Podcast Summary: Dateline NBC – Talking Dateline: True Crime, True Impact

Air Date: December 3, 2025
Recorded Live at the Pinnacle, Nashville, September 28
Moderators: Annette O’Toole and Michael McKean
Dateline Panel: Lester Holt, Andrea Canning, Keith Morrison, Josh Mankiewicz, Dennis Murphy, Blaine (not all segments specify the speaker)

Overview

In this unique “Talking Dateline” episode, the beloved Dateline correspondents leave behind the usual episode breakdown to give listeners rare, behind-the-scenes insights into their work. In front of a live audience, actors and Dateline super-fans Annette O’Toole and Michael McKean lead a candid, often humorous conversation that covers the emotional impact of true crime, memorable interviews, life on the road, the art of storytelling vs. journalism, and personal stories the correspondents will never forget.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Nature of Dateline: Journalism vs. Storytelling

• Dennis Murphy (03:26):
  “Every news reporter is also a storyteller... But this is also the news business... When it's ready, it runs. I don’t want to run a week after somebody else, after you guys already know how it comes out. So, I mean, we are in the news business, and we want to be right and we want to be first.”
• Josh Mankiewicz (04:14):
  “Forget about it. We're telling you, it's not about the murder. It's about the marriage. It's about the people involved. How did somebody end up dead on the kitchen floor? That's our story... I think that's why Dateline distinguishes itself from some of the other shows. It's about the people.”
• Lester Holt (04:47):
  “There is a difference in the pace. You know, a nightly news story... you had hours to put it together. These programs, we have months sometimes... We’re still journalists... but it's just a way that people can step inside the shoes of the people we're covering.”

Why Does Dateline Resonate With Audiences?

• Dennis Murphy (06:43):
  “There aren't a lot of things on television that have been on for as long as we have. So we gotta be doing something right... I did not see true crime taking off when Dateline started... And then I did one and then I was like, all right. That was a better experience than I thought... I’m still in touch with that mom from the first story.”
• Keith Morrison (07:24):
  “There’s something really foundational about human beings... We all, from the time we’re very small children, need to know where the dark places are... These are explorations of human nature which are far more illuminating... than almost any other kind of news reporting.”

Interviewing Murderers and Law Enforcement

• Keith Morrison & Andrea Canning (11:04 – 11:34):
  Detectives often become emotional in interviews, as the cases "go home with them." Andrea shares a personal anecdote about a detective bringing roses to a victim’s grave after solving a 25-year case.
• Andrea Canning (10:34):
  “We love highlighting their good work. And on the flip side, we also sometimes have to highlight bad work, too. You know, it’s not always perfect.”

The Archetype of Killers & Unrealistic Expectations

• Dennis Murphy (08:45):
  “It is astonishing to see what people are capable of with someone who they once loved... They're thinking only about themselves and their own needs.”
• Panel (09:15–09:51):
  Discussion on narcissism and killers’ belief they'll outsmart the system, plus reminders about modern forensics and ubiquitous surveillance.

Pushback From Law Enforcement

• Keith Morrison (10:21):
  “If they haven’t finished with their work, generally speaking, they want to be able to do what they need to do first. And then they're usually pretty happy to [participate].”
• Andrea Canning (10:34):
  Emphasis on showing law enforcement as real people with emotional stakes and vulnerabilities.

Stories With Surprising Verdicts

• Keith Morrison (11:51):
  “Yes, yes. I’ve got quite a number of them, actually,” referencing cases with controversial outcomes.
• Dennis Murphy (12:09):
  “There are cases in which I think, I’m not sure what happened, but I couldn’t have voted to convict on this. But those are rare.”

Memorable Quotes & Moments

Dateline Correspondents’ Dream Cases

• Josh Mankiewicz (15:11):
  “In my mind, no question. I would go to Fall River, Massachusetts, and meet Lizzie Borden.”
• Dennis Murphy (15:43):
  “I'd go to Dallas and find out who was waiting for John Kennedy.”

