U.S. morning newscasts continue extended coverage of Queen Elizabeth II

After interrupting programming with special reports Sept. 8, 2022, to bring viewers the news of the death of Queen Elizabeth II and continuing coverage on their evening newscasts, the U.S. networks continued coverage into the morning of Sept. 9, 2022.

‘Good Morning America’

Good Morning America” had co-anchor Robin Roberts live in London (likely due to the fact that she had been in Europe on vacation). The show blew away its entire headline tease segment for Elizabeth II stories, also dispensing with its standard blue, white and yellow animated graphics in favor of a blue box with geometric sans serif logotype reading “Queen Elizabeth II: The legacy, the life, 1926-2022” spread across four lines. The typical musical bed was replaced with an orchestral piece.

It also used a special open that used the same title but switched over to a serif font, what appeared to be Times New Roman.

‘Today’

NBC News‘ “Today” dropped its normal open as well and started with both Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie shown, split-screen, at the top of the show. Lower thirds were switched to red, white, blue and gold during the headlines and Elizabeth II coverage. Kotb was in Studio 1A in New York with Guthrie in London, having been dispatched there overnight. 

NBC notably already had “Today with Hoda and Jenna” co-anchor Jenna Bush Hager in Scotland Sept. 8, for a pre-planned interview with Queen Consort Camilla Parker Bowles. Bowles was forced to drop out of the interview at the last minute due to news of the queen’s ill health that ultimately would lead to her death. Hager contributed live reports on NBC when news of the death was announced.

‘CBS Mornings’

None of the “CBS Mornings” core anchor team was sent to London, though the network did have on-the-ground live coverage. Instead, Gayle King, Tony Dokupil and Jericka Duncan, who was sitting in for Nate Burleson, who has been out for the week, appeared in the show’s Studio 1515 in Times Square with all of its video wall and header elements showing the violet and white look that first appeared during the network’s special report Sept. 8.

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The show devoted its entire “EyeOpener” segment to the queen’s death, including clips featuring brits Harry Styles and “Late Late Show” host James Corden paying tribute to her majesty. The network kept its normal orange, white and black color scheme in its lower thirds, but added a branded band to the top of them during queen coverage.