Lloyd Dobyns
Encyclopedia
Lloyd Allen Dobyns, Jr. born March 12, 1936 (age 75) is a former NBC
news reporter and correspondent.
Born in Newport News, Virginia
, he graduated from Washington and Lee University
in 1957. He started his broadcasting career in his hometown, eventually serving as an anchor at WAVY television in Portsmouth/Norfolk
/Newport News in the 1960s.
He was with NBC from 1969 to 1986. In 1980 he was a reporter on the successful TV documentary, If Japan can... Why can't we?
about the reasons Japan was a manufacturing powerhouse as US industry struggled to keep up. He hosted Weekend
from 1974 to 1979 and NBC News Overnight
with Linda Ellerbee
(1982-83) before being replaced by Bill Schechner. In 1983, he was the anchor of NBC's short-lived, hour-long Monitor
.
Next, he got involved in the Total Quality Management
movement, partnering with W. Edwards Deming
. Later he worked at the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot newspaper and taught journalism at Jacksonville State University
in Jacksonville
, Alabama
where he became the Ayers Chair in the Department of Communication’s broadcast division.
In 2005, Dobyns began producing podcast
s for Colonial Williamsburg
, interviewing various staff members about their particular specialty at the restored colonial capital of Virginia.Colonial Williamsburg podcasts with Lloyd Dobyns
. In presenting a 1975 award to Weekend, the Peabody committee noted that, "Felicity of style and polished journalistic professionalism are the distinctive wellsprings at the source of 'Weekend', produced and written for NBC by Reuven Frank
and Lloyd Dobyns. A once-a-month magazine of television, inquiring into the off-trail, 'Weekend' is hereby honored not only for its content, but also as an instructive example of how the language can be employed with grace and precision."
Dobyns' work has also earned a DuPont-Columbia Award
, a 1982 Humanitas Prize
and two Christophers
.
He became a member of the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame in 2003.
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
news reporter and correspondent.
Born in Newport News, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, he graduated from Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University is a private liberal arts college in Lexington, Virginia, United States.The classical school from which Washington and Lee descended was established in 1749 as Augusta Academy, about north of its present location. In 1776 it was renamed Liberty Hall in a burst of...
in 1957. He started his broadcasting career in his hometown, eventually serving as an anchor at WAVY television in Portsmouth/Norfolk
Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the city had a total population of 95,535.The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard, is a historic and active U.S...
/Newport News in the 1960s.
He was with NBC from 1969 to 1986. In 1980 he was a reporter on the successful TV documentary, If Japan can... Why can't we?
If Japan can... Why can't we?
If Japan can... Why can't we? was an American television episode broadcast by NBC News as part of the television show "NBC White Paper" on June 24th, 1980, credited with beginning the Quality Revolution and introducing the methods of W...
about the reasons Japan was a manufacturing powerhouse as US industry struggled to keep up. He hosted Weekend
Weekend (news program)
Weekend was a television newsmagazine that ran on NBC from 1974 to 1979. It was originally aired in the same time slot as Saturday Night Live, rotating in on those weekends when the SNL cast was not producing a show, which averaged about once per month...
from 1974 to 1979 and NBC News Overnight
NBC News Overnight
NBC News Overnight was a television news program on the NBC television network airing weekday mornings from 1:30 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. from July 5, 1982 to December 3, 1983 for 367 telecasts...
with Linda Ellerbee
Linda Ellerbee
Linda Ellerbee is an American journalist who is most known for several jobs at NBC News, including Washington, DC correspondent, host of the Nickelodeon network's Nick News, and reporter and co-anchor of NBC News Overnight, which was recognized by the jurors of the duPont Columbia Awards as...
(1982-83) before being replaced by Bill Schechner. In 1983, he was the anchor of NBC's short-lived, hour-long Monitor
Monitor (TV)
Monitor was an NBC newsmagazine series in 1983. NBC News created this series as a platform to possibly equal the success of CBS's 60 Minutes....
.
Next, he got involved in the Total Quality Management
Total Quality Management
Total quality management or TQM is an integrative philosophy of management for continuously improving the quality of products and processes....
movement, partnering with W. Edwards Deming
W. Edwards Deming
William Edwards Deming was an American statistician, professor, author, lecturer and consultant. He is perhaps best known for his work in Japan...
. Later he worked at the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot newspaper and taught journalism at Jacksonville State University
Jacksonville State University
Jacksonville State University is a regional public coeducational university located in Jacksonville, Alabama, USA. Founded in 1883, Jacksonville State offers programs of study in four academic units leading to Bachelor's, Master's, and Education Specialist degrees, in addition to continuing and...
in Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Alabama
Jacksonville is a city in Calhoun County, Alabama, United States. which is a 49% increase since 2000. It is included in the Anniston-Oxford Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
where he became the Ayers Chair in the Department of Communication’s broadcast division.
In 2005, Dobyns began producing podcast
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
s for Colonial Williamsburg
Colonial Williamsburg
Colonial Williamsburg is the private foundation representing the historic district of the city of Williamsburg, Virginia, USA. The district includes buildings dating from 1699 to 1780 which made colonial Virginia's capital. The capital straddled the boundary of the original shires of Virginia —...
, interviewing various staff members about their particular specialty at the restored colonial capital of Virginia.Colonial Williamsburg podcasts with Lloyd Dobyns
Awards
Dobyns has won 28 national awards including a George Foster Peabody medalPeabody Award
The George Foster Peabody Awards recognize distinguished and meritorious public service by radio and television stations, networks, producing organizations and individuals. In 1939, the National Association of Broadcasters formed a committee to recognize outstanding achievement in radio broadcasting...
. In presenting a 1975 award to Weekend, the Peabody committee noted that, "Felicity of style and polished journalistic professionalism are the distinctive wellsprings at the source of 'Weekend', produced and written for NBC by Reuven Frank
Reuven Frank
Reuven Frank was an American broadcast news pioneer.Born in Montreal, Quebec, Israel Reuven Frank earned a bachelor's degree at City College of New York and a graduate degree in journalism from Columbia University...
and Lloyd Dobyns. A once-a-month magazine of television, inquiring into the off-trail, 'Weekend' is hereby honored not only for its content, but also as an instructive example of how the language can be employed with grace and precision."
Dobyns' work has also earned a DuPont-Columbia Award
DuPont-Columbia Award
The Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award is an American award that honors excellence in broadcast journalism. The awards, administered since 1968 by the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York City, are considered a broadcast equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize, another...
, a 1982 Humanitas Prize
Humanitas Prize
The Humanitas Prize is an award for film and television writing intended to promote human dignity, meaning, and freedom. It began in 1974 with Father Ellwood "Bud" Kieser — also the founder of Paulist Productions — but is generally not seen as specifically directed toward religious...
and two Christophers
Christopher Award
The Christopher Award is presented to the producers, directors, and writers of books, motion pictures and television specials that "affirm the highest values of the human spirit"...
.
He became a member of the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame in 2003.
Books
Lloyd Dobyns co-authored two books with Clare Crawford-Mason:- Quality or Else: The Revolution in World Business ISBN 039563749X
- Thinking About Quality: Progress, Wisdom, and the Deming Philosophy ISBN 0788169890