Born and raised in New York City, John LiBretto began his production career as his school’s radio announcer while attending CW Post College. Upon graduation in 1968, LiBretto started his 44-year employment at NBC, securing a job in their Broadcast Operations Department, quickly working his way up to director of facilities planning. Not certain that he wanted to follow the executive path, LiBretto opted to delve into the world of production in 1975, first as a summer relief Stage Manager, and then as a permanent staff Stage Manager working on Another World and The Today Show. NBC’s creation of a sophisticated broadcast operations control system in 1975 provided him the opportunity to associate direct.
As an NBC Associate Director, John LiBretto was most notably the lead AD on Another World from 1975 to 1981, and began his 15-year association with NBC Sports. As an NBC Director (1981-2014), LiBretto has worked for NBC Sports, directing all major team sports, in addition to directing five Summer Olympics; and for NBC News, directing The Today Show, Dateline NBC, and NBC Nightly News, among other political and world events including election coverage and inaugurations.
For his work, LiBretto has received 5 Emmy Awards in both News and Sports, and a Peabody Award for his work at NBC News. He is currently serving a second term as the Guild’s 6th Vice President, and to date has served a total of 18 years in various Guild offices, including six terms as an Alternate to the Eastern Directors Council, and two terms as a Council Member. LiBretto also chaired the 2013 Network Negotiation Committee, having been a member of the 2005, 2008 and 2010 committees, and was a member of the Lifetime Achievement in Sports Direction Committee from 1993 to 1995 and the Awards Dinner Committee from 1994 to 1996.