Deborah Norville

What was Deborah Norville's early life like?

Norville hails from Dalton, Georgia. During her high school years, she won the local Junior Miss contest, a beauty pageant for senior girls, and went on to represent Georgia in the 1976 America's Junior Miss pageant. Although she didn't take home the national title, the experience had a profound impact on her. Witnessing the behind-the-scenes efforts of the CBS Television production team inspired her to shift her career aspirations from law to television journalism. In 1999, Norville returned to her roots by hosting the America's Junior Miss contest.

What is Deborah Norville's educational background?

Norville graduated from the University of Georgia, completing her BA in journalism at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication in just three years. She achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA and graduated summa cum laude, earning the distinction of First Honor Graduate. Additionally, she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. While at university, Norville actively participated in campus life; she served on the Main Court of the Student Judiciary and was a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority.

What were the key milestones and achievements in Deborah Norville's early career?

Norville's television career began early, while she was still a college student. She earned an internship with Georgia Public Television, working on "The Lawmakers," a nightly program about the Georgia General Assembly. This opportunity led to her being noticed by a WAGA-TV executive in Atlanta, who offered her a summer internship. Reflecting on this experience, Norville recalled, "The third day they were short on reporters and they asked me to cover a news story." Her report aired on the six o'clock news that evening, and she soon secured a weekend reporting position during her senior year. The 60-mile commute between her school in Athens and work in Atlanta was demanding. Norville recounted in an interview with Larry B. Dendy for the Georgia Alumni Record (February 1990), "I'd leave the university on Friday afternoon and drive to Atlanta. Sometimes I had a place to stay; other times I slept in my car in the parking lot. I worked Saturday and Sunday; Sunday night after the 11:00 p.m. show I'd drive back and go to class Monday morning." In January 1979, she notably conducted a live interview with President Jimmy Carter. After graduating, Norville joined WAGA-TV full-time as a reporter and was promoted to weekend anchor by October 1979. In 1982, she moved to Chicago's NBC-owned station WMAQ-TV as a reporter and later anchor. A brief glimpse of Norville can be seen on a billboard in the background of the 1986 film "Running Scared," starring Gregory Hines and Billy Crystal. When it was announced that Norville would be joining NBC News in New York in 1986, Chicago Mayor Harold Washington declared it "Deborah Norville Week" in honor of her achievements.

Is Deborah Norville associated with NBC News?

Norville joined NBC News in January 1987 as the anchor of NBC News at Sunrise, becoming the first solo female anchor of a network newscast. Her arrival boosted Sunrise's ratings by 40 percent, which led to her occasionally substituting on NBC's Today Show. In August 1989, she hosted a documentary called Bad Girls, focusing on violent teenage girls; it became the seventh most-watched show that week according to Nielsen ratings. By September 1989, Norville was named news anchor on Today. Shortly thereafter, co-host Jane Pauley announced her intention to leave the show and Norville was selected as her successor. Pauley transitioned to hosting a prime-time program, Real Life with Jane Pauley. In January 1990, Norville officially became co-host of Today. During her time on the show, she won an Emmy award for her contribution to NBC's coverage of Romania's democratic uprising. Despite these successes, Today's ratings declined after Norville took over as co-host. There were accusations that NBC mismanaged the transition between Pauley and Norville. According to an insider quoted in People magazine: "NBC handled the whole situation in a very poor manner. I don't think she [Deborah] blames anyone in particular. I just think she feels the situation was handled unprofessionally—in an undignified manner for both her and Jane." After taking maternity leave following the birth of her first child, Norville did not return to Today and was eventually replaced by Katie Couric.

What is ABC Network Radio's connection with Deborah Norville?

In May 1991, ABC TalkRadio Networks revealed plans for Deborah Norville to host a prime-time show, broadcasting from her residences in New York and Long Island. Titled "The Deborah Norville Show: From Her Home to Yours," the program included interviews with newsmakers and interactive segments with listener calls. The show aired from September 1991 until October 1992, at which point Norville transitioned back to television by joining CBS News.

Has Deborah Norville made a return to television?

