Betty Cole Dukert

Producer


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

In her four-and-a-half-hour interview, Betty Cole Dukert (1927-2024) speaks of her early interest in journalism and her brief production experience in local radio and television. She recalls her five-decade tenure at Meet the Press, where she rose through the ranks, ultimately serving as executive producer. Dukert offers a history of the show from its earliest years and discusses her experience behind the scenes. She chronicles her overseas trips, guests who appeared on the show, and the relationship between the series and the world's political leaders (including Fidel Castro, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, and Yasser Arafat). Dukert also describes the methods of several of the moderators who served on the show including: Ned Brooks, Lawrence Spivak, Bill Monroe, Marvin Kalb, Roger Mudd, Chris Wallace, Garrick Utley, and Tim Russert. Finally, she speaks of her retirement and the legacy of Meet the Press, and offers advice to aspiring news producers. Karen Herman conducted the interview on October 14, 2003 in Bethesda, MD.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"In journalism school, I realized that a woman journalist should be willing to be treated exactly as a male journalist. Along the line, I decided that I really didn't want to stand out and push and shove in my trench coat in the rain and snow with the men. After I started working in television, I decided that instead of reporting, I really wanted to be a producer because that's where, behind the scenes, you got the whole picture. That was always what interested me." 

People Talking About ...
Highlights
Betty Cole Dukert on Tim Russert's contributions to Meet the Press
06:08
Betty Cole Dukert on John F. Kennedy's appearances on Meet the Press
08:44
Betty Cole Dukert on the scripted introductions on Meet the Press
03:14
Betty Cole Dukert on Eleanor Roosevelt appearing on Meet the Press
03:30
Betty Cole Dukert on advice to aspiring news producers
01:32
Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On her early life and influences
On coming to work for NBC; on working for lobbyists on behalf of RCA and NBC

Chapter 2

On coming to work for NBC News; on the first color broadcast of Meet the Press; on joining Meet the Press as a producer
On working for Meet the Press moderator Lawrence E. Spivak; on how Meet the Press dealt with McCarthyism and partisan politics; on the early format of the show

Chapter 3

On the Meet the Press introductions; on preparing a reporter to appear on Meet the Press; on inviting reporters to appear on Meet the Press
On setting ground rules for the reporters on Meet the Press; on reporters or guests who were unsuccessful on air on Meet the Press

Chapter 4

On booking guests for Meet the Press; on early satellite link-ups for Meet the Press
On Meet the Press covering the 1960 Democratic Primary in Los Angeles; on Meet the Press' time slot changes

Chapter 5

On how different NBC Presidents dealt with Meet the Press; on Fidel Castro appearing on Meet the Press; on dealing with Meet the Press in extreme weather
On Anastas Mikoyan appearing on Meet the Press; on how Meet the Press dealt with the Cold War 

Chapter 6

On Edward R. Murrow appearing on Meet the Press; on John F. Kennedy and Meet the Press
On various Presidents appearing on Meet the Press; on Martin Luther King, Jr. appearing on Meet the Press

Chapter 7

On Eleanor Roosevelt appearing on Meet the Press; on dealing with world famous Meet the Press guests; on the Golda Meir and Anwar Sadat appearing on the program
On Meet the Press interviews and Presidential elections; on Yasser Arafat appearing on Meet the Press

Chapter 8

On Meet the Press covering Vietnam; on being a female producer of Meet the Press and the male to female ratio of guests on the show
On Bob Dole on Meet the Press; on her favorite and least favorite guests on Meet the Press; on Tim Russert taking over the show

Chapter 9

On Tim Russert's contributions to Meet the Press; on the various journalists who appeared on the panel of Meet the Press; on retiring from the show
On the then-future of Meet the Press and its archives; on advice to aspiring news producers; on the then-state of politics and her hopes for the future
Shows

