NPR's Bob Edwards May Not Return to NPR

[West Coast Democrat]

(Why would he want to go back to a station that's gone downhill so much??)

WOODSTOCK, Vt. - Bob Edwards, the former host of "Morning Edition" on National Public Radio, is declining to say whether he will stay with NPR after his book tour ends in two weeks.

"I'm on the road for the next two weeks continuing to do what I am doing, and then I'll do something else," he said in a telephone interview with the Valley News of Lebanon, N.H.

When asked if that something else would include remaining on the air at NPR, Edwards said, "I'd rather not say."

The interview was designed to promote Saturday's appearance by Edwards at the Billings Farm and Museum in Woodstock, with Edwards as the featured guest at Vermont Public Radio's annual listener picnic. The free event runs from noon to 4 p.m.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040722/ap_en_ot/edwards_npr_2

(edited for a typo in the AP article)

[senseandsensibility]

1. I thought he retired

a couple of months ago. Was he just retiring from Morning Edition?

[hatrack]

2. Kind of like Lowell Bergman going back to CBS' morning "news" show

I mean, seriously, what exactly would the point of that be.

[feedppl]

3. Downhill and to the right.

It's getting so the idiots at my job are cutting their Rush with NPR.

[mom cat]

6. Welcome to DU! Enjoy!

[sendero]

4. So what?

As far as I can tell, Bob Edwards was as bad as anyone at NPR. I've heard him make many impromptu comments riduculing folks against the war and on other issues.

Why do so many here think he was such a great guy? Just because he got canned doesn't mean he wasn't as much a problem at NPR as anyone.

[West Coast Democrat]

5. I'll bet he was fed up with the environment there

They probably expected him to make comments like that.

[The Zanti Regent]

7. Oh he's another Nazi apologist

Just like the other liars Mara Liasson, Juan Williams, Nina Tottenberg, Cokie Roberts and all the other biased right wing liars who permeate Nothing but Propaganda for Republicans!

Good Riddance Bob, and take your slime with you as you leave the building

[sendero]

11. Ok, now wait a minute....

... I'm with ya but leave Nina Tottenberg out. I've never heard her do blatant spin like I've heard the rest of them. :)

[BiggJawn]

8. Wasn't he supposed to be a "Anchor Emeritus" or something like that?

Give him 5 minutes every year so we'd know he wasn't dead.
Sort of like they do with Uncle Walter...

Maybe Al Franken will offer him a chance at Redemption.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

9. I'm surprised at the vitriolic comments re: Bob Edwards

I'm a fan of his, having heard his first "Morning Edition" broadcast in 1979. I even took a break from a Las Vegas vacation recently to hear him speak in person about his book on Edward R. Murrow and the beginning of broadcast journalism. As part of the presentation -- which took the form of a conversation with a local journalist -- we were treated to snippets of some of the 20,000 interviews he'd conducted and several of the award-winning articles he produced. And there was a memorable conversation with former Brooklyn Dodgers radio announcer Red Barber that took place on September 11.

Edwards was demoted by NPR under the guise of a promotion. This is the same thing CBS did to Walter Cronkite in order to make room for Dan Rather. (Uncle Walter's still pissed at being forced to retire at 65 when Rather is still in the anchor seat at 73).

Personally I think NPR made a mistake. They're trying compete for the morning drive audience by switching from thoughtful, analytical pieces to the instant news all the time format that makes up modern journalism.

I expect Edwards and NPR to part ways.

[TroglodyteScholar]

10. Couldn't have said it better...

You're dead-on with that post...

Edwards was on of the only reasons I listened to NPR (along with Fresh Air). Morning Edition makes me wretch now.

[sendero]

12. Morning Edition..

.... has been making me wretch for 2 years plus now. It is hard for me the buy the idea that none of that was Edwards' doing.