January 14, 1952-Present.
First early-morning network program and longest-running daytime series. Created by Sylvester "Pat" Weaver. Telecast Monday thru Friday, 7:00 AM to 9:00 AM, the broadcasts have maintained a format including a News Summary, segments related to Sports, Weather, Interviews, and Features. Throughout its long run, hosts of "The Today Show" have included Dave Garroway (1952- July 7, 1961), John Chancellor / Frank Blair (July 17, 1961-1962), Hugh Downs (1962-1971), Frank McGee (1971-1974), Jim Hartz (1974-1976), Tom Brokaw (1976-1981), Jane Pauley, Bryant Gumbel, Chris Wallace, Katie Couric, and others.
NOTE: From 1958 to the middle of 1961 THE TODAY SHOW began to video tape a day in advance. The exception was live coverage of news segments, and the weather.
The show devotes the entire week to a study of the American teen-ager. "Today" reporters Dick McCutchen, Maurie Robinson, and Joe Michaels have visited Louisville, Ky, Minneapolis and St.Paul, Minnesota, and Philadelphia to report on such subjects as the teen-ager and authority, mores, religion, self-expression and the future. Each morning one subject is discussed and illustrated through specially filmed features and live remotes.
On today's opening show, Dick McCutchen reports on the "Teen-ager and Authority" which includes films of the Philadelphia Youth Study Center and also deals with a New York gang and a high school fraternity. A spokesman from the Pentagon discusses youth in military life, and a psychiatrist, a principal, a juvenile- court judge, a police captain, and a parent from various sections of the country compose a panel which comments on the features.
Host: Dave Garroway
