Today (Australian TV program) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Today |
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| Genre | Breakfast news program |
| Presented by | |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 40 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Kendall Bora |
| Production location(s) | 1 Denison Street North Sydney, New South Wales |
| Running time | 210 minutes (3.5 hours) |
| Release | |
| Original network | Nine Network |
| Picture format | PAL HDTV 1080i |
| Audio format | Stereo |
| Original release | 28 June 1982 – present |
| Chronology | |
| Related shows | Weekend Today Today Extra |
Today (also known as The Today Show) is a popular Australian TV show that airs in the mornings. It's a breakfast television program, meaning it's on while many people are eating breakfast. Currently, it's hosted by Karl Stefanovic and Allison Langdon.
This show has been broadcast live on the Nine Network since 1982. It starts after Nine News: Early Edition and runs from 5:30 am to 9:00 am. After Today, another show called Today Extra begins. The Today show is made in the Nine Network studios, which are located in North Sydney, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales.
Contents
How Today Started
Today is Australia's longest-running morning news program. It first aired on June 28, 1982, and was originally called The National Today Show.
The first hosts were Steve Liebmann and Sue Kellaway. They worked together for four years. After Steve Liebmann left, George Negus, a reporter from 60 Minutes, took over.
Steve Liebmann later returned to the Nine Network and hosted Today with Liz Hayes and Tracy Grimshaw. In 2004, Steve Liebmann retired from the show for health reasons.
New Hosts Join the Show
In 2005, Karl Stefanovic became a co-host, replacing Steve Liebmann. Tracy Grimshaw left Today at the end of 2005 to host A Current Affair.
Jessica Rowe then joined Karl Stefanovic as co-host. She faced some challenges at the start, with some viewers commenting on her style. While she was on maternity leave, Sarah Murdoch and Kellie Sloane filled in for her. Jessica Rowe left the Nine Network in May 2007.
In May 2007, Lisa Wilkinson became the new co-host. She had previously hosted Weekend Sunrise. In October 2017, Lisa Wilkinson left the show. Deborah Knight temporarily filled in, and then Georgie Gardner, who used to be the show's news presenter, became the permanent co-host in January 2018.
In December 2018, it was announced that Karl Stefanovic would not be returning to Today after hosting for 14 years.
On January 5, 2019, the Nine Network announced that Deborah Knight would join Georgie Gardner as co-host. The show also got a new team for news, sports, and entertainment. This new team started on January 14, 2019.
The show's ratings changed during this time. Some people noted that the audience gap with Sunrise was even bigger when Lisa Wilkinson first started in 2007, and it grew over time.
In November 2019, the Nine Network announced that Karl Stefanovic would return to Today as co-host. He was joined by Allison Langdon, who had been a co-host on Weekend Today and a reporter for 60 Minutes. This new team started in January 2020.
In December 2019, the show's news, sports, and weather presenters also changed. Alex Cullen now presents both news and sports.
On September 9, 2022, Today reported the sad news of the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Karl Stefanovic and Allison Langdon hosted special coverage for many hours that day.
Today Extra: A Morning Extension
In January 2016, the show Mornings was renamed Today Extra. It became an extension of the main Today show. It moved to the Today studio and focuses on lighter entertainment and news updates.
In December 2019, Sylvia Jeffreys was announced as a new host for Today Extra when she returned from maternity leave in 2020. She hosts with David Campbell.
Weekend Today: Seven Days a Week
In January 2009, the Nine Network decided to start broadcasting Today on Sunday mornings. This new show, called Today on Sunday, competed with the Seven Network's Weekend Sunrise. It launched on February 1, 2009.
On May 2, 2009, the Nine Network also brought back Today on Saturday Australia. This meant Today became the first Australian breakfast news program to air seven days a week. The weekend shows were then renamed Weekend Today. In September 2012, the Saturday show was extended to three hours.
Over the years, the hosts of Weekend Today have changed. In December 2019, Richard Wilkins and Rebecca Maddern were announced as the new co-hosts.
In November 2021, Rebecca Maddern left the Nine Network. Belinda Russell and Charles Croucher now host the show.
