The Mission (theme song)
Encyclopedia
"The Mission" is a television news music package composed by John Williams
in 1985. Originally commissioned for NBC
's national news programs
, the theme has also been used on some NBC affiliates for their local newscasts.
The package consists of the following four parts:
The main theme was updated in 2004, in preparation of Brian Williams
succeeding Tom Brokaw
as the anchor on Nightly News.
Australia
's Seven Network
adopted the original theme for its news bulletins
in the late 1980s. Seven has since updated its version of the theme thrice, independently from NBC, but still uses the original version for its news updates.
John Williams
John Towner Williams is an American composer, conductor, and pianist. In a career spanning almost six decades, he has composed some of the most recognizable film scores in the history of motion pictures, including the Star Wars saga, Jaws, Superman, the Indiana Jones films, E.T...
in 1985. Originally commissioned for NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's national news programs
NBC News
NBC News is the news division of American television network NBC. It first started broadcasting in February 21, 1940. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is...
, the theme has also been used on some NBC affiliates for their local newscasts.
The package consists of the following four parts:
- The Mission (for NBC Nightly NewsNBC Nightly NewsNBC Nightly News is the flagship daily evening television news program for NBC News and broadcasts. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is located in the center...
, first aired on September 9, 1985); - Fugue for Changing Times (for Before Hours, a 15-minute early morning business news program hosted by Bob JamiesonBob JamiesonRobert John Jamieson, known as Bob Jamieson, was a television news correspondent for ABC News until January 2008. After getting his start in local news in St. Louis and Chicago, he joined NBC's national news bureau in 1971. There he reported on a variety of national and international news,...
); - Scherzo for TodayScherzo for TodayScherzo for Today is a short two-minute piece composed in 1985 by John Williams for use as the closing theme of NBC's The Today Show, and was used until 1990. Like most scherzi, it is light and upbeat, and utilizes ternary or "ABA" form...
(for The Today Show); and - The Pulse of Events (for special breaking newsBreaking newsBreaking news, also known as a special report or news bulletin, is a current event that broadcasters feel warrants the interruption of scheduled programming and/or current news in order to report its details. Many times, breaking news is used after the news network has already reported on this story...
reports and Meet the PressMeet the PressMeet the Press is a weekly American television news/interview program produced by NBC. It is the longest-running television series in American broadcasting history, despite bearing little resemblance to the original format of the program seen in its television debut on November 6, 1947. It has been...
).
The main theme was updated in 2004, in preparation of Brian Williams
Brian Williams
Brian Douglas Williams is the anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News, the evening news program of the NBC television network, a position he assumed in 2004...
succeeding Tom Brokaw
Tom Brokaw
Thomas John "Tom" Brokaw is an American television journalist and author best known as the anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News from 1982 to 2004. He is the author of The Greatest Generation and other books and the recipient of numerous awards and honors...
as the anchor on Nightly News.
Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
's Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
adopted the original theme for its news bulletins
Seven News
Seven News is the television news service of the Seven Network in Australia.National bulletins are presented from Seven's high-definition studios in Martin Place, Sydney, while flagship 6pm bulletins are produced in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth. The network also produces Seven...
in the late 1980s. Seven has since updated its version of the theme thrice, independently from NBC, but still uses the original version for its news updates.