NBC News at Sunrise
Encyclopedia
NBC News at Sunrise was an early morning news program produced by NBC News
from 1983 to 1999. The program featured the top news headlines of the morning, sports and weather reports, and business segments. Many of the program's anchors also appeared on The Today Show. Sunrise was replaced in 1999 by Early Today
, which was produced by CNBC
until 2004, currently produced by MSNBC
.
as weather reporter. The program replaced Early Today, which had been NBC's early-morning newscast since July 1982 and was hosted by Today anchors Bryant Gumbel
, Jane Pauley
and Willard Scott
. Early Today ratings had been lagging behind those of the two competing early-morning reports on ABC and CBS, and at the same time, the flagship Today program had lost viewers. Chung was hired to replace Gumbel and Pauley, who returned to full-time duty at Today.
In the late 1980s, NBC News at Sunrise consisted of six segments during a half-hour broadcast. The first segment was news. In the second segment, the anchor introduced an NBC Sports
personality who offered a summary of the previous day's sports action. Don Gould, Jimmy Cefalo
and Don Criqui
were among those who filled this duty. In the third segment, meteorologist Joe Witte provided his first national weather forecast. The fourth segment was a five-minute local cutaway. Some NBC affiliates filled the slot with a local newscast. Sunrise filled the time with "Another Look," a re-run of a story that ran on the previous edition of NBC Nightly News
. In the fifth segment, the anchor recapitulated the headlines and interviewed a business analyst. Alan Abelson of Barron's magazine was a frequent guest. Before the last commercial break, graphics highlighted the ten most active stocks the previous day on the New York Stock Exchange
. In the final segment, Joe Witte offered another look at the weather. In summer, a regular feature was "Sun and Swim," a look at air and water temperatures in U.S. beach communities. In fall, Witte often did a "Foliage" report. In late fall and winter, Witte provided a "Ski Report." Also in the final segment, the Sunrise anchor introduced a Today anchor, usually Bryant Gumbel
, who provided a preview of the upcoming Today program. In the 1980s, Sunrise used a different rendition of John Williams
' NBC News theme "The Mission" than NBC Nightly News.
Connie Chung left Sunrise to co-host the NBC News prime time magazine 1986 with Roger Mudd. Bob Jamieson was the interim anchor until January 1987, when he left to host Before Hours, a fifteen-minute early morning business program produced by NBC News and the Wall Street Journal. Transferring from NBC's Chicago station WMAQ-TV
, Deborah Norville was Sunrise anchor from January 1987 to September 1989, when she switched jobs with Today news reader John Palmer.
When Sunrise debuted in 1983, the program ran in most markets at 6:30 a.m. because few television stations had early morning local newscasts. In the late 1990s, Sunrise was broadcast live at 5:00 a.m. Eastern Time and re-broadcast on tape until 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time, when the program was re-created for viewers in the Pacific Time Zone.
The Program's lights were dimmed on and off in the open, after the mid-break, and at the close of the show from up until 1999.
Sunrise's final broadcast was Labor Day, September 6, 1999, and anchored by Gulstan Dart (formerly of MSNBC, Weekend Today, WSB-TV, KIRO-TV and now at Sacramento's NBC affiliate, KCRA-TV
.)
NBC News
NBC News is the news division of American television network NBC. It first started broadcasting in February 21, 1940. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is...
from 1983 to 1999. The program featured the top news headlines of the morning, sports and weather reports, and business segments. Many of the program's anchors also appeared on The Today Show. Sunrise was replaced in 1999 by Early Today
Early Today
Early Today is an American morning news programme airing on the NBC television network. The program goes out live at 4:00am Eastern Time Zone for those few stations which start their local news at 4:30am, and is transmitted in a continuous half-hour tape delay loop until 10:00am ET, when Today...
