Linda Bell Blue

Producer

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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

About this interview

In her two-hour Archive interview, Linda Bell Blue describes her early interest in television news. She talks of breaking into television in a series of small-market local newscasts, and chronicles her rise to KCBS news in Los Angeles. At KCBS she covered the 1984 Summer Olympics and the Democratic National Convention in San Francisco, and landed an interview with convicted murderer Charles Manson. She recounts her move to Hard Copy, where she covered sensational stories on Michael Jackson and Princess Diana, and comments on stories on which she regrets passing. She then discusses her role as the producer of Entertainment Tonight, where she covered the OJ Simpson trial and Anna Nicole Smith's death, and traveled to the Vatican to cover Tom Hanks and Ron Howard filming "The Da Vinci Code." She outlines her work producing Entertainment Tonight's sister show, The Insider, and offers her advice to aspiring news producers. Amy Harrington conducted the interview on January 22, 2012 in Studio City, CA.

"It's a matter of manipulating the Nielsen meters and being smart enough and consistent enough to hold that second quarter hour, and that brings your ratings up. The teases before the breaks are so important. The minute you go to the break the audience leaves. Research tells us that. So we've just got to get them back."

Highlights

Linda Bell Blue on producing Hard Copy and covering Michael Jackson

01:51

Linda Bell Blue on the format of Entertainment Tonight and keeping the audience tuned in

04:01

Linda Bell Blue on the public's fascination with Michael Jackson and covering the Royal Family

06:50

Linda Bell Blue on covering the OJ Simpson trial for Entertainment Tonight

03:37

Linda Bell Blue on sexism in the television industry

03:44

Full Interview

Chapter 1

On her early life and influences; on her early interest in television news; on her career in small market local news

15:07

On what she learned from producing local news; on her management style; on becoming a local news producer in Los Angeles

12:06

On interviewing Charles Manson for KCBS in Los Angeles; on covering the 1984 Summer Olympics and Democratic Convention; on moving from local news to Hard Copy

17:02

On covering stories on Michael Jackson and Princess Diana; on deciding which stories to pursue; on covering entertainment worldwide for Entertainment Tonight

14:51

Chapter 2

On covering the death of Michael Jackson; on becoming producer of Entertainment Tonight; on the history of Entertainment Tonight and traveling the world to cover stories

13:38

On the format of Entertainment Tonight; on covering "real news" on Entertainment Tonight; on dealing with celebrities and covering the OJ Simpson trial for the show

13:14

On how technological innovation has changed how Entertainment Tonight is produced; on producing The Insider; on covering Anna Nichole Smith for Entertainment Tonight

16:48

On advice to aspiring news producers; on sexism in the television industry; on her then-future (2012)

10:25

Shows

Entertainment Tonight

Linda Bell Blue on the public's fascination with Michael Jackson and covering the Royal Family on Entertainment Tonight

06:50

Linda Bell Blue on star quality and covering entertainment worldwide on Entertainment Tonight

05:25

Linda Bell Blue on covering the death of Michael Jackson for Entertainment Tonight

04:04

Linda Bell Blue on making the transition from Hard Copy to Entertainment Tonight

02:50

Linda Bell Blue on her early years at Entertainment Tonight and changes she brought to the program

02:21

Linda Bell Blue on the history of Entertainment Tonight and traveling the world to cover stories

04:23

Linda Bell Blue on the format of Entertainment Tonight and keeping the audience tuned in

04:01

Linda Bell Blue on making "real news" into entertainment on Entertainment Tonight

00:58

Linda Bell Blue on how ideas go from pitch to actual story on Entertainment Tonight

01:22

Linda Bell Blue on Entertainment Tonight being "celebrity friendly" and George Clooney's boycott

03:16

Linda Bell Blue on covering the OJ Simpson trial for Entertainment Tonight

03:37

Linda Bell Blue on technological advances in the production of Entertainment Tonight

05:05

Linda Bell Blue on producing The Insider as well as Entertainment Tonight

03:26

Linda Bell Blue on the biggest story of her career, covering Anna Nicole Smith for Entertainment Tonight

08:17

Topics

Diversity in Television

Linda Bell Blue on sexism in the television industry

03:44

Fame & Celebrity

Linda Bell Blue on the public's fascination with Michael Jackson and covering the Royal Family

06:50

Linda Bell Blue on interviewing Charles Manson for KCBS in Los Angeles

08:21

Linda Bell Blue on star quality and covering entertainment worldwide

05:25

Linda Bell Blue on covering the death of Michael Jackson

04:04

Linda Bell Blue on the biggest story of her career, covering Anna Nicole Smith for Entertainment Tonight

08:17

Olympic Games

Linda Bell Blue on covering the 1984 Democratic National Convention in San Francisco and the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles

01:38

Sports

Linda Bell Blue on covering the 1984 Democratic National Convention in San Francisco and the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles

01:38

Technological Innovation

Linda Bell Blue on technological advances in the production of Entertainment Tonight

04:45

Television Industry

Linda Bell Blue on the public's fascination with Michael Jackson and covering the Royal Family

06:50

Linda Bell Blue on interviewing Charles Manson for KCBS in Los Angeles

08:22

Linda Bell Blue on star quality and covering entertainment worldwide

05:25

Linda Bell Blue on covering the death of Michael Jackson

04:04

Linda Bell Blue on the biggest story of her career, covering Anna Nicole Smith for Entertainment Tonight

08:17

Women

Linda Bell Blue on sexism in the television industry

03:44

Professions

Journalists & News Producers

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Linda Bell Blue on her management style as a producer

01:27

Linda Bell Blue on the format of Entertainment Tonight and keeping the audience tuned in

04:01

Linda Bell Blue on how ideas go from pitch to actual story on Entertainment Tonight

01:22

Linda Bell Blue on advice to aspiring news producers

04:34

News Producer

View Profession

Linda Bell Blue on her management style as a producer

01:27

Linda Bell Blue on the format of Entertainment Tonight and keeping the audience tuned in

04:01

Linda Bell Blue on how ideas go from pitch to actual story on Entertainment Tonight

01:22

Linda Bell Blue on advice to aspiring news producers

04:34

Genres

News and Documentary

Linda Bell Blue on producing Hard Copy

19:57

Linda Bell Blue on producing Entertainment Tonight

51:48

People

George Clooney

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Linda Bell Blue on Entertainment Tonight being "celebrity friendly" and George Clooney's boycott

03:16

Farrah Fawcett

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Linda Bell Blue on star quality and covering entertainment worldwide

05:25

Mary Hart

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Linda Bell Blue on making the transition from Hard Copy to Entertainment Tonight

02:50

Michael Jackson

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Linda Bell Blue on producing Hard Copy and covering Michael Jackson

01:51

Linda Bell Blue on the public's fascination with Michael Jackson and covering the Royal Family

06:50

Linda Bell Blue on star quality and covering entertainment worldwide

05:25

O. J. Simpson

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Linda Bell Blue on covering the OJ Simpson trial for Entertainment Tonight

03:37