Annette O’Toole, Michael McKean & Holly Robinson Peete to Host Sessions
Click Here to Purchase Tickets; Part of Proceeds will Be Donated to National Domestic Violence Hotline
September 18, 2025 – Dateline NBC today unveiled the full lineup for Dateline Live, its inaugural event taking place September 28 in Nashville. The program will feature panel discussions, interviews with individuals who have shared their stories on Dateline, audience Q&As, and a special VIP reception with the Dateline team.
Click here to purchase tickets. Part of the proceeds will be donated to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
Actors Annette O’Toole, Michael McKean will co-host the first session, True Crime, True Impact, at 5 p.m. CT. Actor Holly Robinson Peete will host the second session, Dateline Confidential.
For the first time all together, anchor Lester Holt and correspondents Blayne Alexander, Andrea Canning, Josh Mankiewicz, Keith Morrison, and Dennis Murphy will take the stage at The Pinnacle, a brand-new, state-of-the-art venue in the heart of “Music City,” for both of the sessions.
Session One: True Crime, True Impact – Hosted by O’Toole & McKean
Highlights the experiences of those involved in the cases ‘Dateline’ has covered: the victims, their families, and the ‘Dateline’ correspondents who carry their stories with them. ’Talking Dateline’ and ‘After the Verdict’ panels are live extensions of the ‘Dateline’ podcast franchises.
Panels will include:
- Talking Dateline
Holt, Alexander, Canning, Mankiewicz, Morrison and Murphy discuss sitting down with the victims’ families, law enforcement, and sometimes even the killers themselves.
- After the Verdict: Sheila Wysocki and Yvonne Pointer
Mankiewicz sits down with Wysocki and Pointer to discuss how unimaginable personal tragedies propelled them into lifelong missions for justice. After her college roommate’s murder, Wysocki became a private investigator dedicated to solving cold cases. Following the murder of her daughter in 1984, Pointer emerged as a nationally recognized anti-violence activist and author, turning her grief into a powerful force for change.
- After The Verdict: Tina Gregg and Katie Ray-Jones
Canning speaks with Gregg, whose daughter Brooke was murdered by an ex-boyfriend, about how her loss inspired her to become a victims’ rights advocate in Tennessee. Joining the conversation, National Domestic Violence Hotline CEO Ray-Jones sheds light on the root cause at the heart of so many tragedies: domestic violence.
Session Two: Dateline Confidential – Hosted by Peete
This session pulls back the curtain on how our most unforgettable stories come together. From tracking down key sources, to navigating twists no one saw coming, to the detectives who break cold cases, this behind-the-scenes look reveals the secrets, surprises, and relentless reporting that go into every episode. ’Talking Dateline’ and ‘After the Verdict’ panels are live extensions of the ‘Dateline’ podcast franchises.
Panels to include:
- Talking Dateline
Holt, Alexander, Canning, Mankiewicz, Morrison and Murphy discuss their individual storytelling approach and how Dateline episodes comes together.
- Eyewitness Identification
Holt interviews Dr. Jennifer Dysart, Associate Professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and an expert on eyewitness identification
- After the Verdict: Nash Gurule and Eric Barnes
Investigator Nash Gurule and Detective Eric Barnes speak to Alexander and Mankiewicz about the techniques they use to crack cases.
- The Center of the Storm
Morrison interviews Colby Ryan, son of convicted killer Lori Vallow Daybell, about what it’s like living in the public eye after the horrific crimes committed by his mother.
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About Dateline NBC
Dateline NBC is the longest-running series in NBC primetime history and is in its 33rd season. Dateline is anchored by Lester Holt and features correspondents Blayne Alexander, Andrea Canning, Josh Mankiewicz, Keith Morrison and Dennis Murphy. Airing Fridays at 9/8c, Dateline also airs across NBC, cable and in broadcast syndication, with hundreds of hours available to stream on the global Dateline 24/7 channel. Dateline 24/7 can be viewed and/or listened to on Peacock, Roku, YouTube, Samsung TV Plus, Tubi, Pluto TV, Local Now, Xfinity, Amazon Fire TV Channels and Prime Video, TuneIn, Xumo, TCLTV+ and SiriusXM. Additionally, the newsmagazine reaches millions through its #1 podcasts and its showcast. Liz Cole is the senior executive producer and Paul Ryan is the executive producer.
For more information:
Dominique Donahue
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