, which was produced by CNBC
CNBC
CNBC is a satellite and cable television business news channel in the U.S., owned and operated by NBCUniversal. The network and its international spinoffs cover business headlines and provide live coverage of financial markets. The combined reach of CNBC and its siblings is 390 million viewers...
until 2004, currently produced by MSNBC
MSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
.
History
NBC News at Sunrise debuted in August 1983 with Connie Chung as anchor and Joe WitteJoe Witte
Joe Witte is the morning and midday weathercaster for TBD TV, a local cable news network owned by Albritton Communication headquartered in Rosslyn, VA and serving the Washington, D.C area. He previously worked at Washington's ABC affiliate, WJLA, which is also owned by Albritton and headquartered...
as weather reporter. The program replaced Early Today, which had been NBC's early-morning newscast since July 1982 and was hosted by Today anchors Bryant Gumbel
Bryant Gumbel
Bryant Charles Gumbel is an American television journalist and sportscaster. He is best known for his 15 years as co-host of NBC's The Today Show. He is the younger brother of sportscaster Greg Gumbel.-Early life:...
, Jane Pauley
Jane Pauley
Margaret Jane Pauley is an American television journalist, and has been involved in news reporting since 1975...
and Willard Scott
Willard Scott
Willard Herman Scott, Jr. is an American media personality and author best known for his television work on NBC's The Today Show and as the creator of the Ronald McDonald character.-Early years:...
. Early Today ratings had been lagging behind those of the two competing early-morning reports on ABC and CBS, and at the same time, the flagship Today program had lost viewers. Chung was hired to replace Gumbel and Pauley, who returned to full-time duty at Today.
In the late 1980s, NBC News at Sunrise consisted of six segments during a half-hour broadcast. The first segment was news. In the second segment, the anchor introduced an NBC Sports
NBC Sports
NBC Sports is the sports division of the NBC television network. Formerly "a service of NBC News," it broadcasts a diverse array of programs, including the Olympic Games, the NFL, the NHL, MLS, Notre Dame football, the PGA Tour, the Triple Crown, and the French Open, among others...
personality who offered a summary of the previous day's sports action. Don Gould, Jimmy Cefalo
Jimmy Cefalo
James Carmen Cefalo, , is an American sportscaster, game show host and former professional American football wide receiver.-High school:Cefalo attended Pittston Area High School in Pittston, Pennsylvania...
and Don Criqui
Don Criqui
Don Criqui is an American sportscaster, currently employed as a play-by-play announcer for CBS Sports. Criqui's duties include occasional television coverage of National Football League games, women's and men's college basketball, occasional college football and radio play-by-play of ISP Sports'...
were among those who filled this duty. In the third segment, meteorologist Joe Witte provided his first national weather forecast. The fourth segment was a five-minute local cutaway. Some NBC affiliates filled the slot with a local newscast. Sunrise filled the time with "Another Look," a re-run of a story that ran on the previous edition of NBC Nightly News
NBC Nightly News
NBC Nightly News is the flagship daily evening television news program for NBC News and broadcasts. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is located in the center...
. In the fifth segment, the anchor recapitulated the headlines and interviewed a business analyst. Alan Abelson of Barron's magazine was a frequent guest. Before the last commercial break, graphics highlighted the ten most active stocks the previous day on the New York Stock Exchange
New York Stock Exchange
The New York Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located at 11 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City, USA. It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed companies at 13.39 trillion as of Dec 2010...
. In the final segment, Joe Witte offered another look at the weather. In summer, a regular feature was "Sun and Swim," a look at air and water temperatures in U.S. beach communities. In fall, Witte often did a "Foliage" report. In late fall and winter, Witte provided a "Ski Report." Also in the final segment, the Sunrise anchor introduced a Today anchor, usually Bryant Gumbel
Bryant Gumbel
Bryant Charles Gumbel is an American television journalist and sportscaster. He is best known for his 15 years as co-host of NBC's The Today Show. He is the younger brother of sportscaster Greg Gumbel.-Early life:...
