DVR alert: ‘Today with Hoda and Jenna’ fans need to update their settings

By Michael P. Hill January 13, 2025

Subscribe to NewscastStudio for the latest news, project case studies and product announcements in broadcast technology, creative design and engineering delivered to your inbox.

Attention fans of “Today with Hoda and Jenna” (sometimes referred to as the “fourth hour” of “Today”) — starting Monday, Jan. 13, 2025, the show will officially be retitled “Today with Jenna and Friends,” which could affect your DVR settings if you record the show.

The change comes after Hoda Kotb left “Today” Jan. 10, 2025, forcing the network to remove her name from the show. No co-host for Kotb’s chair during the fourth hour has been named, so the network will cycle through several guest co-hosts until one can be named, hence the use of “and Friends” in the name.

It’s important to use the search function on your DVR to check if the show’s new name is set to be recorded. Some systems may be able to detect the show changed names, but many likely won’t since it’s essentially treated as a new program for the purpose of TV listings and ratings.

Assuming NBC eventually settles on a permanent co-host for Jenna Bush Hager, it’s likely the show will be retitled again to something like “Today with Jenna and (Co-Host Name),” which will likely require another DVR update, but there’s no immediate word on how long this “friends” format will remain. It’s also possible the network may simply stick with the guest co-host format indefinitely, in which case the show name could remain the same.

Subscribe to NewscastStudio for the latest news, project case studies and product announcements in broadcast technology, creative design and engineering delivered to your inbox.