Dateline NBC
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Dateline NBC (sometimes called just Dateline) is a U.S. weekly television newsmagazine broadcast by NBC similar to ABC's 20/20 or CBS's 60 Minutes. The show, which has aired since 1992, is currently hosted by Stone Phillips and Ann Curry. Curry first co-hosted on June 24, 2005. Jane Pauley previously co-hosted. Current correspondents include Victoria Corderi, Chris Hansen, and Lea Thompson; Maria Shriver left the job soon after her husband became governor of California. Keith Morrison has been a regular correspondent since 1996. Tom Brokaw and Matt Lauer are among the NBC News reporters who occasionally file stories for the program. Katie Couric was a contributing anchor until 2006, when she left NBC News. Unlike the other newsmagazines, Dateline has had more of a focus on human interest stories and stories of interest to women, and less emphasis on investigative journalism. Common features include Dateline: Survivor, where a person talks about their near death experience and rescue; Dateline: Timeline, where a popular product, person, and music single are played and viewers are invited to guess what year it appeared in; State of the Art, explaining how something was technically accomplished in a movie; Consumer Alert, where common consumer complaints or issues, such as food safety, are investigated, and Newsmakers, light interviews of major figures in politics, entertainment, and business, as well as regular people in the news. The Saturday night edition of the program now focuses on crime stories.
Historically, Dateline has often been used to plug holes in the NBC schedule. This was especially true in the mid to late 1990s. Currently, NBC News specials also air under the Dateline banner. These specials often have more of an investigative focus.
Controversy
On February 18, 1993, Dateline NBC aired an investigative report about General Motors pickup trucks allegedly exploding upon impact during accidents, because fuel tanks were badly designed. Although there were fuel tanks design problems with GM cars before, Dateline's film showed a sample of a staged low speed accident with the fuel tank exploding. Dateline NBC did not disclose the fact that this accident was staged, or the fact that the only reason there was an explosion was that the vehicle contained planted explosives. The viewers were never told about it. It appeared to be a major discovery of investigative reporters. GM investigators discovered a mistake by a study of the Dateline film. GM subsequently filed an anti-defamation lawsuit against NBC.The lawsuit in question was quickly settled by NBC.The following Dateline NBC producers were dismissed: Jeff Diamond, executive producer; David Rummel, senior producer; and Robert Read, producer of the report on the pickups. Michele Gillen, the reporter involved in the segment was transferred to Miami station, WTVJ. Michael G. Gartner, president of the news division, resigned under pressure. Kolbert, Elizabeth (Mar. 23, 1993). "NBC Admits Bad Judgment in Truck Report". The New York Times, sec. D, p. 23.
Even though the new incident was staged it inspired many highly publicized lawsuits, and GM greatly reduced the fuel capacity of their trucks as a result. The family featured in the segment, who lost a son after a GM truck caught fire, won their lawsuit against the company. The publicity also drove other automotive companies to make similar changes and even destroyed the high capacity third party fuel tank market that thrived up to then. Today its almost impossible to improve a truck's fuel range by adding a tank that is designed to be mounted under the vehicle.
Dateline NBC was perceived as quickly returning to business-as-usual in a May 4, 1993 piece titled "Cataract Cowboys" in which Brian Ross claimed that doctors unnecessarily performed surgery on elderly patients. The controversy brought into question techniques used such as disregarding evidence that contradicts a story's premise and using planted accomplices to entrap targets of the story. Goodman, Walter (August 30, 1993). "What's Newsworthy Is in the Eye of the Beholder". The New York Times, Sec. C, p. 17. NBC claimed vindication when Southeastern Eye Center dropped their lawsuit over the story. Johnson, Peter (Oct. 26, 1993). "'Dateline' is spared a lawsuit". USA Today, p. 3D.
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