, who provided a preview of the upcoming Today program. In the 1980s, Sunrise used a different rendition of John Williams
John Williams
John Towner Williams is an American composer, conductor, and pianist. In a career spanning almost six decades, he has composed some of the most recognizable film scores in the history of motion pictures, including the Star Wars saga, Jaws, Superman, the Indiana Jones films, E.T...
' NBC News theme "The Mission" than NBC Nightly News.
Connie Chung left Sunrise to co-host the NBC News prime time magazine 1986 with Roger Mudd. Bob Jamieson was the interim anchor until January 1987, when he left to host Before Hours, a fifteen-minute early morning business program produced by NBC News and the Wall Street Journal. Transferring from NBC's Chicago station WMAQ-TV
WMAQ-TV
WMAQ-TV, channel 5, is an owned-and-operated television station of the NBC Television Network, located in Chicago, Illinois. WMAQ-TV's main studios and offices are located within the NBC Tower in the Streeterville neighborhood, with an auxiliary street-level studio on the Magnificent Mile at 401...
, Deborah Norville was Sunrise anchor from January 1987 to September 1989, when she switched jobs with Today news reader John Palmer.
When Sunrise debuted in 1983, the program ran in most markets at 6:30 a.m. because few television stations had early morning local newscasts. In the late 1990s, Sunrise was broadcast live at 5:00 a.m. Eastern Time and re-broadcast on tape until 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time, when the program was re-created for viewers in the Pacific Time Zone.
The Program's lights were dimmed on and off in the open, after the mid-break, and at the close of the show from up until 1999.
Sunrise's final broadcast was Labor Day, September 6, 1999, and anchored by Gulstan Dart (formerly of MSNBC, Weekend Today, WSB-TV, KIRO-TV and now at Sacramento's NBC affiliate, KCRA-TV
KCRA-TV
KCRA-TV, channel 3, is a television station in Sacramento, California, United States. KCRA-TV is owned by Hearst Television, a subsidiary of the Hearst Corporation, and is an affiliate of the NBC television network...
.)
Anchors
The program's anchors included:- Connie ChungConnie ChungConnie Chung, full name: Constance Yu-Hwa Chung Povich is an American journalist who has been an anchor and reporter for the U.S. television news networks NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, and MSNBC. Some of her more famous interview subjects include Claus von Bülow and U.S...
(1983–1986) - Bob JamiesonBob JamiesonRobert John Jamieson, known as Bob Jamieson, was a television news correspondent for ABC News until January 2008. After getting his start in local news in St. Louis and Chicago, he joined NBC's national news bureau in 1971. There he reported on a variety of national and international news,...
(1986–1987) - Deborah NorvilleDeborah NorvilleDeborah Norville is an American television broadcaster and journalist. Since 1995 she has been host of the syndicated American television program Inside Edition...
(1987–1989) - John PalmerJohn Palmer (TV journalist)John Spencer Palmer is a former news correspondent for NBC News. He worked for the network over the course of 40 years, first from 1962 to 1990; and again from 1994 until his retirement in 2002...
(1989–1990) - Faith DanielsFaith DanielsFaith Daniels became nationally known for her role in anchoring some of America's most popular news and talk show programs....
(1990–1991) - Ann CurryAnn CurryAnn Curry is an American television news journalist and co-anchor on NBC's morning television program Today. She is the former news anchor on Today, a role she began in March 1997, and was the host of Dateline NBC from 2005-2011.Curry is a Board Member at the IWMF .-Biography:Curry was born in...
(1991–1996) - Linda VesterLinda VesterLinda Vester is an American TV news host. She was the host of Dayside with Linda Vester on the Fox News Channel, first joining the channel in 1999. She later left the channel to look after her children....
(1996–1998) - Brigitte QuinnBrigitte QuinnBrigitte Quinn is a former American television news anchor. She hosted Fox News Live from 10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. EST on Fox News Channel. In July 2006, she asked to have her hours cut back for personal reasons....
(1998–1999)