Top of the Morning (book)

Top of the Morning: Inside the Cutthroat World of Morning TV is a 2013 non-fiction book by the media critic Brian Stelter.[1] The book was first published on April 23, 2013, through Grand Central Publishing and centers on the world of morning television.[2][3] A lengthy excerpt appeared in The New York Times Magazine in the week before publication.[4]

Top of the Morning: Inside the Cutthroat World of Morning TV
First edition
AuthorBrian Stelter
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
GenreNon-fiction
PublisherGrand Central Publishing
Publication date
April 23, 2013
Media typePrint (Hardcover and paperback) EBOOK
Pages320 pages
ISBN1455512877

Synopsis

In Top of the Morning, Stelter discusses several daytime television shows, their hosts, and events that he observed while working as a media reporter for The New York Times. The book focuses heavily on Ann Curry's replacing Meredith Vieira on the Today show,[5] as well as covering other events such as the rivalry between Good Morning America and Today over morning television ratings.[6]

Reception

Critical reception for Top of the Morning has been mixed.[7][8][9] The Washington Times gave a mostly positive review for the book, while Entertainment Weekly gave a mixed one.[10] Entertainment Weekly stated while the book's quality improved as it progressed, the book was unlikable, and some elements - such as Robin Roberts' cancer - "has been documented better elsewhere".[11] The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and The Hollywood Reporter both panned the book, with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette criticizing it as reading "more like a dispatch from someone working at TMZ than a New York Times reporter".[12][13]

Television adaptation

On December 17, 2013, the Lifetime television network announced it was adapting the book into a two-hour television film,[14][15] but by 2016 the cable network's option on the project had lapsed.[16][17]

The book now serves as inspiration for the drama series The Morning Show, which focuses on the life of people working in morning television. The series stars and is executive produced by Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon for Apple TV+.[18]

References
  1. "'Top of The Morning' Author Brian Stelter Talks Morning Show Wars and Future of Social Media". Yahoo News. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  2. "The 14 Wackiest Morning Show Metaphors in Brian Stelter's Top of the Morning". New York Magazine. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  3. "Good Times, Bad Times: Brian Stelter Parties On Despite Negative Book Review". New York Observer. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  4. Stelter, Brian (April 18, 2013). Kelly, Jon (ed.). "Who Can Save the 'Today' Show?". The New York Times. Retrieved July 9, 2017. A version of this article appears in print on April 21, 2013, on Page MM24 of the Sunday Magazine with the headline: Waking Up On The Wrong Side Of A Rating War.
  5. "Shinan: Extreme social lessons from the world of early morning shows via George Stephanopoulos". National Post. Archived from the original on June 29, 2013. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  6. "NY Times Media Reporter Brian Stelter Scores Morning-TV Book Deal". The Wrap. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  7. "Book On Morning-Show Wars Fizzles". McClatchy-Tribune. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  8. Bark, Ed (April 22, 2013). "Ratings War Zone is a Rough Place to Start the Day". The New York Times. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  9. "Book Review: 'Top of the Morning': All the News That's Fit to Print (Or is It?)". Variety. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  10. "BOOK REVIEW: 'Top of the Morning'". Washington Times. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  11. "'Top of the Morning' by Brian Stelter: Read EW's review of the buzzed-about morning show expose". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  12. Owen, Rob (May 22, 2013). "Book Review: 'Top of the Morning' Certainly Not an Eye-opener". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  13. Lewis, Andy (April 23, 2013). "Top of the Morning: Book Review". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  14. Brian Stelter's 'Top of the Morning' to be Adapted as TV Movie
  15. Marechal, AJ (December 17, 2013). "Lifetime Adapting Brian Stelter's 'Top of the Morning' as Telepic". Variety. Retrieved July 9, 2017. Book focuses on rivalry between 'Today' and 'Good Morning America'
  16. Steinberg, Brian (May 10, 2016). "Lifetime Scrapped Plans for Morning-News Movie That Put Spotlight on 'Today'". Variety. Retrieved July 9, 2017. …the project has been out of development for about a year, leaving in question whether the general public will ever see a ripped-from-the-headlines TV movie with actors playing such key figures as Matt Lauer, Curry, Al Roker and Robin Roberts, or any of the executives who work with them behind the scenes.
  17. Mason, Charlie (May 10, 2016). "Today vs. Good Morning America Movie Dead at Lifetime". TVLine. Retrieved July 9, 2017. There remains the possibility that the project could be shopped around and ultimately find another home.
  18. "Apple announces drama series starring Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston". TheGuardian.com. November 8, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
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