Ticket 2 Ride

Through the years, National Public Radio (NPR), has had some incredible journalists and storytellers, especially Susan Stamberg, Linda Wertheimer, Nina Totenberg and Cokie Roberts. Author Lisa Napoli weaves their stories together about tenacity, friendship and the evolution of National Public Radio.

Napoli published susan, linda, nina & cokie in 2021, yet this book is particularly timely now, as NPR is under attack and the question of defunding the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is bandied about. This blog is not about that issue, although you can guess that I have an opinion about it.

The careers and talents of these four NPR pioneers is the subject, and much of what had made NPR successful and respected, is because of Susan, Linda, Nina, Cokie and others, whose hard-work, skill, insight and doggedness provided insight, understanding and deeper context to world events, politics, American life and important issues not covered by other media sources.

Elena Bowes (https://elenabowes.com) conducted this interview with Napoli back in 2021 after publication of this book:

“All four women could have run NPR,” Napoli said. “They chose to have jobs that were more ‘visible,’ if you will, to the public. So rather than being in charge, they wielded the (now-staggering) power of the public platform.

“Hard as it might be for younger people today to imagine, it wasn’t societally permissible for women to engage in discussions, particularly in public, about subjects other than ‘women’s issues,’ like weddings, babies, homemaking, fashion.

“They were strong women voices covering stories women weren’t previously allowed to cover (politics, law, government, etc). They helped changed the perception of women for all who heard them.”

Those three paragraphs outline the challenges outlined by Napoli’s about the journeys of Susan, Linda, Nina and Cokie.

I am not a regular NPR listener, but I have been periodically in my life. Driving to and from work, and sporting around on weekends, my car radio was tuned to the local station. Susan, Linda, Nina and Cokie were familiar voices amongst others in my drive time listening to All Things Considered, Morning Edition and other NPR programming.

Cokie was the only one who I could put a voice with a face because she appeared on television news shows. Honestly, I didn’t know a thing about any of them, except I was aware that Cokie came from a Southern political family, certainly not the struggles each of them faced, or that they were pioneers in a man’s world of broadcasting. Even NPR was a man’s world initially.

Susan Stamberg was interviewed by Judy Woodruff in 2021: “And (Nina) Totenberg tells a story about going for different jobs and being told, we already have our woman. And Linda (Wertheimer) tells stories about having worked for a bit at the BBC in London. And the women would go out, record someone on tape, come back and they would edit out the woman’s voice, so — and then a man would come in and voice between the clips, so that they were never heard.”

Napoli said in that same interview with Woodruff: “I mean, I don’t think a lot of people remember that Linda Wertheimer was a consumer reporter before she knew Congress in and out, or that Susan had been behind the scenes and had the life that she had, or that Cokie had to basically cry and beg to get a job, it was so difficult for her.”

These women learned that after graduating from college, getting hired was not easy, unless they wanted to be secretaries. News and broadcasting were under some pressure to hire women, which usually ment a woman. “How fast can you type?” was the typical interview question. They started in low level jobs, moved around, broadened their skills, and kept pushing.

This is also the story of the early days of NPR, who also needed a push to hire women, even when they had exemplary women already on staff. Once hired, there were other challenges. Men were promoted over women, and there was pay inequity. That was disappointing to learn.

These four women carved out very successful careers in radio, television and other professions. Each of their stories is quite interesting as they tackle careers, home life balance, and male attitudes.

Stamberg was the first woman to cohost a nightly national news program. She felt a responsibility to find stories that women could relate to, and they all helped other women establish their careers in broadcasting.

What’s interesting is not just how important these four were to the growth and maturing of NPR, but how their talents led them to cover, and sometimes break big news stories, and clearly established themselves as leaders in their profession, not just female journalists or correspondents.

I recommend this book, Napoli is herself a good storyteller, and threads it all together into a compelling read.