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Reference.org
Today (American TV program)
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<p><i>Today</i> (also called <i>The Today Show</i>) is an American <a href="/facts/Breakfast_television/CHkoFfSt">morning television</a> show that airs weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on <a href="/facts/NBC/zyfTYCvW">NBC</a>. The program debuted on January 14, 1952. It was the first of its <a href="/facts/Genre/ow1Po53X">genre</a> on <a href="/facts/Television_in_the_United_States/XrpLs8Nl">American television</a> and in the world, and after 73 years of broadcasting it is fifth on the <a href="/facts/List_of_longest-running_American_television_series/H5UAUjLK">list of longest-running American television series</a>. </p><p>Originally a two-hour program airing weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., it expanded to Sundays in 1987 and Saturdays in 1992. The weekday broadcast expanded to three hours in 2000, and to four hours in 2007 (though over time, the third and fourth hours became distinct entities). <i>Today</i>'s dominance was virtually unchallenged by the other networks until the late 1980s, when it was overtaken by <a href="/facts/American_Broadcasting_Company/WGxg4vRX">ABC</a>'s <i><a href="/facts/Good_Morning_America/PGspN5sj">Good Morning America</a></i>. </p><p><i>Today</i> retook the <a href="/facts/Nielsen_ratings/PJ1HH4H8">Nielsen ratings</a> lead the week of December 11, 1995, and held onto that position for 852 consecutive weeks until the week of April 9, 2012, when <i>Good Morning America</i> topped it again. <i>Today</i> maintained its No. 2 status behind <i>GMA</i> from the summer of 2012 until it regained the lead in the aftermath of anchor <a href="/facts/Matt_Lauer/86JYReH2">Matt Lauer</a>'s departure in November 2017. In 2002, <i>Today</i> was ranked No. 17 on <a href="/facts/TV_Guide%27s_50_Greatest_TV_Shows_of_All_Time/G7ehN8rh"><i>TV Guide</i>'s 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time</a>. </p><p>The entertainment magazine <i><a href="/facts/Variety_(magazine)/38rXIaaG">Variety</a></i> reported the 2016 advertising revenue during the first two hours of the show was $508.8 million. </p><p>On July 15, 2020, NBC launched Today All Day, a 24-hour digital streaming extension of the program available through its website and <a href="/facts/Peacock_(streaming_service)/zDAke6cL">Peacock</a>. </p>