NPR boots Morning Edition host

The St. Petersburg Times ^ | 3/24/2004 | Associated Press

[dawn53]

NEW YORK - National Public Radio has bounced Bob Edwards, host of Morning Edition since its inception in 1979, out of his job.

The radio network announced Tuesday that Edwards, 56, will become senior correspondent of NPR News at the end of April, with his reports being heard on various broadcasts.

Edwards said he was disappointed by the move, particularly that he won't be the host when the program celebrates its 25th anniversary in November.

"You have to figure it's going to happen someday and you get out before they do it," he said. "But I failed."

Edwards said he was not given a specific reason for his ouster. "It's the old "move the program in a new direction.' There was no Janet Jackson incident," he said.

Spokeswoman Laura Gross said NPR's programming and news management made the change because it is trying to refresh all the network's broadcasts.

"It's part of a natural evolution," she said. "A new host will bring new ideas and perspectives to the show. Bob's voice will still be heard; he'll still be a tremendous influence on the show. We just felt it was time for a change."

NPR's Steve Inskeep and Renee Montagne will serve as interim co-hosts starting in May, until a permanent successor to Edwards is named.

Morning Edition is second to Rush Limbaugh's syndicated program as the most-listened-to national radio show.

NPR estimated Edwards has conducted 20,000 interviews during his years on the show. Edwards joined NPR in 1974, the network's third year of existence.

The network also announced that two-time Pulitzer Prize winner William K. Marimow, former editor of the Sun of Baltimore, will join NPR in a new position, managing editor for NPR News.

[Last modified March 24, 2004, 01:35:51]

[em2vn]

Juan is good. He is fair voice on NPR and Fox. It is great to watch Fred Barnes or Charles Krauthammer(sp),on the Fox All Stars, deflate Mara's sometimes silly take on the world's events.
I would love to heard either Fred or Charles on NPR on a regular basis. Talk about e-mail and hate mail. The left fringe would start burning down their own radio stations.

[middie]

That fallacious dogma of the doctrinaire anti-intellectual cabal of the Limbaugh, Hannity and Laura (whats-her-name, the lawyer) and their local clones who serve their agenda by constantly slamming NPR and its comprehensive news reporting methodology.

[em2vn]

Juan is good. He is a fair voice on NPR and Fox. It is great to watch Fred Barnes or Charles Krauthammer(sp),on the Fox All Stars, deflate Mara's sometimes silly take on the day's events.
I would love to heard either Fred or Charles on NPR on a regular basis. Talk about e-mail and hate mail. The left fringe would start burning down their own radio stations.

[dawn53]

My husband insists on listening to an hour of NPR each morning from 5 to 6 AM.

What a way to start the day, LOL.

Usually, I'm in other parts of the house, but occasionally, I get within earshot and I can't stand it.

He says he listens because he wants to hear what the liberals are up to. He thinks it helps him at work in political discussions to be "one up" on the liberal prattle of the day, and NPR does let you know what the liberals are up to.

We actually have a station in our area that is MUCH MORE liberal than NPR. I can't even stand to listen to any of their garbage, but on his way home from work, he sometimes will manage to tune in to that station for 15 minutes (that's all he can stand before his BP starts to rise), just to get wind of their latest radical ideas.

[Drango]

I would love to heard either Fred or Charles on NPR on a regular basis.

NPR has zero conservative, full time, on air talent. None. All conservative voices you hear are guests or contributors and ride on the back of the NPR bus...

[RogueIsland]

That's a shame. I liked Bob Edwards. Great radio voice. I guess they want to appeal to a different audience. Maybe they'll hire Bubba the Love Sponge.

[GETMAIN]

I ocassionally catch the tail-end of "All things Considered" on my drive home prior to the financial show that comes on @ 6:30pm Central.

Nothing makes me turn the channel faster than hearing Daniel Schorr come on to give his nightly anti-Bush sermon. That dude is ipecac in audio form.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Spokeswoman Laura Gross said NPR's programming and news management made the change because it is trying to refresh all the network's broadcasts.

Start by presenting a less liberal slant to everything!

I'd say Bob is well left of center.

[TMSuchman]

My question is; did he ask a quetion about katsup-boy that rang of truth?

[Adder]

Oh, I am well aware of their evil ways. Terrorists are guerilla fighters, the Palestinian terrorists are "fighters". They had a bit of a hard time disguising what Rantisi had to say about blood and revenge and death to Israelis but they managed to be soothing that it was like just anger talking and he really wouldn't do that.[This am]
I am not surprised that CNN would report that Edwards leaving was his idea. Its typical of the leftists. Do as we say not as we do bs.
NPR is dispicable.

[js1138]

If I hear more than about 5 minutes of NPR I get all depressed and suicidal.

I gave up listening 15 years ago. It seemed like every news story had crying babies in the background. Or chanting protestors.

They did, for a while, have a wonderful economics correspondent. They gave him five minutes a weeek, and he moved on to better things.

[Steely Tom]

That fallacious dogma of the doctrinaire anti-intellectual cabal of the Limbaugh, Hannity and Laura (whats-her-name, the lawyer) and their local clones who serve their agenda by constantly slamming NPR and its comprehensive news reporting methodology.

Uh oh. One of your straps has come loose.

(steely)

[NCLaw441]

Did you ever notice (using my Andy Rooney voice) how Anne Taylor on All Liberal Things Considered in the afternoon always seems to enjoy trumpeting declines in the stock market? When there are gains, she only says, "The Dow was up XX points." When it is down, "The Dow Jones lost YY points, in heavy trading, declining issues led advances by a A to B margin, and that will, fortunately, hurt capitalism another day....."

[syriacus]

I'm glad you provide the opportunity for me to be up-dated on NPR., Drango. Thanks.

[norwaypinesavage]

"But I just wondered if they might be trying to take a slightly different, more moderate view in order to quell some of the criticism."

Certainly, as soon as pigs fly.

[syriacus]

Nina Totenberg,

I'm grateful to Nina.

Her reports on the Clarence Thomas hearings helped push me out of the Democratic party. Her summaries of the hearings bore little resemblance to what I heard with my own ears.

I figured that there must be something inherently wrong with the Left's ideology, if they had to distort the truth so much.

[Aquinasfan]

I know, we call it National Palestinian Radio around our house.

Sandinista Radio around here.

[Peter J. Huss]

Daniel Schorr helped make me a conservative.


After Waco burned, he did a commentary that basically stated that sometimes, even though things may seem awful, we need to trust our government and not question their integrity and motives.

[Aquinasfan]

every last one of them sounds soooooooo serious and humor impaired. If I hear more than about 5 minutes of NPR I get all depressed and suicidal.

Ain't that the truth. I know a bunch of people who claim to listen to it regularly. Maybe they're lying.

[Asclepius]

"You have to figure it's going to happen someday and you get out before they do it," he said. "But I failed."

The sigh of the department of the motor vehicles clerk.

In a corporate culture that favors personal loyalty and obedience over performance or initiative, an expression of complete helplessness like this one is completely rational.