Today (1982 TV program)
Today (also referred to as The Today Show) is an Australian breakfast television news and current affairs program, with an infotainment base, hosted by Karl Stefanovic and Sarah Abo and includes news and weather updates. It broadcast weekdays on the Nine Network. The show also has a weekend edition called Weekend Today.
This article is about the Australian TV breakfast program that started in 1982. For the 1960 Australian TV program, see Today (1960 TV program). For the NBC program, see Today (American TV program).Today
Tim Cowie
Australia
English
41
Kendall Bora
1 Denison Street
North Sydney, New South Wales
210 minutes (3.5 hours)
28 June 1982 –
present
Today airs each weekday after Today Early News and runs from 5:30 am to 9:00 am before Today Extra, an extended light entertainment program, hosted by David Campbell and Sylvia Jeffreys. The show is broadcast from the Nine Network TCN studios in North Sydney, a suburb located on the North Shore of New South Wales. Although not affiliated with, the program shares a similar infotainment format and title of the long running United States program.
History[edit]
Officially launched as The National Today Show,[1] Today is Australia's longest running morning breakfast news program.[2] The show premiered on 28 June 1982. The original hosts, Steve Liebmann and Sue Kellaway, spent four years together before Liebmann left to present the evening news for Network Ten in Sydney.
Former 60 Minutes reporter George Negus took over the male presenting role, but after four years, Liebmann returned to the Nine Network, hosting Today for a long tenure with co-presenter Liz Hayes and subsequently Tracy Grimshaw. However, in December 2004, Liebmann suffered a mild heart attack, and decided to retire.[3] prompting him to retire from breakfast television.[4]
Karl Stefanovic, a National Nine News reporter replaced Liebmann in 2005, whilst co-host Tracy Grimshaw left Today at the end of 2005 to replace Ray Martin as host of A Current Affair. While it had been widely speculated in the Australian press that Seven News presenter Chris Bath would co-host Today with Stefanovic from January 2006, the position instead went to former Ten News presenter Jessica Rowe.[5] Rowe had mixed beginnings as the co-host of Today with some viewers and commentators criticising her because of her dress-sense and her apparent over-happiness, citing her constant nervous laughter.[6] Following her court case against Network Ten, Rowe was subjected to comments from the media and viewers that she should be sacked and was not right for the role of Today.[7] Rowe's replacements while on maternity leave were Sarah Murdoch[8] and Kellie Sloane, who both saw a significant increases in ratings.[9] They both presented until Rowe's departure from the show, with the Nine Network releasing a press statement on 5 May 2007 stating that Rowe had left the Network to "take up other opportunities for her career".[10]
In May 2007, former Weekend Sunrise co-host Lisa Wilkinson was appointed as Jessica Rowe's successor. In October 2017, Wilkinson resigned effective immediately from the network due to contract negotiations failing. She finished on the show on 16 October 2017.[11] It was later announced that Wilkinson would join Network Ten and The Project as a senior host and editor. Deborah Knight temporarily replaced Wilkinson until Georgie Gardner, who previously regularly appeared on the program as its news presenter, was announced as a permanent replacement host. Gardner commenced hosting Today in January 2018.
In December 2018, it was announced that Karl Stefanovic would not be returning to Today after 14 years as host.[12]
On 5 January 2019, the Nine Network announced that Deborah Knight would join Georgie Gardner as co-host replacing Stefanovic. It was also announced that Tom Steinfort would replace Sylvia Jeffreys as news presenter and Tony Jones would replace Tim Gilbert as sports presenter, whilst Brooke Boney would become entertainment presenter, working alongside Richard Wilkins. The new team began on 14 January 2019. In February 2019 it was announced that Natalia Cooper would not return to the show after her maternity leave, with Steven Jacobs becoming weather presenter once again.
The revamped line-up attracted constant media scrutiny and struggled to attain viewers – at times recording record-low ratings.[13] It has been noted by some commentators however that the viewership gap with Sunrise was actually higher in Wilkinson's first year as co-host in 2007, with the audience building over time to eventually overtake Sunrise.[13] The lower ratings were also attributed to the fact that overall television audiences had decreased in comparison with prior years.[13]
In November 2019, the Nine Network announced that Karl Stefanovic would return to the show as co-host alongside Weekend Today co-host and 60 Minutes reporter Allison Langdon from January 2020.[14] Both Georgie Gardner and Deborah Knight remained with the Nine Network with Gardner leaving the show immediately.
In December 2019, it was announced that Perth-based Tracy Vo would replace Tom Steinfort as news presenter, Alex Cullen would replace Tony Jones as sports presenter and Tim Davies would replace Steven Jacobs as weather presenter.[15] However, in March 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the Western Australian state government imposed strict 14-day hotel quarantine for all incoming travellers from interstate and overseas, Vo permanently returned to Perth in order to be closer to her father who has a rare auto-immune condition.[16] Alex Cullen now presents both news and sport.
