Can any New Yorkers reading this help me? I am bringing a group of 18 year old Media Students to New York in February 2005. Whilst on a similar trip this year, I heard about some shows - breakfast type news shows I think, which film on the street outside the studio - any idea of who or what these shows are? and how to get in touch with them? and also.... any idea of how to get onto one the live MTV shows? tried their website - no joy. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

The Today Show on NBC tape (in part) outside at Rockefeller Plaza, 49th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues. They have several segments each show out in the plaza outside the studio. Go the the web site, nbc.com, and follow the link to the Today Show to get in touch with them.

jennib, almesq is right, NBC's Today Show broadcasts live from "The Plaza" at Rockerfeller Center weekday mornings from 7-10am. You can just show up and be in the gallery of people watching whatever events they have each morning. I'd expect in February the crowd won't be too thick.

MTV's TRL (Total Request Live) show broadcasts weekdays at 5:00 pm. On their website, I found this information:

Be in the TRL Audience!
For reservations to be part of our live studio audience, please call 212.398.8549 or e-mail [email protected]

alternately, I think they also have a crowd on the street that gathers. Don't know exact location.

Also forgot to mention the CBS early show--broadcasts from the plaza at 59th street and 5th Avenue.

jenn, try and contact the networks ahead of time. They very well may welcome your group with open arms and give them back stage tours and the like.

I don't know if this will be helpful, but there are a couple of newer networks similar to MTV that run live daily shows with popular bands, etc. - one of them is the Fuse network, which I happen to know about because my daughter is a producer there. It is possible to arrange to be part of an audience via the website, but if you run into problems, post here and I'll ask my daughter if she can offer any suggestions. She used to work for MTV and M2, so she's in the loop.

Where is Gekko? Doesn't Gekko work in the business in NYC?

A friend of ours was in the crowd for the outside segment of ABC's Good Morning America, so I can tell you a little bit about it.

First, be prepared to get to the spot outside the studio by about 5-5:30 a.m. Any later than that and you'll never get close to the cameras or the host.

If you want to get on camera (as our friend did) it helps to have a cute baby or an interesting sign ("We came all the way from England" or something like it may help.)

Here is one page with I think accurate info on all the options you have
http://gonyc.about.com/od/tvtapings/

There are 3 live morning chat shows. The most well known is the NBC Today Show at Rockefeller Center. In addition to those 3 which have segments from the "crowds" outside, there is the Regis & Kelly Show which is done live. Then there are a number that are taped for future/later airing. That website I gave you has info on all I think.