Meet the Press

View Show Page
Betty Cole Dukert on how she came to join Meet the Press as a producer
09:10
Betty Cole Dukert on working for Meet the Press moderator Lawrence E. Spivak
08:34
Betty Cole Dukert on how Meet the Press dealt with McCarthyism and partisan politics
03:46
Betty Cole Dukert on the early format of Meet the Press
01:44
Betty Cole Dukert on the scripted introductions on Meet the Press
03:14
Betty Cole Dukert on hard to anticipate questions from female journalists and balancing the panel of reporters on Meet the Press
03:01
Betty Cole Dukert on preparing a reporter to appear on Meet the Press
03:22
Betty Cole Dukert on inviting reporters to appear on Meet the Press
05:19
Betty Cole Dukert on setting ground rules for the reporters on Meet the Press
06:51
Betty Cole Dukert on reporters and guests who were unsuccessful on air on Meet the Press
06:43
Betty Cole Dukert on how guests were booked on Meet the Press
02:33
Betty Cole Dukert on utilizing early satellite link-ups for Meet the Press
08:21
Betty Cole Dukert on Meet the Press in Los Angeles for the 1960 Democratic Primary
11:28
Betty Cole Dukert on Meet the Press' time slot change
07:11
Betty Cole Dukert on the changing network presidents and Meet the Press
06:32
Betty Cole Dukert on Fidel Castro appearing on Meet the Press
02:44
Betty Cole Dukert on difficulties with weather on Meet the Press
05:55
Betty Cole Dukert on Anastas Mikoyan appearing on Meet the Press
05:30
Betty Cole Dukert on Meet the Press' coverage of The Cold War
07:21
Betty Cole Dukert on Edward R. Murrow's guest appearance on Meet the Press
01:59
Betty Cole Dukert on John F. Kennedy's appearances on Meet the Press
08:44
Betty Cole Dukert on the assassination of John F. Kennedy
03:04
Betty Cole Dukert on various Presidents on Meet the Press
10:43
Betty Cole Dukert on Martin Luther King, Jr. on Meet the Press
03:31
Betty Cole Dukert on Eleanor Roosevelt appearing on Meet the Press
03:30
Betty Cole Dukert on dealing with world famous Meet the Press guests
02:41
Betty Cole Dukert on Golda Meir and Anwar Sadat appearing on Meet the Press and doing Meet the Press from Israel 
10:22
Betty Cole Dukert on historically relevant Meet the Press interviews
03:29
Betty Cole Dukert on Yasser Arafat appearing on Meet the Press
07:17
Betty Cole Dukert on covering the Vietnam War on Meet the Press
11:34
Betty Cole Dukert on being a female producer and the male to female ratio of guests on Meet the Press
05:16
Betty Cole Dukert on Bob Dole appearing on Meet the Press
04:12
Betty Cole Dukert on some of her least favorite Meet the Press guests
03:22
Betty Cole Dukert on Tim Russert taking over Meet the Press
03:14
Betty Cole Dukert on Tim Russert's contributions to Meet the Press
06:09
Betty Cole Dukert on the various journalists on the panel of Meet the Press
06:49
Betty Cole Dukert on retiring from Meet the Press
01:38
Betty Cole Dukert on the then-future of Meet the Press and the Meet the Press archives
03:41
Betty Cole Dukert on the legacy of Meet the Press
02:23
Betty Cole Dukert on her life since retirement
02:25
Betty Cole Dukert on advice to aspiring news producers
01:32
Betty Cole Dukert on the then-state of politics and her hopes for the future
02:47
Topics

Advice

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Betty Cole Dukert on advice to aspiring news producers
01:32

Bill Clinton

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Betty Cole Dukert on various Presidents and Meet the Press: Bill Clinton
10:43

Civil Rights Movement

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Betty Cole Dukert on Martin Luther King, Jr. on Meet the Press
03:31

Cold War

View Topic
Betty Cole Dukert on Meet the Press'  coverage of The Cold War
07:21
Betty Cole Dukert on Fidel Castro appearing on Meet the Press
02:44
Betty Cole Dukert on Anastas Mikoyan appearing on Meet the Press
05:30

First Big Break

View Topic
Betty Cole Dukert on how she came to join Meet the Press  as a producer
09:10

