NPR Turns 50

A look at the path public radio has traveled in the past half-century, and where it might go in the decades ahead

View this email online by Christopher Dean Hopkins A half-century ago this month, NPR first started holding up its microphone to America. It launched in 1971 as a rag-tag network with a lofty mission: to "enable the individual to better understand himself, his government, his institutions and his natural and social environment so he can intelligently participate in effecting the process of change." There never had been anything like NPR, and it gave it journalists chances to do something different, even extraordinary. "We were creating it from scratch. There was no template for it," says Susan Stamberg, one of NPR's Founding Mothers. In the 50 years that NPR has been around, the news and journalism have changed. NPR has also had to reckon with the ways it has not lived up to its mission of diversity and inclusion, a mission it continues to strive for today. Here's a look at the path public radio has traveled, and where it might go in the decades ahead. The First Days George Geesey On May 3, 1971, 20,000 demonstrators came to Washington, D.C., stopping traffic in the streets in a protest against the war in Vietnam. On that same day NPR premiered its afternoon show, All Things Considered. (You can listen to that first show here.) "I wanted to hear voices that aren't heard generally on the air and to have first-person accounts of these things," show creator Bill Siemering told Fresh Air. Stamberg helped shape the sound of NPR as the first woman to anchor a national nightly news program. "When I went on, there were no role models. There were no women doing this," she said. Newsletter continues after sponsor message Celebrate NPR. Support Your Local Station Today! Donations from our loyal fans have helped fund public radio’s reporting for the last fifty years. It’s not an exaggeration to say that we could not have done this work without you. In fact, listener support has fundamentally shaped the NPR you know and love today. Do your part and make a donation to your local NPR station. You'll help fund another fifty years of trustworthy news and thought-provoking programs. ♥ DONATE NOW ♥ A Few Favorite Moments NPR Stamberg told listeners about two of her sharpest NPR memories: Cozying up with a colleague in a closet to see if Life Savers really sparked in the dark, and saying a final goodbye to a dying commentator. Listeners also shared some of the moments from NPR's first 50 that stuck with them: Melissa Block's compassion and steadiness while reporting on the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, an immersion in the lives of people they'd never meet, and an unexpected role model for a mother. The Future Of Public Radio Saul Loeb/Getty Images Despite fantastic reporting and the iconic talent, NPR hasn't always held its microphone up to the United States fairly. 1A used the anniversary to talk about what NPR could be, examining why public radio sounds the way it does, the whiteness of the organization, objectivity and who it serves, and how to best deliver information to audiences wherever they are. Special Series: We Hold These Truths NPR's first broadcast was thorough coverage of an act of democracy — a massive protest against the Vietnam War. As it turns 50, it launches a project that poses a question: How can Americans make democracy work for them, even when many see think that system is failing? Mustafa Hussain for NPR For some city council candidates in Rochester, N.Y. it's about climbing to political power in order to transform how policing and public safety are handled in their community.  "I was of the mindset that police could be reformed," Stanley Martin says, but watching the local police union block reform efforts changed that. She's campaigning on a platform of gradually removing many of the police department's responsibilities.  Nevil Jackson for NPR Mortgage broker Mark Alston uses creativity and patience to help his clients qualify loans, expanding access to homeownership for Black Americans. Efforts like his help address the legacy of redlining and other systemic discrimination by the real estate industry and government policy. "It's pretty unbelievable to me [that] almost 75% of the white community owns houses. ... And in my community, you know, it's like 2 out of every 10 in LA, 4 out of every 10 in the country," he says. Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to hear live radio from WUFT 89.1 (edit station). Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Daily News, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Best of NPR emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy