The Second Act…“I put two kids in college last fall. When your job as a parent is practically done, you realize that a phase of your life is coming to an end and another is beginning,” says Jane Pauley, one of the most recognizable newswomen in America, who only a year ago resigned from “one of America’s best jobs” as co-anchor of “Dateline NBC.”

Now, as title host of “The Jane Pauley Show,” the 53-year-old legendary broadcaster will draw on her experiences as a wife and mother as well as her TV background to bring a new voice to daytime talk. This exciting venue will give Pauley an opportunity to express her opinions and explore the next phase of her life with women of her demographic.

Pauley has made her mark on the American media landscape as a reporter of class, integrity, and humor. As soon as Pauley appeared on the “Today” show at age 25, viewers fell in love with the Indiana native who focused on storytelling rather than celebrity and who became a successful TV journalist by remaining true to herself.

Pauley’s popularity is so universal that her new daytime talk show has been pegged by the TV press as one of the “most anticipated new daytime talk shows” of the 2004 TV season. With a record number of TV stations nationwide ready to broadcast the show on premiere date, “The Jane Pauley Show” has made TV history even before its debut. Her show is scheduled to air on 198 TV stations, with the opportunity for 99 percent of the country to sample the premiere on Monday, August 30.

“I look forward to a long-running conversation with women who share many of the same issues I do and who have a lot of life experience,” says Pauley of her new daytime TV audience. “These are women whom I’m interested in. I want to know what they want to do next. The stories I like tend to be about some kind of transformation or an experience in which someone had to grow or learn something new.”

In her 30-year career, Pauley has interviewed thousands of newsmakers from all over the world, including celebrities, politicians, and royalty. But she never chased the “big interviews.” Instead, famous guests -- including Barbara Walters herself -- often sought Jane out, recognizing her sensitivity and her ability to show viewers the real person behind the celebrity.

Pauley was always a model of polish, charm and self-effacing professionalism while co-anchoring “Today” with Tom Brokaw and Bryant Gumbel, and later “Dateline NBC” with Stone Phillips. Her NBC career and numerous hairstyles have become both television and cultural milestones, and it didn’t take long to establish Jane as one of TV’s premier personalities. “I’ve been with NBC for 27 years. I think we’ll agree my career is a miracle,” she once said.

Pauley’s arrival on “Today” in 1976 lifted the show to the #1 position. Pauley became a TV role model for working mothers by having three children during her 13-year “Today” run. Her popularity later helped keep “Dateline NBC” at the #1 spot in the primetime news magazine race for nine years.

Pauley has never been flashy, brassy or controversial. She came a long way from “a little girl from Indiana,” but stayed true to herself in the cutthroat world of network news. She is noted for great interviews and ranks among the top broadcasters with Barbara Walters, Tom Brokaw and Oprah.

“I remember when we hugged goodbye [after the interview],” says Naomi Judd of her interview with Pauley. “I kind of thought, ‘Oh, man! I wish she lived down the road,’ because she’s definitely somebody I’d like to hang out with.”

Cher reveals, “With Jane it was really interesting…you are talking, talking, talking and you go into the interview and nothing actually changes. You know, it’s not like you’re talking, talking and someone fake comes out and starts asking the questions.”

And Bill Cosby admits, “I don’t really know about journalism…I just know Jane had a way of listening to the person she’s interviewing that made me feel very, very comfortable.”

When Pauley first arrived on the national scene back in 1977, she told America, “I am 25 years old today, and some people say that simply is not old enough. Well, I’m inclined to think it makes precious little difference how old I am.”

Pauley has since become one of the most recognized broadcast journalists of her time, and has received multiple Emmy Awards, as well as numerous other awards and honors.

Pauley writes about her life and career in her new autobiography “Skywriting: A Life Out of the Blue,” due in stores nationwide on August 24, 2004 and published by Random House. In her memoir, Pauley explores the theme of change and self-discovery in life. She writes with insight and humor about realizing who people really are, discovering inner strengths and new capabilities, and shaping a life based on deeper self-knowledge. Her daytime talk show will also share many of these insights.

Pauley wrapped her 11th season as co-anchor of “Dateline NBC” in May 2003, ending her run with a 2003 primetime special, “Jane Pauley: Signing Off.” The special attracted more than 10 million viewers, including “Dateline’s” biggest audience of 18-49 year-olds since Pauley’s exclusive interview with Madonna.

Pauley began her NBC career when she joined WMAQ-TV in Chicago. At that time, she was the first woman to co-anchor a weeknight evening newscast in Chicago. She went on to co-host the “Today” show and “Dateline NBC.” She also anchored the Sunday edition of "NBC Nightly News" from January 1980 until April 1982. She hosted “Real Life with Jane Pauley” in 1991, and the MSNBC retrospective program “Time & Again,” from July 1996-2001.

Pauley lives with her husband and three children in New York City.

Credit: whnt.com