Franklin D. Roosevelt

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Betty Cole Dukert on Eleanor Roosevelt appearing on Meet the Press
03:30

Gerald Ford

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Betty Cole Dukert on various Presidents and Meet the Press: Gerald Ford
10:43

Historic Events and Social Change

View Topic
Betty Cole Dukert on hard to anticipate questions from female journalists and balancing the panel of reporters on Meet the Press
03:01
Betty Cole Dukert on Meet the Press'  coverage of The Cold War
07:21
Betty Cole Dukert on Fidel Castro appearing on Meet the Press
02:44
Betty Cole Dukert on Anastas Mikoyan appearing on Meet the Press
05:30
Betty Cole Dukert on the assassination of John F. Kennedy
03:04
Betty Cole Dukert on Martin Luther King, Jr. on Meet the Press
03:31
Betty Cole Dukert on Golda Meir and Anwar Sadat appearing on Meet the Press  and doing Meet the Press from Israel 
10:22
Betty Cole Dukert on Yassir Arafat appearing on Meet the Press
07:17
Betty Cole Dukert on covering the Vietnam War on Meet the Press
11:14
Betty Cole Dukert on being a female producer and the male to female ratio of guests on Meet the Press
04:56

Hollywood Blacklist

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Betty Cole Dukert on how Meet the Press  dealt with McCarthyism and partisan politics
03:46

Industry Crossroads

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Betty Cole Dukert on how Meet the Press  dealt with McCarthyism and partisan politics
03:46

JFK Assassination and Funeral

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Betty Cole Dukert on the assassination of John F. Kennedy
03:04

Jimmy Carter

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Betty Cole Dukert on various Presidents and Meet the Press: Jimmy Carter
10:43

John F. Kennedy

View Topic
Betty Cole Dukert on Meet the Press in Los Angeles for the 1960 Democratic Primary
11:28
Betty Cole Dukert on John F. Kennedy's appearances on Meet the Press
08:44

Lyndon B. Johnson

View Topic
Betty Cole Dukert on various Presidents and Meet the Press: Lyndon B. Johnson
10:43

Pivotal Career Moments

View Topic
Betty Cole Dukert on how she came to join Meet the Press  as a producer
09:10

Representation on Television

View Topic
Betty Cole Dukert on hard to anticipate questions from female journalists and balancing the panel of reporters on Meet the Press
03:01
Betty Cole Dukert on being a female producer and the male to female ratio of guests on Meet the Press
04:56

Richard M. Nixon

View Topic
Betty Cole Dukert on various Presidents and Meet the Press: Richard M. Nixon
10:43

Technological Innovation

View Topic
Betty Cole Dukert on the first color broadcast of Meet the Press
02:15
Betty Cole Dukert on utilizing early satellite link-ups for Meet the Press
08:21

Television Industry

View Topic
Betty Cole Dukert on how Meet the Press  dealt with McCarthyism and partisan politics
03:46
Betty Cole Dukert on advice to aspiring news producers
01:32

Television and the Presidency

View Topic
Betty Cole Dukert on Meet the Press  in Los Angeles for the 1960 Democratic Primary
11:28
Betty Cole Dukert on John F. Kennedy's appearances on Meet the Press
08:44
Betty Cole Dukert on various Presidents and Meet the Press
10:43
Betty Cole Dukert on Eleanor Roosevelt appearing on Meet the Press
03:30

Vietnam War

View Topic
Betty Cole Dukert on covering the Vietnam War on Meet the Press
11:14

War

View Topic
Betty Cole Dukert on Meet the Press'  coverage of The Cold War
07:21
Betty Cole Dukert on Fidel Castro appearing on Meet the Press
02:44
Betty Cole Dukert on Anastas Mikoyan appearing on Meet the Press
05:30
Betty Cole Dukert on covering the Vietnam War on Meet the Press
11:14

Women

View Topic
Betty Cole Dukert on hard to anticipate questions from female journalists and balancing the panel of reporters on Meet the Press
03:01
Betty Cole Dukert on being a female producer and the male to female ratio of guests on Meet the Press
04:56
Professions