The Infamous O.J. Simpson Voicemail (16:05–18:43)

• Dennis Murphy recounting Josh’s story:
  “My first voicemail begins, and it's clearly him. It begins, ‘Josh MANKIEWICZ, this is O.J. simpson, and you're a son of a bitch.’... For, like, a year, Josh Manka was, this is O.J. simpson, you’re a son of a bitch.”

Life on the Road & Family Balance

• Andrea Canning (20:16):
  “I have a nanny who comes during the day. But you leave. You leave your home. And my husband is home at night.”
• Dell Technologies Announcer 2 / Correspondent (20:39):
  “It takes a village. It really takes a village. Especially since we travel as much as we do.”
• Keith Morrison (21:39):
  “It’s one of the great perks of what we do, actually, is we get to see the country probably like nobody else does and the world does.”

SNL and Popularity

• Keith Morrison (22:18):
  Bill Hader’s impression is discussed warmly: “He was really nervous to meet me... Bill Hader is a delightful [man].”

Favorite Episodes (22:53)

• Dennis Murphy:
  “You saw a clip of it, Andrea, with the guy who’s... Nicholas Rossi. He’s a character.”
• Panel:
  The Lori Vallow interview is cited as particularly memorable and strange.

Emotional Toll of True Crime Storytelling

• Keith Morrison (25:47):
  “Yes, all the time. Every single time.” (Asked if it ever feels too much speaking with victims' families.)
• Josh Mankiewicz (25:49–25:57):
  “Hardest thing we do... I never lose sight of the fact that this show is not coming from a writer's room... These are real life people who've had the worst experience in their lives.”
• Dell Technologies Announcer 2 / Correspondent (26:09):
  “It's trust. And I'm really struck by that trust.... that amount of trust isn't lost on any of us.”
• Dennis Murphy (27:21):
  “When our story airs, we go on to the next one. But they're never getting over this, the people that we talked with.”

Stories That Stick With Them

• Lester Holt (28:08):
  “I spent two and a half days in prison at Angola Maximum security prison... it was a story really about mass incarceration... that sticks with you.”
• Interactions with Viewers and Subjects:
  Anecdotes about murderers in prison being mad at them; Keith quips, “It's quite an honor. Yeah, that was... I knew right away who that was when he said that. And he's right where he should be.”

Memorable Segments & Timestamps

• Journalist vs. Storyteller? — 03:16–05:47
• Jealousy Over Stories, Following Cases for Years — 05:51–06:28
• Why We Love True Crime, Human Nature — 06:43–08:02
• The Psychology of Killers, Narcissism — 08:45–09:51
• Law Enforcement Relations — 10:00–11:34
• Controversial Verdicts — 11:37–12:36
• Dream Historical Cases — 14:30–15:57
• The O.J. Simpson Voicemail Anecdote — 16:05–18:43
• Work-Life Balance, Travel Anecdotes — 19:29–21:32
• Effect of SNL and Popularity — 22:06–22:18
• Favorite Episodes That Aren’t Their Own — 22:36–23:39
• Emotional Toll & Victims’ Families — 25:47–27:31
• The Stories That Linger — 28:04–29:13

Closing Reflections

The correspondents display a candid camaraderie and deep respect for the emotional gravity of their work. They grapple with the heartbreak of covering tragedies, the ethical responsibility of representing victims faithfully, and the unexpected ways their stories have impacted both themselves and their viewers. Humor and humility shine through, as does their passion for truth, storytelling, and the unique Dateline audience.

Keith Morrison (25:47):
“Yes, all the time. Every single time.”

Josh Mankiewicz (25:56):
“These are real life people who've had the worst experience in their lives. And we come knocking on the door... and we want you to sit down and tell us the worst thing that ever happened to you.”

The live setting and audience Q&A showcase the human stories behind the show and the broad reach of Dateline, making this episode a treat for longtime fans and those newly intrigued by the world of true crime journalism.