Opinion: Susan Stamberg, trailblazer and NPR Founding Mother, retires

"Susan Stamberg once began an interview with an orchestra conductor by asking a question she confessed she'd always wanted to ask someone in his line of work: "Don't your arms get tired?" Maestro Jorge Mester of the Louisville Orchestra told her, "You know it's the most obvious question and never gets asked." He said his right arm was a little heavy, but added that only unemployed conductors' arms get tired. His stayed in good condition."

"Listening to Susan Stamberg reminded us that often the best questions are short, simple, and open-minded. She has been the master of that art. This week, Susan Stamberg is putting down her microphone after more than 50 years at NPR. She has won shelves of major awards in broadcasting, and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame especially extraordinary for someone who became a star on the radio and not on a screen."

"News voices in the 1970's tended to be somber, accent-less, and almost exclusively male. Susan Stamberg became the first woman ever to anchor a daily national evening news broadcast in the U.S., when she began to co-host All Things Considered in 1972. She was serious as the news required. But she was also curious, relentless, and utterly delightful. Susan's voice made Americans say: "They sound different, don't they?" Her voice has been sharp, sometimes saucy, and could be silken then let out a bell-ringing laugh."

Susan Stamberg began co-hosting All Things Considered in 1972 and became the first woman to anchor a daily national evening news broadcast in the United States. Her conversational, curious, and occasionally saucy voice gave personality to a fledgling public radio network and helped define NPR's sound. Stamberg’s short, open-minded questions and warm presence expanded public radio’s appeal. She amassed major broadcasting awards, a Hollywood Walk of Fame star, and more than fifty years of service at NPR before retiring. Her breakthrough opened opportunities for women across journalism and contributed to the rise of diverse voices in media.

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