Today on Saturday: Earlier Version
An earlier Saturday edition of Today was produced from 1992 to 2002. It focused more on news, politics, and money reports. This show was eventually cancelled in 2002 due to budget cuts.
Celebrating Anniversaries
Today has celebrated many milestones:
- 25th Anniversary: On June 28, 2007, Today celebrated its 25th anniversary. The team traveled to five different Australian cities in one week, which was a first for an Australian TV show. Many past hosts and guests joined the celebrations.
- 30th Anniversary: In 2012, Today celebrated its 30th anniversary. The show got a new set, logo, and graphics. They also had a week-long celebration with flashbacks and appearances from former hosts.
- 40th Anniversary: On July 1, 2022, Today celebrated its 40th anniversary with a special broadcast. Former hosts like Steve Liebmann, Sue Kellaway, Tracy Grimshaw, Lisa Wilkinson, and Georgie Gardner made guest appearances. The show looked back at four decades of major news, celebrity guests, and memorable moments.
What Today Covers
Today is a spin-off of Nine News. It mainly shares the latest news, sports, weather, entertainment, and current events. It focuses on the first news of the day.
The show also covers topics like consumer advice, health, politics, education, fashion, and business news. Viewers can send in their thoughts and opinions through email, text messages, and the show's website.
The program used to be two hours long, from 7:00 am to 9:00 am. Later, it started at 6:00 am. In 2008, it became a three-and-a-half-hour show, starting at 5:30 am. This change included more news, sports, finance, and weather before the main program at 6:00 am. Weekend Today airs on both Saturday and Sunday from 7:00 am to 10:00 am.
Who Hosts Today
| Presenter | Role | Tenure |
|---|---|---|
| Karl Stefanovic | Co-host | 2005–present |
| Allison Langdon | Co-host | 2020–present |
| Alex Cullen | News & sport | 2020–present |
| Tim Davies | Weather | 2020–present |
| Brooke Boney | Entertainment | 2019–present |
| Effie Zahos | Finance | 2018–present |
Past Main Hosts
Here are some of the main presenters who have hosted Today:
| Tenure | Presenters | |
|---|---|---|
| 1982–1985 | Steve Liebmann | Sue Kellaway |
| 1986 | Patrice Newell | |
| 1986–1987 | Liz Hayes | |
| 1987–1990 | George Negus | |
| 1990–1996 | Steve Liebmann | |
| 1996–2005 | Tracy Grimshaw | |
| 2005 | Karl Stefanovic | |
| 2006 | Jessica Rowe | |
| 2007–2017 | Lisa Wilkinson | |
| 2018 | Georgie Gardner | |
| 2019 | Deborah Knight | |
| 2020–present | Karl Stefanovic | Allison Langdon |
Reporters and Fill-in Presenters
Today has reporters in different cities and countries to bring you the news.
| Location | Reporter/s |
|---|---|
| Sydney | Lara Vella Gabrielle Boyle Sarah Stewart Bethan Yeoman |
| Melbourne | Christine Ahern Izabella Staskowski |
| Queensland | Mia Glover Andrea Crothers |
| Canberra | Charles Croucher Fiona Willan Eliza Edwards Reece D'Alessandro |
| Europe | Carrie-Anne Greenbank Brett McLeod |
| USA | Alison Piotrowski Jonathan Kearsley Lauren Tomasi |
Many different people fill in as hosts or presenters when the main team is away. These include Alex Cullen, Richard Wilkins, Jayne Azzopardi, Leila McKinnon, Tom Steinfort, David Campbell, Sylvia Jeffreys, Clint Stanaway, Charles Croucher, Lara Vella, Sophie Walsh, Belinda Russell, Sarah Abo and Brooke Boney.
News Presenters
Getting the latest news to viewers is a key part of Today. News bulletins are given about every half-hour.
| News presenters | Tenure |
|---|---|
| Eric Walters | 1982–1990 |
| Ian Ross | 1991–2001 |
| Sharyn Ghidella | 2001–2005, 2005–2006 |
| Leila McKinnon | February 2005 – June 2005 |
| Georgie Gardner | 2006–2014 |
| Sylvia Jeffreys | 2014–2018 |
| Tom Steinfort | 2019 |
| Tracy Vo | January 2020 – March 2020 |
| Alex Cullen | March 2020 – present |
Alex Cullen currently presents both news and sports.