Journalists & News Producers

View Profession
Betty Cole Dukert on setting ground rules for the reporters on Meet the Press
06:51
Betty Cole Dukert on advice to aspiring news producers
00:47

News Producer

View Profession
Betty Cole Dukert on setting ground rules for the reporters on Meet the Press
06:51
Betty Cole Dukert on advice to aspiring news producers
00:47
Genres

News and Documentary

View Genre
Betty Cole Dukert on producing Meet the Press (Part 1)
23:45
Betty Cole Dukert on producing Meet the Press (Part 2)
28:30
Betty Cole Dukert on producing Meet the Press (Part 3)
29:36
Betty Cole Dukert on producing Meet the Press (Part 4)
28:00
Betty Cole Dukert on producing Meet the Press (Part 5)
28:47
Betty Cole Dukert on producing Meet the Press (Part 6)
28:16
Betty Cole Dukert on producing Meet the Press (Part 7)
28:42
Betty Cole Dukert on producing Meet the Press (Part 8)
27:23
People

Anwar Sadat

View Person Page
Betty Cole Dukert on Golda Meir and Anwar Sadat appearing on Meet the Press and doing Meet the Press from Israel 
10:22

Bill Clinton

View Person Page
Betty Cole Dukert on various Presidents and Meet the Press: Bill Clinton
10:43

Bob Dole

View Person Page
Betty Cole Dukert on Bob Dole appearing on Meet the Press
04:12

Edward R. Murrow

View Person Page
Betty Cole Dukert on Edward R. Murrow's guest appearance on Meet the Press
01:59

Eleanor Roosevelt

View Person Page
Betty Cole Dukert on Eleanor Roosevelt appearing on Meet the Press
03:30

Fidel Castro

View Person Page
Betty Cole Dukert on Fidel Castro appearing on Meet the Press
02:44

Gerald Ford

View Person Page
Betty Cole Dukert on various Presidents and Meet the Press: Gerald Ford
10:43

Golda Meir

View Person Page
Betty Cole Dukert on Golda Meir and Anwar Sadat appearing on Meet the Press and doing Meet the Press from Israel 
10:22

Jimmy Carter

View Person Page
Betty Cole Dukert on various Presidents and Meet the Press: Jimmy Carter
10:43

John F. Kennedy

View Person Page
Betty Cole Dukert on Meet the Press in Los Angeles for the 1960 Democratic Primary
11:28
Betty Cole Dukert on John F. Kennedy's appearances on Meet the Press
08:44
Betty Cole Dukert on the assassination of John F. Kennedy
03:04

Lawrence E. Spivak

View Person Page
Betty Cole Dukert on how she came to join Meet the Press as a producer
09:10
Betty Cole Dukert on working for Meet the Press moderator Lawrence E. Spivak
08:34
Betty Cole Dukert on how Meet the Press dealt with McCarthyism and partisan politics
03:46
Betty Cole Dukert on the scripted introductions on Meet the Press
03:14

Lawrence K. Grossman

View Person Page
Betty Cole Dukert on the changing network presidents' effects on Meet the Press
06:32

Lyndon B. Johnson

View Person Page
Betty Cole Dukert on Meet the Press in Los Angeles for the 1960 Democratic Primary
11:28
Betty Cole Dukert on various Presidents and Meet the Press: Lyndon B. Johnson
10:43

Martin Luther King, Jr.

View Person Page
Betty Cole Dukert on Martin Luther King, Jr. on Meet the Press
03:31

Richard M. Nixon

View Person Page
Betty Cole Dukert on various Presidents and Meet the Press: Richard M. Nixon
10:43

Tim Russert

View Interview Page
Betty Cole Dukert on Tim Russert taking over Meet the Press
03:14
Betty Cole Dukert on Tim Russert's contributions to Meet the Press
06:08

Yasser Arafat

View Person Page
Betty Cole Dukert on Yassir Arafat appearing on Meet the Press
07:17

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