Although the actual recording of the Bill Bowen/WT telephone conversation may not in itself be illegal in either the State of Kentucky or New York, the BROADCAST of it on national television across the United States may be subject to other legalites.
One legality could be the fact that the broadcast of the recorded telephone conversation crossed many state lines, into states where secretly recording telephone conversations in any way is illegal. Or into a state where the broadcast of a secretly recorded telephone conversation it illegal.
Also, if clips of the conversation were played out of context or in such an order so as to misrepresent the facts of the actual conversation, that may also be subject to legalites.
This all varies from state to state.
When a crime crosses a state line/boarder into another state, it can then become a felony.
Whatever the case, you can be sure the the WT Legal Department and the Dateline attorneys are on top of anything that may be a cause for legal action.