Finance News
Effie Zahos presents a "Your Money" segment each morning. This part of the show gives tips and information about money and consumer topics.
Sports News
Alex Cullen also presents sports news after the news bulletin every half-hour. Before him, other presenters like Cameron Williams, Ben Fordham, and Tim Gilbert covered sports.
| Sport presenters | Tenure |
|---|---|
| Cameron Williams | 2006–2010 |
| Andrew Voss | Tuesday – Thursday, 2009 |
| Georgie Gardner | Tuesday – Thursday, 2010 |
| Ben Fordham | 2011–2014 |
| Tim Gilbert | 2014–2018 |
| Tony Jones | 2019 |
| Alex Cullen | 2020–present |
Weather Reports
Tim Davies currently presents the weather reports every half-hour. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he traveled around Queensland for his weather reports.
| Weather presenters | Tenure |
|---|---|
| Brian Bury | 1982–1991 |
| Monte Dwyer | 1991–2002 |
| Sami Lukis | 2002–2004 |
| Natalia Cooper | 2016–2018 |
| Steven Jacobs | 2005–2016; 2019 |
| Tim Davies | 2020–present |
Lara Vella and Aislin Kriukelis are common fill-in weather presenters.
Entertainment News
Brooke Boney is the current entertainment presenter for Today. She shares daily features, interviews, and reviews from the world of movies and TV. She works alongside Richard Wilkins, who is the Nine Network's entertainment editor.
| Entertainment presenters | Tenure |
|---|---|
| Joan McInnes | 1982–1988 |
| Richard Wilkins | 1994–2018 |
| Richard Reid | 2006–2015 |
| Brooke Boney | 2019–present |
Technology Updates
Technology expert Trevor Long often appears on the show. He shares news about technology and explains new gadgets.
Traffic Reports
Traffic reports are shown regularly during the show. In some cities, these reports come from a local helicopter. Traffic updates are only shown in the big cities of Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. They are provided by traffic reporters from the Australian Traffic Network.
How Today Compares to Other Shows
From 2004 to 2007, another show called Sunrise often had more viewers than Today. However, Today started to get more viewers in 2007. After Lisa Wilkinson joined Today in May 2007, the show often had more viewers than Sunrise in Melbourne.
In 2009, Today beat Sunrise for the first time in five years on Good Friday. Over the next few years, Today continued to gain viewers. In 2016, Today won more weeks than Sunrise, meaning it had more viewers overall that year.
In 2017, Sunrise became more popular again. In 2018 and 2019, Today's viewership dropped. However, since Karl Stefanovic returned in 2020, the gap between Today and Sunrise has become smaller. In September 2021, Today even had more viewers than Sunrise for the first time since 2018.
How Today is Broadcast
Because Australia has different time zones, Today is not broadcast live to everyone at the same time.
- New South Wales (including ACT), Victoria, and Tasmania watch Today live all year.
- During daylight saving time, Queensland watches Today one hour later.
- The Northern Territory watches Today 30 minutes later in winter and 1.5 hours later during daylight saving time.
- Some parts of South Australia also watch 30 minutes later.
- In Western Australia, the program is delayed by two hours in winter and three hours during daylight saving time.
If there is big breaking news, like a cyclone, the program will go live to the affected state to give people up-to-date information.
Other Places That Show Today
Today is also shown in regional Australia on WIN Television and Imparja. Outside of Australia, Today is broadcast in Papua New Guinea on EMTV and in Fiji on Fiji Television.
International TV Connections
Even though Today has the same name as the American NBC Today Show, they are not connected. In fact, the Nine Network used to show ABC's Good Morning America, which is a competitor to the American Today Show. Now, the Nine Network shows infomercials in that time slot.
Today's rival show on the Seven Network, Sunrise, actually follows the style of the American NBC Today Show, even having a studio on the street. The Seven Network also shows a shorter version of the American program, called NBC Today, before Sunrise to avoid confusion.
