Bob Costas

Sports Broadcaster

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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

About this interview

In his one-and-a-half-hour interview, Bob Costas talks about his early interest in sports broadcasting. He describes his approach to sportscasting, chronicles his early jobs as a play-by-play announcer, and recounts getting hired by Don Ohlmeyer at NBC Sports. He recalls how Ohlmeyer encouraged him to allow his personality to come through on television and how he developed his broadcasting style. Costas discusses various aspects of sports play-by-play: prepping for a broadcast, splitting his view between the field and the monitor on air, and the importance of historical sports knowledge. He outlines his expanded work at NBC, starting with Today and subsequently Later with Bob Costas. He speaks of helming On the Record with Bob Costas, and details his role as prime-time host of the Olympics. Karen Herman conducted the interview on October 24, 2008 in New York, NY.

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

"For years, when I broke in, I thought that my first name was Irreverent. I was the Irreverent Bob Costas. Then, all of the sudden, I became the Venerable Bob Costas. People like easy labels and caricatures and categories they can toss people into. I think if people watch what I do, they see that there's a lot of lightheartedness in it. There's some goofiness and irreverence. I hope it all fits within a style that has some texture to it."

People Talking About ...

Highlights

Bob Costas on hosting the Olympics

00:48

Bob Costas on the Centennial Park bombing at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics

01:54

Bob Costas on his style of delivery

01:43

Bob Costas on an amazing story guest Anthony Quinn told on Later with Bob Costas

03:38

Bob Costas on covering the 1982 World Series and the 1984 "Sandberg game"

01:19

Bob Costas on Kirk Gibson hitting the home-run off Dennis Eckersley in the 1988 World Series

01:36

Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On his childhood and early influences; on wanting to be a broadcaster; on developing his voice and broadcasting style

On studying Public Communications at Syracuse University and working at the campus radio station; on his first professional job - broadcasting hockey; on joining KMOX in St. Louis and announcing for the local ABA team (alternative league to the NBA)

On getting hired at NBC and Don Ohlmeyer recognizing his talent, but thinking Costas looked very young; on learning to loosen up on television; on his preparations for broadcasts

On being paired with announcer/former baseball player Tony Kubek; on memorable sports moments he called during the 1980s: 1982 World Series, and the 1984 "Sandberg Game"; on his interest in history

On expanding his role at NBC - appearing on Today, and hosting Later with Bob Costas and the Olympics; on interviewing guests on Later with Bob Costas

On the first time he served as prime-time host of the Olympics - 1992 in Barcelona; on how he handles live and taped events; on what he anticipates for the 2012 London Olympics

Chapter 2

On hosting The Olympics and accenting the human interest stories; on decisions Dick Ebersol has to make as producer of The Olympics

On the Centennial Park bombing at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics; on the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the 2004 Athens Olympics; on the response he gets to his Olympic coverage and the dynamics of international sports

On hosting HBO's On the Record with Bob Costas; on filling in for Larry King on Larry King Live

On covering NBC Football

On how the business of televised sports has changed; on how his style affects telling the story of sports; on the importance of new media platforms

Shows

Larry King Live

Bob Costas on filling in for Larry King on Larry King Live

00:49

Later with Bob Costas

Bob Costas on Dick Ebersol wanting Costas for a late night show, Later with Bob Costas

00:26

Bob Costas on interviewing guests on Later with Bob Costas

02:35

Bob Costas on an amazing story guest Anthony Quinn told on Later with Bob Costas

03:38

Bob Costas on the charm of Later with Bob Costas and guests who wanted to be on the show

05:04

Olympics

Bob Costas on hosting the Olympics

00:45

Bob Costas the first time he served as prime-time host of the Olympics - 1992 in Barcelona; on how he approaches hosting

05:23

Bob Costas on covering the Olympics and why it's so captivating; on the tone of the Games and the Centennial Park bombing at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics

09:15

Bob Costas on the 2000 Sydney Olympics

01:34

Bob Costas on the 2004 Athens Olympics

00:42

Bob Costas on the response he gets to his Olympic coverage; on the dynamics of international sports

05:53

Bob Costas on decisions Dick Ebersol has to make as producer of The Olympics

01:11

On the Record with Bob Costas

Bob Costas on hosting On the Record with Bob Costas

04:48

Today

Bob Costas on filling in on Today

00:19

Topics

Coverage

Bob Costas on covering the Olympics and why it's so captivating; on the tone of the Games and the Centennial Park bombing at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics

09:15

Bob Costas on the 2000 Sydney Olympics

01:34

Bob Costas on the 2004 Athens Olympics

00:42

Bob Costas on the response he gets to his Olympic coverage; on the dynamics of international sports

