NBC’s “Today” morning program for the second consecutive broadcast opted to lead with stories other than the one involving the search for the mother of co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, a sign producers of the show are trying to juggle the program’s daily duties alongside coverage of their colleague’s heart-wrenching plight.
Nancy Guthrie has been missing since January 31, and since that time, NBC News properties have put a strong spotlight on the search for her, with the story getting strong placement on “Today” and “NBC Nightly News,” as well as on the live-streamed service NBC News Now. “Today” has led with coverage of what is believed to be an abduction; how authorities are following leads; and how people from around the nation are supporting Savannah Guthrie and her family.
On Thursday, however, “Today” led its newscast with coverage of the arrest of former Prince Andrew in the U.K. before shifting into analysis of the Nancy Guthrie case. And on Friday, co-anchors Craig Melvin and Hoda Kotb, who is filling in for Savannah Guthrie this week, cycled through stories about severe weather, the Olympics and the aftermath of the arrest of the former royal in England before presenting a segment about the latest in the Guthrie case.
Producers and staffers at “Today” have been focused on trying to carry on as usual while addressing the massive national interest in the case, according to a person familiar with the program, and trying to support their colleague. That support was evident on screen Friday, as it has been all week. Melvin, Kotb and Al Roker were all spotted wearing yellow ribbons in support of the Guthries, and the “Today” studio has been decorated with yellow flowers that are visible on camera.
“This is an interesting case study unfolding in real time with no clear or obvious answers,” says Ben Bogardus,” chairman of the department of journalism at Quinnipiac University. “Today” anchors and staffers are very close to their colleague, obviously, so the show’s coverage of the case will get some scrutiny. The best compromise, he suggests, “is to have the ‘Today Show’ anchors acknowledge their feelings and relationship to Guthrie and make it clear that their treatment of the story is different than they would treat a similar case not involving their friend. Viewers will understand and accept this, and can watch NBC’s coverage with that knowledge in mind.”
“Today” has seen viewership surge in recent days as audiences tune in to learn of the latest details — but some of that boost has been due to NBCUniversal’s recent coverage of the Winter Olympics in Milan, telecasts which typically draw broader audiences to the company’s media properties.
For the five days ended February 13, “Today” saw viewership surge 30% over the year-earlier period, according to Nielsen, capturing an average of 3.48 million viewers. The audience in the demographic coveted most by advertisers, people between 25 and 54, rose 8%, to an average of 697,000, according to Nielsen.
“Good Morning America” won an average of nearly 2.91 million viewers in the same period, according to Nielsen, and 475,000 viewers between the ages of 25 and 54. “CBS Mornings” won an average of nearly 1.7 million viewers, according to Nielsen, and 238,00 viewers between 25 and 54.
“Today” lured about 43% of the audience for all three broadcast morning programs, according to Nielsen data, compared with 36% for “GMA” and 21% for “CBS Mornings.”