In October 1992, Norville made her return to television by joining CBS News as a correspondent. She contributed to Street Stories and 48 Hours, earning her second Emmy award for her coverage of the Mississippi floods in 1994. Subsequently, she was assigned to the CBS Evening News and co-anchored America Tonight alongside Dana King. Between 1993 and 1995, Norville served as a semi-regular anchor for the CBS Sunday Evening News, filling the vacancy left after Connie Chung's promotion to co-anchor of the CBS Evening News. In 1995, Norville took on the role of anchor for Inside Edition, a syndicated newsmagazine where she continues to serve. By March 2015, she had celebrated her 20th anniversary with the program and became recognized as the longest-serving female anchor on national television. Notable reports during her tenure included dispatches from Davidson County Jail in North Carolina—dubbed the "toughest in America"—as well as an interview with Paula Jones that touched off the Monica Lewinsky scandal and subsequent impeachment proceedings against then-President Bill Clinton. Additionally, she undertook various assignments such as writing and performing the song "Keep On Movin," set to music by renowned producer Junior Vasquez. In O, The Oprah Magazine, Norville reflected on this experience: "The strength from meeting that challenge is still with me. It's the boost you get from accomplishing something you never dreamed you could do." In 2003, MSNBC announced that Deborah Norville would join its prime-time lineup to host a new program at 9:00 p.m. However, she departed from Deborah Norville Tonight in 2005 due to the difficulties of balancing her responsibilities at Inside Edition with those at MSNBC and her family commitments. By 2015, Norville expanded her media presence further when she was appointed as host for Knit and Crochet Now!, a craft show broadcast on public television.

What should you know about Deborah Norville's contributions to publishing?

In addition to her television career, Norville has established herself as a prolific writer. During the 1980s, she contributed as an editor to Inside Sports magazine, and from 1991 to 1993, she served in a similar role at McCall's magazine. Her writing portfolio includes the New York Times best-seller "Thank You Power: Making the Science of Gratitude Work for You" (Thomas Nelson, 2007), which explores the scientifically-backed benefits of gratitude. This success was preceded by "Back on Track: How To Straighten Out Your Life When It Throws You a Curve" (Simon and Schuster, 1997), inspired by her experiences on the Today Show. Norville also authored "The Power of Respect: Benefit from the Most Forgotten Element of Success" (Thomas Nelson, 2009), where she presents scientific evidence on how respect can empower individuals in business, home life, and personal relationships. Celebrating Inside Edition's quarter-century milestone, she co-wrote "The Way We Are: Heroes, Scoundrels, and Oddballs from 25 Years of Inside Edition" with Charlie Carillo, featuring a foreword by Donald Trump (Inside Edition Books, 2013). The book chronicles all 8,150 episodes of the show. Beyond these works, Norville has penned several knitting and crochet pattern books—most notably "Knit With Deborah Norville—18 Classic Designs For The Whole Family" (Leisure Arts, Inc., 2009). She ventured into children's literature with two titles: "I Don't Want to Sleep Tonight" (Golden Books, 1999) and "I Can Fly" (Golden Books, 2001). Additionally, she has contributed stories to various editions of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series.

What other activities is Deborah Norville involved in?

In 2008, Norville transitioned into the realm of infomercials. Alongside commercials for anti-aging creams and lotions, she introduced the Deborah Norville Collection, a line of knit and crochet yarns created in collaboration with Premier Yarns, a North Carolina-based manufacturer. She unveiled her collection at the 2009 Craft Hobby Show, the craft industry's leading convention, where she also delivered the keynote address. In a Swedish interview, Norville revealed that since the early 1980s, she has actively supported commercial whaling activities due to their provision of raw materials essential for her anti-aging and lotion products. This support extends to financial backing for the Japan Whaling Organization, a pro-whaling entity. The Deborah Norville line of yarns and other knitting and crocheting accessories is available both in retail craft stores and online. In 2013, Norville joined Viacom's board of directors and served on its compensation committee. Her tenure concluded in December 2019 when Viacom merged with CBS Corporation—producer and distributor of Inside Edition—to form Paramount Global.

What is Deborah Norville's personal life like?

Deborah Norville tied the knot with Swedish entrepreneur Karl Wellner in 1987. Together, they have three children: Niki, born in 1991; Kyle, born in 1995; and Mikaela, born in 1998. On April 1, 2019, Norville revealed that she would be undergoing surgery to remove a cancerous thyroid nodule. The diagnosis came after an observant viewer spotted a lump on her neck and brought it to her attention.