Preparing for the wedding

The Today Show, which will celebrate its 60th anniversary on the air in January 2012, has been looking back at its history.  This morning's program featured Tom Brokaw and Jane Pauley, who were the main hosts of the program from 1976 through 1982, when Brokaw left to become the anchor of the NBC Evening News.  (Jane left the show in 1989.)   Their featured ended with a look back at their coverage of the wedding of Charles and Diana. Tom discussed about what they could not talk about at the time, that there was a sense that this was an arranged marriage.  He and Jane gave to Meredith Viera a tin Charles and Diana wedding tray, which Meredith then gave back to Jane.  She also showed Tom and Jane the humongous briefing book that NBC's reference department prepared for the Royal Wedding coverage.   Tom noted that they had something similar.  (Having worked in news libraries, I can attest to the creation of briefing books that are prepared for major events.  I remember working on several projects when I was the Library Manager at CNN's D.C. bureau.)