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NPR’s Bob Edwards Loses ‘Morning Edition’ Gig

NPR’s Bob Edwards Loses ‘Morning Edition’ Gig

After 25 years as host of NPR’s “Morning Edition,” Bob Edwards is leaving that role as of April 30.
The change wasn’t his idea. An NPR spokeswoman confirms that this was a programming and news management decision. She said the network has been making changes to many of its shows and that a host change on” Morning Edition” is “part of a natural evolution. A new host will bring new ideas to the show.”
She said Edwards would still be a part of the program and others on NPR.
Meanwhile, Edwards told the Washington Post he’d rather have stayed and wasn’t clear why he would no longer be on the program.
NPR’s announcement stated Edwards is going to become a senior correspondent. Edwards told the Post the announcement from NPR about his next job was “premature. We haven’t settled up on what I’m going to do and what I’m going to be paid for it.”
NPR spokeswoman Laura Gross said the senior correspondent position had been offered to Edwards and he had accepted it. Asked if the network and Edwards are still in discussions, Gross said, “He’s accepted the position and we’re working out the details.”
Edwards saw the news release before the network issued it, she said.
“I am proud to have served with my ‘Morning Edition’ colleagues, who perform a daily miracle at ridiculous hours when resources are not abundant,” Edwards is quoted saying in the news release. “I am grateful for the many years of support from NPR member stations and look forward to continuing to visit them and meet our listeners. ‘Morning Edition’ will continue to be my first source for news. I wish all the best to its new host.”
The 56-year-old joined NPR in 1974 when the organization was in it third year. He was a newscaster and later co-host of “All Things Considered” before moving to “Morning Edition” as its original host in November 1979. Today “Morning Edition” is the second most-listened-to national radio program in the country, after Rush Limbaugh’s.
Edwards is the author of two books, “Fridays With Red,” which chronicles his radio friendship with sports broadcaster Red Barber, and “Edward R. Murrow and the Birth of Broadcast Journalism,” to be published in May.
NPR’s senior vice president of programming Jay Kernis said, “During the past 25 years (Edwards) has had one of the toughest shifts in American broadcast journalism. In his new position as senior correspondent, Bob will have more time to pursue stories that are of interest to him, place those stories on different NPR news programs and get to wake up at a normal hour for the first time in a quarter of a century.”
As the network looks for a successor, Steve Inskeep will co-host the program from Washington, and Renee Montagne will co-host from the NPR West studios in Culver City.
Edwards joins several other senior correspondents at the pubcaster, including former “Talk of the Nation” host Juan Williams, and former “All Things Considered” Host Susan Stamberg.

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