NPR’s Neil Conan talks about his 11 years of hosting Talk of the nation He thanks some of the show’s influential contributors along the way. After 36 years at NPR, Conan is signing on.
NEIL CONAN, HOST:
And now it’s time to say goodbye. You know, this, after 21 years, is the final broadcast of TALK OF THE NATION, and after 36 years, my last day at NPR.
Before I go, there are some people who deserve thanks. First, my predecessors in this chair: John Hockenberry, Ray Suarez, Juan Williams and several alternates who have allowed us to take a leave of absence.
There have been dozens of employees over the years, people whose names I heard after Tuesday’s letters, people who made this program happen. I can’t begin to list them all, but I have to thank the crew who have walked me through these difficult past few months. Tenbet Jeremias, Libby Franklin, Monica Bushman, Laura Lee, AD Kooij, Jessica Reidy, Prisca Neely, our editor Sarah Handel, director Gwen Otten, senior producer Scott Cameron, senior supervising producer Carlene Watson. We don’t get on or off the air without our technology.
Again, we can’t begin to list them all, but on their behalf, our thanks go to Artistic Director Melissa Marquez. And of course, I can’t get past political junkie Ken Rudin.
There were only two executive producers in my time on the show. So let me thank Leith Bishop, wherever she is, and especially Sue Goodwin. On this program and others, she and I have worked together for many years. She, more than anyone else, can claim credit for our successes. I will miss her so much
I want to thank the principals who decided to start this show and maintain it for over two decades. I want to thank the member stations, not just the 400-plus who carried this program, but all of them, all of those stations that collectively support NPR and allow us to borrow their outlets to talk to people across the country.
And I need to thank you. We’re told that more than 3.6 million of you are listening every week. This places TALK OF THE NATION among the top 10 talk shows in the country. The currency of airtime is that number, the amount of eyes and ears that can be handed over to soap manufacturers and car makers. To be honest, we do a little bit of that in public radio, too.
But on TALK OF THE NATION in particular, listeners have voices too. This program works best when we find ways to engage your stories about your jobs and your kids, your fears and successes, and about what happened in the drought, the hurricane, the fire, the hospital, the work, the school, the Iraq or the Vietnam.
Throughout my time at NPR, I have served as a reporter, editor and producer. As much as I loved all of those jobs, for the past 11 and a half years, this one has been the best. It has been an honor to speak with you every day.
I counted them: 600 a week. Give vacation time, add all the private coverage, let’s round it up to 5,000 hours. There’s still a lot to talk about, but that will be enough.
So, in a minute or so, I’ll be back where I started in public radio. I’ll be one of you again, listening. Yes, a listening pastor, but also a listening critic. I will cry and laugh and scream at the radio. We as listeners have a vital job. Our mission is to hold member stations and NPR accountable.
So, here I formed my own agreement with NPR and my member stations. I’ll listen, and yes, I’ll open my checkbook, but I need some favors in return. Go tell me the stories behind everything that happened in the world today. Explain why this happened, and how it affected our lives. Do this every day. Tell me what’s important, and don’t waste my time with stupid things.
bye bye. Signing on for TALK OF THE NATION and from NPR News, I’m Neil Conan in Washington.
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