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Lisa Wilkinson steadies Today

Two years of early morning wake up calls has paid off for Lisa Wilkinson, having brought some stability to Today.

lisawilkinsonThere’s a very lengthy and thoughtfully written profile on Today‘s Lisa Wikinson in the Sydney Morning Herald.

As well as watching over her ritual of arriving at the studio at 12 minutes to 4 (that’s AM of course), it traces her upbringing, family life and publishing career.

It notes: By 5.20am, the whole team – Wilkinson, Stefanovic, newsreader Georgie Gardner and sports reporter Cameron Williams – is assembled on the brightly lit set. The countdown begins, the red light comes on and Wilkinson, poised and polished in a fire-engine red suit, smiles brightly at the nation. It’s a strange beast, breakfast television. To the average viewer, it’s electronic wallpaper, a seamless background flow of news, weather and traffic reports, as easily digestible as cornflakes. To the networks, it’s a daily, cutthroat battle for ratings supremacy, with millions in advertising dollars at stake.

Over the next 3 1/2 hours, Wilkinson and Stefanovic banter, quip and weave their way through a mix of news, entertainment and weather stories. She’s briefly displeased about a typo on the autocue. “It said Health Ledger, not Heath, that’s why I stumbled.” She has a low threshold for sloppiness and errors. “Oh yes,” says executive producer Tom Malone. “She’s a perfectionist.”

Today has certainly made inroads on Sunrise. Another article on the weekend even noted that Nine’s show defeated Seven’s for the first time in five years on Friday.

But Friday was a public holiday. The demographics would have been completely different to most other weekdays.

Still, Lisa Wilkinson has becoming a solidifying force for Today after much upheaval. That’s got to be some comfort when you’re getting up at 3am every day.

Source: smh.com.au

16 Responses

  1. As a vivid fan of Today, I can’t thank lisa enough for turning the show around. The hosts of today are just wonderful and pefect in everything they do. Meanwhile, we listen to koshies racism and mel’s clear hatred of mothers, when will people learn.

  2. Yet Today still loses to Sunrise. It’s the team’s chemistry, the shows content, graphics, set, consistency. All factors that it can’t quite seem to pin point in order to get back the ‘crown’ of breakfast TV. Lisa has been great as female host, but a new male host is needed, in fact they all need to loosen up, relax, converse about daily life, thats why sunrise is appealing, viewers can relate to situations the hosts may talk about.

    Does anyone know the figures for Today/Sunrise for last Friday? Thats hopeful news that Today beat them.

  3. I cannot stand Sunrise. If someone says something that’s intended to be remotely amusing the vision always cuts to the reactions of everyone on the panel, all of whom seem to have perfected the art of laughing hysterically without making any noise: every joke is a real knee-slapper. It’s so fake, so insincere. And it’s all ‘Brekkie’ this and ‘Kochie’ that… we’re just all such good ol’ aussie larakins, havin’ a laugh and getting along so well – look how much fun we’re having! – we’re clearly all best friends and there’s never any tension off camera…

    Lisa is all class – intelligent and funny… Enough said.

  4. I have watched both Sunrise and Today over the last few years (also a Today viewer from way back) and I too am over Kochie and Mel. While recently being on maternity leave, I have enjoyed watching Lisa on Today and I think she is great, an absolute professional in her own right. I do love the banter between her and Karl (I like him, regardless of what people say) – they are a great mix together and overall the Today show is brilliant. Couldn’t stand the constant laughter from the Sunrise team, sometimes they are way over the top. At least the Today show team do have a laugh but are more in control with it and are way more classier and professional. Today deserve the figures they are currently getting and Lisa definitely steadies Today and improves it immensly. Keep up the great work!!!

  5. I have been watching today for a couple of years, it is formulaic, as are the competition. However I prefer the warmness and banter with the whole team.

  6. I agree with everything you said Gerry. I switched off Sunrise about 6 months ago, I couldn’t abide Koshie trying to be cool any longer and Mel agreeing with everything he says.

    I also loved Shelly Croft on Sunday Today, lets hope she becomes a permanent fixture there.

  7. I think everyone’s a bit over Koche and Mel, and are turning back to the original morning show – The Today Show. Lisa is a really good host, and her and Karl have good chemistry. I’m not a huge fan of Karl, but they both contrast really well – Karl being a bit of a joker, and Lisa being the more serious one. The article is right saying that the set is brightly lit – there are TV screens in every single part of the set. (behind Karl and Lisa, Georgie, Cam and the one with the couches). Sunrise’s set is tacky, probably because they keep having to moving things every day for the morning show.

    I will be waking up with Today.

    Yesterday Today on Sunday did a really good job thanks to Leila being away, and being replaced by Shelly Craft. Mayve she should become the new cohost of Today on Sunday, and they should get rid of Leila. However I don’t see that happening, seeing as she’s married to the CEO.

  8. it’s also nice to see the age difference, it’s not usual to see a younger male host with an older female, but it really works. Nice to see Today buck that trend.

  9. I really like her, she seems intelligent, but also has strong and reasoned opinions. As she becomes more familiar, her sense of humour is also beginning to show. She gels well with Karl, whom I know many people despise, but personally, I think he’s a bit of a laugh, he has a fun personality and isn’t afraid to look the fool.

  10. Good on them, and Lisa. The entire team has done a brilliant job of late and that victory while small proves it. The crew at Sunrise must be very nervouse now.

  11. Im completely over Kochie & Mel but I cant warm to Lisa, I find the big plastic grin very fake and something just really not very sincere about her.

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