05:53

Bob Costas on decisions Dick Ebersol has to make as producer of The Olympics

01:11

Bob Costas on how his style affects telling the story of sports

01:46

Memorable Moments on Television

Bob Costas on covering the 1986 World Series when the Red Sox almost beat the curse, and the Red Sox finally beating it in 2004

02:35

Bob Costas on Kirk Gibson hitting the home-run off Dennis Eckersley in the 1988 World Series

01:36

Bob Costas on the Centennial Park bombing at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics

01:54

Olympic Games

Bob Costas on the first time he served as prime-time host of the Olympics - 1992 in Barcelona and how he approaches hosting

05:23

Bob Costas on covering the Olympics and why it's so captivating; on the tone of the Games and the Centennial Park bombing at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics

09:15

Bob Costas on the 2000 Sydney Olympics

01:34

Bob Costas on the 2004 Athens Olympics

00:42

Bob Costas on the response he gets to his Olympic coverage; on the dynamics of international sports

05:53

Bob Costas on decisions Dick Ebersol has to make as producer of The Olympics

01:11

Sports

Bob Costas on covering the 1986 World Series when the Red Sox almost beat the curse, and the Red Sox finally beating it in 2004

02:35

Bob Costas on covering the 1982 World Series and the 1984 "Sandberg game"

01:19

Bob Costas on Kirk Gibson hitting the home-run off Dennis Eckersley in the 1988 World Series

01:36

Bob Costas on the first time he served as prime-time host of the Olympics - 1992 in Barcelona and how he approaches hosting

05:23

Bob Costas on covering the Olympics and why it's so captivating; on the tone of the Games and the Centennial Park bombing at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics

09:15

Bob Costas on the 2000 Sydney Olympics

01:34

Bob Costas on the 2004 Athens Olympics

00:42

Bob Costas on the response he gets to his Olympic coverage; on the dynamics of international sports

05:53

Bob Costas on decisions Dick Ebersol has to make as producer of The Olympics

01:11

Bob Costas on hosting On the Record with Bob Costas

04:48

Bob Costas on how his style affects telling the story of sports

01:46

Bob Costas on how the business of televised sports has changed

01:29

Television Industry

Bob Costas on how the business of televised sports has changed

01:29

World Series

Bob Costas on covering the 1986 World Series when the Red Sox almost beat the curse, and the Red Sox finally beating it in 2004

02:35

Bob Costas on covering the 1982 World Series and the 1984 "Sandberg game"

01:19

Bob Costas on Kirk Gibson hitting the home-run off Dennis Eckersley in the 1988 World Series

01:36

Professions

Hosts

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Bob Costas on how his style affects telling the story of sports

01:46

Sportscaster

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Bob Costas on how he became a television sportscaster

04:34

Bob Costas on how he prepares for a sportscast; on how he calls a game

04:24

Bob Costas on wanting to be a baseball player, then a broadcaster

02:11

Bob Costas on how his style affects telling the story of sports

01:46

Bob Costas on advice to aspiring sportscasters

01:59

Genres

Sports

Bob Costas on how he prepares for a sportscast; on how he calls a game

04:24

Bob Costas on the first time he served as prime-time host of the Olympics - 1992 in Barcelona; on how he approaches hosting

05:23

Bob Costas on covering the Olympics and why it's so captivating, and on the tone of the Games and the Centennial Park bombing at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics

09:15

Bob Costas on the 2000 Sydney Olympics

01:34

Bob Costas on the 2004 Athens Olympics

00:42

Bob Costas on the response he gets to his Olympic coverage and on the dynamics of international sports

05:53

Bob Costas on hosting On the Record with Bob Costas

04:48

Talk Shows

Bob Costas on filling in for Larry King on Larry King Live

00:49

People

Tom Brokaw

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Bob Costas on the Centennial Park bombing at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics

01:54

Robert Duvall

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Bob Costas on the charm of Later with Bob Costas and guests who wanted to be on the show

00:07

Dick Ebersol

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Bob Costas on Dick Ebersol wanting Costas for a late night show, Later with Bob Costas

00:26

Bob Costas on decisions Dick Ebersol has to make as producer of The Olympics

01:11

David Letterman

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Bob Costas on going on David Letterman's show to do elevator races and learning to loosen up on television

01:13

Rosie O'Donnell

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Bob Costas on Rosie O'Donnell, a fellow famous alumnus from his high school

00:37

Don Ohlmeyer

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Bob Costas on Don Ohlmeyer recognizing his talent, but thinking Costas looked very young

03:20

Anthony Quinn

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Bob Costas on an amazing story guest Anthony Quinn told on Later with Bob Costas

03:38

Vin Scully

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Bob Costas on broadcasting for radio versus television and the strengths of Vin Scully and Red Barber

01:13

Bob Costas on Kirk Gibson hitting the home-run off Dennis Eckersley in the 1988 World Series (called by Vin Scully)

01:36