Today Show: Transforming Morning Television

Cathleen M. Londino

Hardcover

Regular price$53.00With free membership trial$50.355% off(max discount $25)

This title does not qualify for the full 50% off new member discount

+ Free shipping

In Stock– Ships within one business day

Do you recommend this book?

Yes!

This is a history of the first 25 years of the groundbreaking program, The Today Show, from 1952-1977. The author looks at the aspects that contributed to Today'ssuccess--from the producers to the on air talent--and ultimately earnedita significant place in broadcast history. The book chronicles The Today Show's original concept and the ways in which the producers transformed the show for more than two decades.

Book Details

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Publish Date: Nov 3rd, 2016
Pages: 200
Language: English
Edition: undefined - undefined
Dimensions: 9.00in - 6.20in - 0.70in - 0.90lb
EAN: 9781442269927
Categories: • Television - History & Criticism• Popular Culture

About the Author

Cathleen M. Londino is professor of media and film at Kean University with more than thirty years in higher education. Combining teaching and professional activity, Londino has served as producer, director, writer, and talent for a number of video and film projects.

Praise for this book

Londino, professor of media and film at Kean University, delivers a cerebral chronicle of the evolution of the Today Show and the impact it had on the American news industry. Told through the personal lens of Londino's own developing preferences in news consumption, the book takes us back to the days of cold, impersonal newscasts intent on informing the public and nothing more. Enter a visionary studio executive who had a crazy idea, and the stage was set for a media coup. Fueled by the vision and innovation of one man, Sylvester 'Pat' Weaver, in 1952, the Today Show turned the typical dry, no-nonsense news format of the day into what would eventually become the morning talk-show format so many viewers now enjoy. Delving deeply into the inner workings of the production of a television show, Londino explores the challenges, victories, and defeats of a trailblazing concept that helped make legends out of fledgling news folks of the time, including Barbara Walters and Jane Pauley.

The Today Show is the longest-running morning news/entertainment program. It has been on the air for 65 years. A pioneer in morning news programming, Today demonstrated that people would watch live news while eating breakfast or dressing for work. The program had no serious competition for over 20 years, although other networks made attempts. ABC's Good Morning America offered the first real challenge in 1978. Today has had many tumultuous events even to this day, but it persists. The author details the background, business plan, personalities, and difficulties the show encountered through in-depth interviews and correspondence from NBC archives. Early chapters cover the show's history chronologically, and later chapters expand on a few of the same issues by topic. . . .Chapters include behind-the-camera issues, on-air talent, advertising and affiliate relations, and an analysis of the audience. This is a fact-filled book using NBC memos, program notes, and letters. . . .Londino's book expertly defines the show's first 25 years. Recommended for libraries with media history collections.

Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty.