The Today Show made its debut on Jan. 14, 1952 and originally aired as a two-hour program in the morning. Hosted by Dave Garroway, the show blended national news with lifestyle features and light news — including a mascot in the form of a chimpanzee named J. Fred Muggs.
In 1987, the show expanded to include Sundays and in 1992, Today launched its Saturday time slot. The weekday program also increased to three hours in 2000, and by 20007, it ran for the current four-hour time slot. Competing with Good Morning America for decades, Today was unchallenged in viewership until the late '80s. In 1995 — when it was hosted by Katie Couric — it retook the top spot until 2012 when GMA regained (and maintains) the lead.
The hosts with the longest tenure on Today include Matt Lauer (20 years), Katie Couric (15 years), Bryant Gumbel (15 years), and Jane Pauley (13 years). Barbara Walters also spent nearly 10 years on the program, from 1966-1976.
The show airs live from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. on NBC weekdays on the East Coast, and with a tape delay in the other U.S. time zones. Weekend Today airs live at 9 a.m. EST.
How to watch Today:
If you are looking to stream The Today Show, you can watch live at NBC.com or Hulu Live TV. The Today Show also has an app where you can watch segments if you missed the show. To watch Today in person, you can sign up for free tickets to Hoda & Jenna here. You can also watch from outside the studio, located in Rockefeller Plaza.
