Betty Cole Dukert

Producer

"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."

About This Interview

Betty Cole Dukert was interviewed for four-and-a-half hours in Bethesda, MD. Dukert spoke of her early interest in journalism and her brief production experience in local radio and television. She spoke in great detail about her tenure at Meet the Press, which spanned five decades, for which she ultimately served as executive producer. Dukert offered a history of the show from its earliest years as well as discussing her personal experiences behind-the-scenes. She chronicled her overseas trips, guests who appeared on the show, and the relationship between the series and the world’s political leaders. Additionally, she described the working methods of the moderators who served on the show during her years including: Ned Brooks, Lawrence Spivak, Bill Monroe, Marvin Kalb, Roger Mudd, Chris Wallace, Garrick Utley, and Tim Russert. The interview was conducted by Karen Herman on October 14, 2003.