NBC’s ‘Dateline’ adds Blayne Alexander to its true crime crew

As a fervent admirer of journalism and true crime narratives, I find myself captivated by the remarkable journey of NBC News correspondent Blayne Alexander. Her return from maternity leave this week to take on a full-time role on “Dateline” is not just a professional milestone, but a testament to her unwavering dedication and versatility as a journalist.

NBC News reporter, Blayne Alexander, is coming back from her parental leave this week to take up a permanent position on “Dateline,” the enduring and apparently omnipresent true crime show from the network.

Has she prepared herself for the world of yellow crime-scene tape and mourning family members that comes with her upcoming task, following the happiness of welcoming her second daughter?

Alexander stated during a phone conversation from her residence in Atlanta, “The news isn’t all about rainbows and butterflies, if you know what I mean.” She continued, “The advantage here is that we have the opportunity to delve deeply into these stories, providing them with the attention they truly need.

The demand for true crime content has skyrocketed with the rise of numerous streaming platforms and podcasts specializing in this genre over the past decade. However, NBC’s “Dateline,” now in its 33rd season, continues to stand out among the competition due to the engaging personalities of its hosts.

Listening to Keith Morrison’s soothing voice or noticing Josh Mankiewicz’s skeptical look offers a reassuring sense of familiarity for viewers, as they embark on a harrowing journey into the darkest moments of an individual’s life, which unfolds over a span of two hours.

Alexander’s debut marks the first shift in the lineup for the show since Natalie Morales departed in 2021. He is now part of one of television’s most consistent teams of correspondents. Morrison, Mankiewicz, and Dennis Murphy have been with “Dateline” since its transformation into a multitopic newsmagazine in the mid-1990s. Andrea Canning joined the team in 2012.

Alexander, 38, who has been with NBC News since 2019 and has consistently produced reports for its affiliate news service and network, will experience a significant career advancement. This promotion is well-deserved for the seasoned journalist, known for his dedication as a “Dateline” enthusiast. He secured this permanent position following the successful completion of two episodes, which garnered positive feedback from the show’s socially active audience, as confirmed by NBC News Studios President Liz Cole.

Alexander, with experience in reporting on topics like presidential elections and hurricanes, embraces the shift towards a new rhythm.

Usually in news reporting, you only have about 10 minutes to speak with someone,” Alexander explained. “It’s rare to engage in extended conversations. However, when creating these stories, we conduct interviews that can last up to several hours, allowing us to establish a meaningful rapport with the person on the other side of the table.

As a movie lover keeping tabs on the latest happenings, I grasped the delicate essence of the correspondent’s position within the show. In anticipation of her debut episode airing in October 2023, she reached out to the victim’s family members privately via text messages, expressing my gratitude for their collaboration and support.

She noted that it’s not overlooked by us the significant amount of trust these families have placed in us, by sharing their personal stories with us.

Being a correspondent for “Dateline” means Alexander’s work will be seen for years.

Though “Dateline” remains a regular feature on NBC’s Friday night schedule, its worth has significantly grown given the rise of streaming services. Once an individual is featured on “Dateline” for murdering their spouse, such cases are seldom forgotten quickly.

In the 2023-24 television season, viewers tuned in to a total of 137.6 billion minutes of “Dateline,” making it the most popular true crime series, with a 15% increase compared to the previous year as reported by Nielsen data. Once an episode has been broadcast twice on NBC, it is distributed across various platforms. Previous seasons can be streamed on NBCUniversal’s platform, Peacock. Additionally, reruns are shown daily on local TV stations and cable networks, accumulating up to 120 hours of programming per week.

I’m part of the team responsible for recreating these captivating tales, specifically for two spin-off shows, “Dateline: Unforgettable” and “Dateline: The Smoking Gun.” These compelling true crime narratives are aired on NBCUniversal’s dedicated channel, Oxygen.

In the year 2021, NBCUniversal debuted their “Dateline 24/7” advertisement-funded streaming service across various platforms like Tubi, Pluto, Roku, and several free viewing sites. Here, viewers can immerse themselves in consecutive episodes of the series without interruption.

The news show “Dateline” has gained popularity in the podcast industry, having been downloaded approximately 300 million times over the past year, according to Simplecast. The program has created a dozen original podcast series and debuted “Dateline: True Crime Weekly” with Canning as host in May.

Alexander won’t step in as a substitute for any of our long-standing correspondents during this season. Instead, all of them are set to return.

Paul Ryan, ‘Dateline’ executive producer, expressed that they aim to provide something extra and offer a fresh viewpoint. In essence, they are considering what lies ahead, but their goal is to keep things going as long as everyone is content with the current situation.

Alexander found “Dateline” appealing due to its strong journalistic integrity. In contrast to numerous other true crime shows, “Dateline” relies exclusively on individuals involved in the case, such as law enforcement personnel, witnesses, and relatives of victims. There are no staged reenactments or outside analysts offering their opinions.

According to Alexander, who hails from Oklahoma City and studied at Duke University, this is news journalism, but it’s the art of storytelling that truly takes center stage. Essentially, we’re guiding our viewers on a captivating two-hour voyage, which makes these stories compelling to watch.

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2024-10-08 15:31