NBC's TODAY Show at 70 (at 35)

January 13, 2022 4:20 PM

Corresponent Mike Leonard imagined in 1986 what Today would look like in 2022.

(Link starts at 38:31 into this Youtube video, the "TODAY at 35" special, with then-current hosts Bryant Gumbel and Jane Pauley.)

At its premiere in 1953, TODAY revolutionized broadcast television by bringing the world, live in real time, to the nation's living rooms (well, the Eastern and Central time zones anyway.)

The program will celebrate 70 years on air tomorrow morning.

Mike Leonard retired from NBC in 2012.

posted by zaixfeep (15 comments total)

And this is my 500th comment. :-)
posted by zaixfeep at 4:21 PM on January 13, 2022 [3 favorites]

The fish is not enhancing my calm this half-hour.
posted by JustSayNoDawg at 4:31 PM on January 13, 2022 [2 favorites]

Rob Lowe is eternal.
posted by Quonab at 4:36 PM on January 13, 2022 [3 favorites]

Cure for the common cold, huh?
posted by SystematicAbuse at 4:51 PM on January 13, 2022 [8 favorites]

A 2-second commercial? He got the ratio right, just inverted. It's 2 seconds of content and 59 minutes and 58 seconds of commercials.

The Aristocrats! Youtube!
posted by tclark at 5:11 PM on January 13, 2022 [3 favorites]

They also got the improvement in picture right. 4K is maybe even better than 35mm film? And we are pretty close to having fake versions of people to put into news footage.
posted by rednikki at 5:20 PM on January 13, 2022 [1 favorite]

Well, their futurist computer animation was state of the art and provides an incredibly accurate prediction. Now, where did I put the remote for my anti-gravity drink caddy? Oh, ho ho ho -- forgot it's all thinking now! I merely spiek my mind, and my my NokiAI hellabiophone implant knows my thoughts since hshe tells them to me. And when I sleep, hshe provides my dreams. Tonight's was written by Palmer E. Glimmung. In but a few hours, we shall raise Heldscalla. Back to you Frschxll!
posted by y2karl at 5:36 PM on January 13, 2022 [2 favorites]

"We'll All Be Happy Then" by cartoonist/illustrator Harry Grant Dart, Life Magazine, 1911.

So are we?
posted by cenoxo at 7:15 PM on January 13, 2022 [8 favorites]

I mean, the cameras aren't anti-grav and hovering but both 1. robotic studio cameras and 2. drone cameras exist.
posted by deadaluspark at 7:52 PM on January 13, 2022 [3 favorites]

And there’s a LOT of moving, blinkyflashy things all over the screen, which is not unlike all the moving chyrons in modern newscasts.

Also, the constant reminder to stick to the script: so much of what we see now is overscripted and overproduced for content partners and promotions, even much of the banter. So that’s not far off, either.

I love how everything in the future is always assumed to be shiny and sleek. Aren’t a lot of morning shows using living room sets now?
posted by mochapickle at 8:30 PM on January 13, 2022 [1 favorite]

EAT
posted by Going To Maine at 9:04 PM on January 13, 2022 [2 favorites]

Manspreading punished by toupee removal
posted by snuffleupagus at 9:27 PM on January 13, 2022

Sylvester Pat Weaver: "the future will change a lot". Thanks for your insight Sylvester!
posted by rongorongo at 10:51 PM on January 13, 2022

Pat Weaver is Sigourney’s father.
posted by infinitewindow at 7:18 AM on January 14, 2022 [1 favorite]

Cure for the common cold, huh?

good news, we develop a vaccine for a coronavirus that everyone's getting. bad news, well...
posted by BungaDunga at 2:44 PM on January 14, 2022 [1 favorite]