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NBC’s ‘Today’ Expected to Announce Fourth Hour

NBC’s morning program, Today - which expanded from two to three hours in 2000 - will likely be adding a fourth hour beginning at 10 a.m.

The network is banking that the move, coming in fall 2007, will appeal to women in particular, who watch television during midmorning, writes The New York Times. NBC is aware, however, of the risk of diluting the brand through another extension.

Ratings for the first two hours of Today were down this fall, compared to last year, while ratings for the third hour have fallen during each of the last three years. It’s main competitor, ABC’s Good Morning America, has also lost viewers.

The fourth hour’s primary hosts would be Ann Curry, news reader from the first two hours, and weatherman Al Roker. Natalie Morales, who typically joins the two in leading the third hour, will also host.
It is unclear how many NBC affiliates, aside from the 10 owned by the network, will broadcast the fourth hyour. Martha Stewart‘s daytime talk show is likely to be the most affected, as it airs at 10 a.m. on NBC-owned stations in New York and Los Angeles.

The fourth-hour move, expected to be announced today, will be the first major TV program in recent memory (if ever) to hold a four-hour slot each weekday on a major network, according to the article.

NBC confirmed in Dec. that a fourth hour to Today was being considered. Meredith Vieira will not appear in the final hour of the show.