As Dateline enters its 35th season, the NBC series has grown beyond its weekly broadcast to include companion and standalone podcasts, live events and widespread syndication. Its correspondents and host Lester Holt recently discussed the show’s longevity, its audience and the challenges of covering true crime in an interview with Us Weekly.
Correspondent Josh Mankiewicz said he joined Dateline in 1995 without expecting it to become a career spanning more than three decades. He described the show’s shift toward true crime, adding that some of the cases it covers were stories that had not previously been told. Dennis Murphy recalled an earlier format that included a mix of newsmagazine segments, while the current series focuses on the people at the center of crimes and the search for justice.
Keith Morrison said the appeal of these stories lies partly in what they reveal about human nature. Mankiewicz also noted the close attention viewers give to cases, describing encounters with people who follow episodes while listening on their phones. The correspondents said social media has helped them communicate with audiences, while the show’s familiar reporters and the possibility of resolution contribute to its appeal.
The team also discussed the growth of online true-crime investigation. Andrea Canning said some coverage can be careless, while Morrison said material circulating online can sometimes give Dateline an opportunity to correct the record. Mankiewicz said online investigators can sometimes be valuable to a story, but their claims must be checked. Blayne Alexander emphasized that journalism remains central to the program’s work.
The reporters described different ways of handling the emotional weight of their assignments. Alexander said she sets boundaries between work and family life, while Canning watches reality television and writes Hallmark movies. Mankiewicz said he stays in touch with families featured in the show, and Holt said he has grown accustomed to processing difficult stories during his long career in news.
They also spoke about their responsibility to the people affected by the cases. Morrison said the team tries to tell stories with the feelings of those involved in mind, while Mankiewicz stressed that families live with the consequences long after a program airs. Alexander said interviews can give people an opportunity to speak about experiences they may not have discussed for years.
The show’s reach has also crossed into pop culture. Murphy recalled Taylor Swift telling him that Dateline and Law & Order had inspired her interest in criminal forensics, and said he could see how some of the program’s themes had influenced her songwriting. Mankiewicz said the show’s presence in popular culture had surprised him, while Morrison said he remains drawn to the work because it brings him into contact with interesting people and complex stories.
Sources: Us Weekly.