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This seems like the more plausible explanation. I was familiar with the concept for instances where guests are booked simultaneously on the 3 network shows, but GMA takes the prerecorded route for interviews in the first hour regardless of if a guest is appearing elsewhere or not. Before moving to the east coast, I had always assumed that the interviews had just been edited for tape delayed airings but turns out it’s part of the live airing which is what prompted my curiosity. Interesting to understand why they do it the way they do. Though I think they could stand to clean up the transition from tape to live, it’s ultimately not noticeably or even significant to the casual viewer who is assuredly not manically flipping between the 3 shows every few minutes to compare rundowns like myself lol.

It started out of necessity back when GMA was in second place but the show then, as it still does, believes a taped newsmaker interview is better because they can edit it down to keep the best parts. As someone else has mentioned, GMA puts a high value on story count. From NY Mag in May 2005: Ben Sherwood says. “We don’t have the luxury of doing live interviews as often as they do.” As a result, GMA often pre-tapes interviews, then edits the segments; on a recent morning, Gibson taped an interview with the parents of children who had been roughed up by a school-bus driver—Couric went live with them later. “They’re getting a more lively pace by cutting out the deadwood in an interview,” says Andrew Tyndall. “It’s more about getting sound bites than the interaction between the interviewer and interviewee.” The taped newsmaker segments became part of their culture and 16 years later they would still prefer to tape an interview at 6:50 so it can be chopped down to air at 7:15. Viewers don't care whether it is LIVE or not, as long as it is an engaging interview. (They also aren't watching all three shows simultaneously to see that one person is commonly on two shows at the same time)

But would we even care if they said 'pre-recorded' in the top bar? A bunch of stations have scripted 'live' pharmaceutical interviews or advertorial 'steals and deals' that are aired all the time without any outrage. Unless some loon comes barreling onto the set and needs a security tackle, I only care about the news and concerts being live. Morning television is a formula, and anything that doesn't stick to the script makes for a bad day behind the scenes. It's basically the same as a sitcom, reality, or drama show being 'all new'...which is impossible unless you change the opening titles and credits too every week. There are branding labels that are broadly applied, and we've accepted that for 'live' and 'all new' because it's impossible to be 100% of those titles on any given day or week.

Much of those interviewees are people who are making the rounds of all the morning shows, both on broadcast and cable. In order to get those folks on your show in the 7:00 half hour, you sometimes have to conduct the interview at 6:50. Everyone does it, and it's been going on for decades.

I think out implies being fired. She is leaving to spend more time with her family.

It's not a complete overhaul. Non-news junkies wouldn't immediately notice a difference. It's just an evolved look for some various graphic elements. I've already seen some of the "updated" look on KGW.