Following a major incident, Savannah Guthrie’s position at NBC changed completely

The mission at NBC’s “Today” has long been to give viewers the news and information they need to start their day — along with a little bit of hope. In recent days, that last element has been harder to deliver.

The NBC morning mainstay is in its third week of navigating its way through one of the most surreal happenings in media history: Nancy Guthrie, mother of co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, has been missing since January 31, and the show has been trying to carry on as usual while addressing the massive national interest in the case and efforts to find her. That has meant finding a substitute for Savannah Guthrie and devoting substantial time at the top of every broadcast to analyzing the latest developments in the quest to find her relative.

On Thursday, “Today” led not with an update about the search for Nancy Guthrie, but with breaking news about the arrest of former Prince Andrew in the U.K. following revelations about his dealings with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. Craig Melvin and Hoda Kotb, the latter filling in for Savannah Guthrie, offered news about the state of the Nancy Guthrie case immediately following. Producers and executives at “Today” remain focused on keeping the program going from day to day, says one person familiar with the show, as well as covering the latest news around the search for Nancy Guthrie and supporting their longtime colleague. On Wednesday, anchors wore yellow ribbons in solidarity with the Guthrie family.

The longer the hunt goes on, the more questions get raised about how the show will maneuver in weeks to come. Will Guthrie be able to return to her post in the foreseeable future?  And should “Today” consider a regular substitute in the interim?

The answers to such questions can determine the fate of storied TV brands like “Today,” which, even in the streaming era deliver millions of dollars in advertising revenue and often serve as the financial linchpin of a network news division. And yet, “Today” is in something of a squeeze. Savannah Guthrie’s ability to return to her role won’t be known immediately, says a second person familiar with the program and introducing a  new anchor to take her role — even on an interim basis — could alienate viewers, who have a years-long relationship with her and don’t want to see her treated poorly, particularly under duress.

Kotb, a veteran co-anchor who left the program last year, has been filling in alongside Melvin, but that is believed to be tied in part to an arrangement that had her at the ready to help with coverage of the Winter Olympics. The show has not given any indications as of yet as to whether Kotb might stay for a while — a solution that might prove durable, given the fact she;s already affiliated with the show. Even so, says one former morning show producer, TV executives can be “mercenary” about morning shows, which continue to serve as a signature element that connects viewers with networks. It would be difficult to imagine, this former producer says, that someone at NBC isn’t at least considering what options might be taken in the future, depending on the outcome of the Guthrie family’s ordeal.

Guthrie’s plight is heart rending and unique, shows like “Today” and “Good Morning America” have struggled with similar challenges in the past. Viewers paid rapt attention to Robin Roberts’ journey through treatment tied to myelodysplastic syndrome, a bone marrow disease, in 2012, and, in 2023, kept up with Michael Strahan after his daughter was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a type of brain tumor. “Today” viewers have followed a close-knit group of anchors through a series of difficult tragedies, including an absence by Kotb in 2023 to tend to a sick daughter, and an absence by Al Roker due to a weeks-long illness in 2022 and 2023.

Adding new personnel to the mix at such a time could be ill advised. A morning program “operationally is a deep bench of anchors, correspondents, producers and a format that allows flexibility. That combination usually allows the franchise to sustain itself even during challenging periods,” says Jim Bell, a former “Today” executive producer who is now senior vice president of media for the 2028 Los Angles Olympics. “The audience relationship is long term and grounded in trust. When something personal arises, authenticity matters but so does respecting privacy. The show typically acknowledges what appropriate and then focuses on delivering the broadcast with steadiness. It’s always a careful balance.”

Indeed, NBC has in recent years — with a few notable exceptions — focused on building “Today” from the inside. Guthrie, Kotb and Melvin all gained experience and exposure at “Today” and other NBC News properties over years. Sheinelle Jones, a longtime “Today” anchor at 9 a.m., now co-anchors the show’s 10 a.m. hour with Jenna Bush Hager.

And the anchors make appearances across the show’s four hours on air every weekday morning. Melvin still co-anchors the 9 a.m. hour of “Today, “as does  Roker, and Hager and Jones make regular appearances in the shows first two morning hours, along with Roker and Carson Daly. Weekend “Today” anchors, who include Peter Alexander and Laura Jarrett, also turn up. Indeed, Alexander has been reporting from the Milan Olympics in a year when “Today” largely opted to stay close to home during Savannah Guthrie ordeal.

There may not be much more NBC News can do. The search for Nancy Guthrie isn’t just being covered by “Today.” The story is also tracked regularly on “NBC Nightly News” and the company’s live-streaming service, NBC News Now. But the anchors at “Today” may simply have to solider on. After a series of layoffs and staff reductions, NBC News doesn’t have a lot of extra staff to allocate to new challenges. And so, “Today” personnel will need to rely on who they have in the past — each other.