During the early 1980's, NBC viewers could stay tuned after "Late Night with David Letterman" to enjoy one of the most unique newscasts on American television. Anchored by Lloyd Dobyns (later replaced by Bill Schechner) and Linda Ellerbee, "NBC News Overnight" was American television's first full length late night newscast; and, it was a newscast with a difference. Dobyns and Ellerbee presented the news in a tongue-in-cheek manner. The program had a sense of humor. In addition to the national headlines, this newscast presented some of the most unusual and quirky human interest stories on television.Why was this newscast ultimately taken off the air? During the early 1980's, most television stations went off the air at around one in the morning; so, most people were not in the habit of staying up for an extra hour after Letterman's show to watch more television. At the time, there were no other late night newscasts; and, there were definitely no newscasts which broadcast throughout the overnight hours. In short, this newscast was an experiment; and, it was probably too far ahead of its time.Those who managed to stay awake long enough to watch the news program will remember it fondly. The show's small number of fans will remember the show's warmth, humor, and intelligence. Its legacy lives on with other late night newscasts, including "ABC World News Now" (which followed in the footsteps of "Overnight"). And, so it goes!

I'm sure the only people watching this show were college students, but we needed it. All around were the media lapdogs of the Reagan Administration, passing off absurdities as though they were normal. Only Ellerbee and her colleagues got on national TV and said, "Do they really expect us to believe that garbage?" That it was at 2:30 a.m. made it all the more real.That the news show was short-lived was inevitable. But for a short time, while we were going without sleep, we believed a dissenting voice might be possible.And so it goes....

This show held me together; I'm a videomaker/writer with leftist leanings - and for me this was ground-breaking, one of those moments when everything comes together. It was my peak experience in television - I wish there were reporters and shows like this today. We were all saddened to see it end.One of the elements I liked so much - the apparent neutrality of the imaging - there were segments without voice-over at all. You'd end up crying watching some sort of truth emerge from the screen. We knew it wouldn't last of course...I wish she'd return...

If only we had a news show like this today! NBC Overnight circled the globe with footage of what was going on at every hot spot. It went on at length about what all was REALLY going on there. Even for its time, it was amazing that they were allowed to be that honest. I can't imagine a major network showing us those sorts of things today. Perhaps WE CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!!!!Cost me some credits in college. I'd stay up way too late watching the blasted thing. I couldn't turn away.