Election themes don’t get much better than this. Michael Karp composed this theme which was used for the 2004, 2006 and 2008 elections. Decision 2004 was the last election anchored by Tom Brokaw who retired days later from NBC Nightly News. He anchored from a huge set built on and around Rockefeller Plaza (which was temporarily renamed Democracy Plaza).

For the state funeral of former president Ronald Reagan, NBC chose this solemn piece composed by Michael Karp. It’s a beautiful piece of music. Tom Brokaw anchored, in what was one of his last major broadcasts as NBC’s lead anchor before his retirement.

The 2003 war in Iraq had a long and protracted build up to it. This meant that news organizations had ample time to get ready. And they certainly made use of that time. All networks built special sets, designed special graphics and commissioned special themes. But the real costs of covering war lie in sending reporters to the front lines and making sure they are protected (think of body guards and armored vehicles). This theme, by Michael Karp, was used during the initial days of the war on NBC and MSNBC.

Later Today was the second installment of the Today franchise that was created in 1999. It aired at 9 a.m. (in most markets), right after the Today Show. It was a talk show focusing on women hosted by Jodi Applegate, Asha Blake and Florence Henderson. Henderson may be best known as Carol Brady, she was actually a “Today-girl” in the late 1950′s. Later Today lasted only one season and was replaced by an extra hour of the real Today Show.

In 1994 Dateline NBC commissioned Michael Karp to compose a new theme for them. This result is one of the best themes used on a news magazine. It started being used around the time that Dateline moved to a new studio. For the first few years the program was broadcast from the set of NBC Nightly News. But when Today moved to their current street side studio, Dateline took over their old studio in 30 Rock. For most of the time that this theme was used, Stone Phillips and Jane Pauley co-anchored the program. Pauley retired in 2003; Philips was forced out in 2007 to save costs. Today Ann Curry is the primary anchor of the NBC news magazine.

This is the original Dateline NBC theme by Michael Karp. Dateline is NBC’s first successful attempt at creating a news magazine after numerous attempts. But it came very close to cancellation just after its debut. In 1992 the program featured a report about GM pickup trucks carrying exploding fuel tanks. Dateline’s credibility was nearly destroyed when it was later revealed that the exploding fuel tanks shown in the report exploded only because they were rigged with explosives. Various people involved in the story were fired (including correspondent Brian Ross, who went to ABC and rebounded well career wise). Dateline survived and is still on the air today.

NBC Nightside was NBC’s second overnight newscast. The program started in 1991 and was produced in Charlotte, North Carolina by the NBC News Channel. That, by the way, is not the same as MSNBC. It is the service, comparable to a wire service, that provides customized reports and video of national news to NBC affiliates. Some of Nightside’s many anchors included Antonia Mora and Campbell Brown. While the program was financially profitable and did well in the ratings, it was discontinued in 1999 because NBC wanted to use the overnight timeslot to air repeats of Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien. The theme is composed by Michael Karp.