Gail Shister | A four-hour 'Today' show? Could happen

0 Comments | Philadelphia Inquirer, The, August, 2006 | by Gail Shister

In morning TV, size matters. At least to NBC. Today, the top-rated morning show for more than a decade and NBC's most profitable program, may expand from three to four hours, NBC Universal TV czar Jeff Zucker says. "This brand continues to be unbelievably strong," says Zucker, who made his bones as Today's whiz-kid executive producer.

"The third hour has been a huge success. There's no reason to believe it couldn't keep going." As for a timetable, Zucker says nothing is imminent. "I would not rule it out down the line. It's not going to happen in the next year, probably two." Today, with Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira (as of Sept. 13), added its third hour, at 9 a.m., in October 2000. From 7 to 9, it goes head-to-head with ABC's No. 2 Good Morning America, coanchored by...