On 9 September 2022, Today broke the news of the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Karl Stefanovic and Allison Langdon presented rolling coverage live from the United Kingdom from 4:30 am until 12 midday, when the coverage was taken over by David Campbell and Sylvia Jeffreys. Coverage included live crosses to Tracy Vo and Leila McKinnon, Charles Croucher and Carrie-Anne Greenbank, as well as various interviews with royal commentators including Camilla Tominey and Dickie Arbiter.
In November 2022, the Nine Network announced that 60 Minutes reporter Sarah Abo would replace Allison Langdon from January 2023.[17] Langdon has been appointed as host of A Current Affair replacing Tracy Grimshaw.
In April 2024, 9News: Early Edition rebranded to Today Early News to better align and integrate with the show.
Anniversaries and reunions[edit]
Today celebrated its 25th anniversary, on 28 June 2007, by travelling to five different Australian cities in one week, something which had never been before attempted by an Australian television show. Former Today hosts and musical guests were involved.[28]
On the official day marking the 25th anniversary, former hosts who made an appearance included Ian Ross, Tracy Grimshaw, Monte Dwyer, Liz Hayes and Helen Dalley. Sami Lukis, who replaced Monte Dwyer, did not appear, nor did original co-host Sue Kellaway. Original co-host Steve Liebmann was also unable to attend, nor was current weather presenter Steven Jacobs, however video messages from both were aired.[29]
Today celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2012. The show began the year by unveiling a new set, logo and graphics.
In September, Today held a week-long celebration which included flashbacks from earlier episodes and live appearances by former hosts such as Steve Liebmann and Sue Kellaway with Tracy Grimshaw, Monte Dwyer and Sarah Murdoch. Liz Hayes was unable to join the show due to being on assignment with 60 Minutes but shared her memories in a prerecorded message. Video messages were also left by Brian Bury, George Negus and Joan McInnes
Today celebrated its 40th anniversary, on 1 July 2022, with a special broadcast it featured guest appearances from former hosts Steve Liebmann, Sue Kellaway, Tracy Grimshaw, Lisa Wilkinson and Georgie Gardner.[30]
The team revisited four decades of major news events, celebrity guests, road shows around Australia and the world and wild viral moments. A dedicated highlights show, Today 40th Anniversary Special aired on 2 July which featured highlights from the special broadcast.
Format[edit]
Today, an offshoot of Nine News, predominantly presents news, sport, weather, entertainment and current affairs, focusing on the first news of the day. However the show also features topics including consumer affairs, health, politics, education, fashion, and the business and finance world. The show has daily feedback and topic segments for viewers to send in their thoughts and opinions via email, text messages and the show's website.
Initially, the program was only a two-hour broadcast, airing from 7:00 am to 9:00 am. After dropping Nine Early Morning News, the network moved Today to a 6:00 am start. Again, as part of the 2008–2009 Nine News brand's major expansion, in 2008 the show was changed to a three and a half-hour format, starting at 5.30 am to now "perfect match" breakfast radio stations. This move included an extended news, sport, finance and weather segment prior to the main program at 6:00 am. Weekend Today airs on both Saturday and Sunday from 7:00 am to 10:00 am.
Traffic[edit]
Traffic reports are shown at regular intervals during the show, and are presented in some cities from a local helicopter. Traffic reports only air into the metropolitan regions of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. They are produced and presented by traffic reporters from the Australian Traffic Network.
Ratings[edit]
From 2004 to 2007, Sunrise won the ratings battle, defeating Today by 62% between January and May 2007.[40] However, during 2007, Today slightly improved its ratings and made audience gains, and made a 9% rise from 2006 between 7am and 9am, and a 16% increase in the key 6am to 7am news hour. In contrast, Sunrise fell 4% year-on-year in the 7am to 9am timeslot.[40] Since Lisa Wilkinson joined Today in May 2007, the program consistently defeated Sunrise in Melbourne.[41]
On Good Friday 2009, Today defeated Sunrise for the first time in five years.[42] Over the next four years, Today continued to make inroads on Sunrise, defeating them for a weekly win in June 2011 for the first time in seven years,[43] and winning Sydney in 2012.[44] However, upon Samantha Armytage's appointment as host of Sunrise in August 2013, Today's rating slipped for the next two years.[45][46]
After some sizeable wins in the second half of 2015,[47][48] Today managed some of its best ever ratings in early 2016.[49][50] Today defeated Sunrise in 2016 based on weeks won.[51]
After Sunrise reclaimed the ratings crown in 2017,[52] the program's ratings slipped significantly in 2018, due to negative headlines surrounding co-host Karl Stefanovic.[53][54] After Stefanovic was axed at the end of that year, the ratings for Today slipped even further in 2019, often posing record low ratings.[13] The ratings trouble continued upon Stefanovic's return in 2020 with Today regularly beaten by both Sunrise and News Breakfast, although gradually the viewership gap has been reduced overtime.[55] In mid-September 2021, Today recorded first instance of leading viewership over Sunrise since 2018.[56]