Linda Ellerbee

Linda Ellerbee – Life, Career, and Impact

Linda Ellerbee (born August 15, 1944) is a distinguished American journalist, news anchor, producer, and author. Best known for NBC News Overnight and Nick News, her irreverent style, commitment to honest reporting, and work spanning adult and youth news have left a lasting mark.

Introduction

Linda Ellerbee is a journalist whose career has blended serious reporting, wit, and a strong sense of integrity. She became known for her sharp writing and refashioning of news formats, and later pioneered news for children with Nick News. Over more than four decades, she earned awards, influenced generations, and challenged assumptions about how news should speak to audiences young and old.

Early Life and Education

Linda Ellerbee was born Linda Jane Smith on August 15, 1944, in Bryan, Texas. She grew up in Houston, attending River Oaks Elementary, Lanier Middle School, and Lamar High School.

After high school, Ellerbee enrolled at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, but dropped out in 1964. In the years that followed, she traveled and worked various jobs before entering journalism.

Career and Achievements

Early Career & Network Reporting

In the early 1970s, Ellerbee entered journalism via print and local TV. She worked for the Associated Press in Dallas, before becoming a television reporter for KHOU in Houston (1972–1973). Shortly thereafter, she joined WCBS-TV in New York as a general assignment reporter.

Her national breakthrough came when she joined NBC News, serving as Congressional correspondent in Washington (1976–1978). She then co-anchored Weekend (1978–1979) and later co-anchored NBC News Overnight (1982–1984) with Lloyd Dobyns.

NBC News Overnight was particularly celebrated: its writing, tone, and depth earned plaudits. The jurors of the duPont-Columbia Awards called it “possibly the best written and most intelligent news program ever.”

Ellerbee also held roles on shows such as Today, Good Morning America, and Our World (a primetime historical news series on ABC).

Lucky Duck Productions & Nick News

In 1987, Ellerbee and her partner Rolfe Tessem founded Lucky Duck Productions, a company that produces documentary, news, and children’s content.

In 1992, Nick News with Linda Ellerbee premiered on Nickelodeon—a news magazine for children and teens that treated serious issues (war, disease, social justice) in a direct, respectful way. Nick News earned multiple honors—Peabody Awards, duPont-Columbia Awards, and Emmys—for tackling tough subjects without condescension.

Ellerbee remained host and producer of Nick News until 2015, when she retired from television.

The show was revived in 2020 as specials under the Nick News banner.

Style, Philosophy & Impact

Ellerbee is known for:

• A witty, literate, and sharp reporting voice, often blending serious journalism with personality.

• A refusal to talk down to audiences—for example in Nick News, she engaged young people as thoughtful participants rather than passive listeners.

• The signature sign-off “And so it goes”, which became her catchphrase.

• Persistence in breaking barriers for women in journalism, pushing back against sexism, and speaking candidly about workplace challenges.

Her influence lies in how she shaped how news could be told—making complexity accessible without trivializing it, and opening space for younger viewers to engage meaningfully with current affairs.

Challenges & Personal Trials

One of the significant challenges in her life was her battle with breast cancer. In 1992 she was diagnosed and underwent a double mastectomy to preserve her life. She has since spoken publicly about her journey, advocating for awareness, honesty, and patient empowerment.

Major Works & Publications

Ellerbee has written several books, both memoirs and works oriented to younger readers:

• And So It Goes: Adventures in Television (1986) — her first memoir, recounting her years in network news.

• Move On: Adventures in the Real World (1991) — reflections on her life and career beyond television.

• Take Big Bites: Adventures Around the World and Across the Table — memoir and travel book about life, food, and conversation.

• A children’s fiction series Get Real, aimed at middle schoolers, with eight installments.

Legacy & Influence

Linda Ellerbee’s legacy can be seen in multiple dimensions:

• Journalistic innovation: Her work on NBC News Overnight redefined the possibilities of late-night news with intelligence, humor, and critical depth.

• Youth engagement: Through Nick News, she opened a path for serious news programming for children, treating them as citizens with opinions.

• Role model for women in media: Her outspoken stance on fairness, gender equity, and integrity inspired others entering the field.

• Cultural memory: Her signature phrases, style, and distinctive approach continue to be cited by media critics, journalists, and educators.

Even after stepping away from full-time broadcasting, her voice continues through her writing, speaking engagements, and revived efforts in media.