer from 1982 until 1989, Deborah Norville in 1989, and Faith Daniels from 1990 to 1992.

 

The Today team now consists of Katie Couric and Matt Lauer as co-hosts, Al Roker reports on the day’s weather and Ann Curry is the news anchor.Gene Shalit continues to contribute with his entertainment reports and Willard Scott contributes with his popular Happy 100th Birthday segments.

 

AUDIENCE

The Today Show attracts hundreds of people everyday.  The show is taped live every morning from Studio 1A in Rockefeller Plaza, at the NBC Studios in New York. The studio is designed so that the fans are able to watch the show through the glass windows and feel they are a part of Today.The goal of the show is to make their audience feel comfortable.Matt, Katie, Al, and Ann all want to be equals with the audience.They always take the time to talk with people in the audience, ask them where they're from, and include them in the show.This is what makes the show so popular.People watching at home are able to get a sense of what the rest of the people in the country are like.The audience of Today consists of normal people just like us.The show also provides its audience with a window to the entire world.The program has originated from Africa, China, the Soviet Union, France, Italy, the United Kingdom and Ireland, Australia, South America, Cuba and aboard the Orient Express.

 

EARLY CRITICISM

When the show first started in 1952 it did face some criticism.Since it was the first of its kind, many people believed it would fail and would not last.The show did not fail.Instead it only became more popular.The addition of J. Fred Muggs increased the interest among families and children.The show was also able to keep up with its competitors and survive.CBS decided to challenge Today with it’s on version, The Morning Show.  In 1955, after three years on the air, they gave up.

 
 
 

LONG-TERM IMPACTS

The visits to other countries, the cheery weather person, and the five minute breaks for local news have made Today the longest running morning show.  On Monday, January 14, 2002, they celebrated their 50th anniversary with a memorable show.  Both CBS and ABC have their own editions to Today, and the local networks are even creating the same atmosphere with their morning news programs.  The popularity should continue to grow as long as the show stays on the personal level it is on now.  The Today family is exactly that, a family.  The show has affected both it's audience and cast.  We depend on shows like Today to bring us the morning news, enlighten us with feature stories, and entertain us.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

TODAY PHOTO GALLERY

 

Dave Garroway presenting the morning news.

Garroway's assistant, J. Fred Muggs

 
 
 

Garroway ended every show by holding up his hand and saying "peace."

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Katie Couric, current co-host	Matt Lauer, current co-host
Ann Curry, News Anchor	Al Roker, Weatherman

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References http://www.msnbc.com/TODAY_Front.asp (1992)  "Morning Television Programs."  Encyclopedia of Television.  1077-1080. "Today."  Les Brown's Encyclopedia of Television.  567-566.

 

Christie Carter

COM 290/Rhetoric of Popular Culture