NBC’s ‘Today’ suspends live audiences in outdoor Rockefeller Plaza

NBC’s “Today” opened its program on Thursday without the familiar sight of crowds in the background watching the show from an adjacent outdoor plaza after the network’s news division announced it was suspending live audiences to “help to decrease the rate of transmission in our communities.”

“We are missing something that’s really important to us on this show and that’s our crowd that we would normally show you at this time and really highlight all the lovely people who come to watch the show live,” Savannah Guthrie said, adding that the program is following the guidance of health officials.

“Just trying to do our part,” Guthrie added. “But we miss you … and we hope to invite you back soon.”

“We are missing something that’s really important to us on this show and that’s our crowd,” @savannahguthrie explains that we are following guidance of health officials and suspending live audiences at our plaza for now pic.twitter.com/bwO3HEnMPx

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) March 12, 2020

NBC News announced late Wednesday afternoon that the show would proceed without crowds in close proximity in Rockefeller Plaza, where they have been a fixture on the program for decades.

“The safety of our guests and employees is our top priority,” says the NBC News statement.

“Per guidance from New York City officials, the company is hoping to do its part to help to decrease the rate of transmission in our communities. Our shows will continue filming on their regular schedule, and currently, there will be no impact on air dates,” it also adds.

Several programs with live audiences, including Stephen Colbert’s “Late Show” on CBS, John Oliver’s “Last Week Tonight” on HBO, “The Daily Show” with Trevor Noah on Comedy Central, Fox News Channel’s “Greg Gutfeld Show” and ABC’s “The View” were among the programs that announced Wednesday it will suspend live studio audiences for the time being.

Late Wednesday night, the NBA announced that it was suspending its regular season after one player tested positive for the novel coronavirus. It is not clear if its playoff schedule, which runs from mid-April to late June, would be affected.

The NCAA, meanwhile, announced Wednesday that its upcoming men’s and women’s national basketball tournaments will be held in empty arenas, except for close family members and essential staff.

Other professional sports leagues in the U.S., including MLB, MLS and the NHL, announced Monday that they would temporarily prohibit all nonessential personnel, including reporters, from entering locker rooms and clubhouses.